Clarksville, Ark. --- Three University of the Ozarks students have been selected to spend the Spring 2002 Semester studying abroad as participants in Syracuse University's Division of International Programs Abroad. Aaron Coats, Daniel Sigala, and Jason Small will each spend a semester learning European history and culture while continuing their academic studies abroad.
Coats and Sigala, both senior political science majors, will be studying in Strasbourg, France. Coats is the son of Richard and Carol Coats of Nampa, Idaho. Sigala is the son of Manuel and Olga Sigala of Tulsa, Okla. Small, a sophomore political science major, will study at the Syracuse Center in London, England. He is the son of William and Joyce Small of Pine Bluff, Ark. "The Strasbourg program is offered by Syracuse University which boasts one of the best international relations programs around," Coats said. "By going abroad I seek to become more culturally aware and informed of Europe, to an extent that may only be gained through experience." Students from universities across the United States participate in the program, which allows for total submersion into the European culture. Small will have the opportunity to visit key sites within London as well as trips to Oxford, Stonehenge and Greenwich. "The opportunity to study abroad in London will be a culmination of the groundwork Ozarks has provided for me," Small said. "The tremendous opportunity to study abroad will not only provide an enormous amount of insight into a different culture and society but will also reinforce a major theme here at Ozarks of understanding, appreciating, and valuing cultural diversity." While studying in Strasbourg, Coats and Sigala will stay with host families and will have the opportunity to learn more about the European culture and history with trips to Nuremberg, Prague, Dresden, Bratislava, Budapest, and Munich. "I feel that U of O has prepared me well to compete and represent my university at an international level," Sigala said. "Study abroad programs are designed to test students’ capabilities and also to provide an excellent social experience. I plan to gain as much as possible from both the academic and social experiences while in France." A portion of each student’s cost is funded through Ozarks’ Clayton G. Russell Memorial Endowment for Political Science. Syracuse University maintains academic centers in England, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Spain, and Zimbabwe. Each center has close ties to local universities, allowing students to design integrated programs of study appropriate to their academic and language abilities.
Topics: Study Abroad