APSU's study-abroad programs

Tenn. Jess Nobert, an Austin Peay State University student studying abroad in Sweden, misses a lot of things about home her car, ranch dressing and warm weather.But it's a good experience because there are a lot of new things here that I probably won't find when I get back, she said.
Nobert is one of several students participating in APSU's study-abroad programs this spring.
Tina Rousselot de Saint Ceran, coordinator of International Education at APSU, said more and more students like Nobert are studying abroad or taking advantage of exchange programs.

To date for the 2009 10 programs, we have doubled our enrollment numbers in study abroad and exchange programs since last year this time, she said.Enrollment in study abroad fall and winter programs increased by 118 percent from the 2008-09 academic year. In 2008-09, APSU experienced a 26 percent increase in study-abroad enrollment numbers from the previous academic year, due to the addition of two short-term study-abroad opportunities in Japan and Russia and two new partner institution exchanges in South Korea and Austria.APSU also was the university with the greatest enrollment in the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad (CCSA) winter program, topping 15 other partner institutions in the consortium.

Study-abroad students experience opportunities that simply cannot be found at APSU. Nobert, for instance, met Matthew Barzun, U.S. ambassador to Sweden, at Mid Sweden University, where she is attending.He came to speak to the campus about answering Obama's call but ended up speaking about the Haiti situation instead, she said. He talked about what the U.S. was doing there at the time. It was interesting because students from the university, Swedes and other foreign students were asking him very tough questions we wouldn't expect to hear at APSU.

Nobert said she continues to acclimate herself to being in a different country, surrounded by new cultures.I've had the opportunity to go to a few sporting events. I really hate that I'm missing APSU basketball season. The university doesn't have organized collegiate sports; everyone who plays is either for fun or professional, she said. There are hockey and basketball teams in our town, Sundsvall, and there is a hockey team from the Swedish Elite League only a few miles up the road in Timr.