Welcome family members!

It is quite something to send your student abroad. You may have concerns as well as enthusiasm for this venture. We believe study abroad can be a life changing event. Learning a new culture, a language, in addition to academic work will enrich you student's life and provide experiences that may help in future pursuits. You will probably find your returning student to be more mature, flexible, independent, and have a greater understanding and appreciation of different cultures as well as a better idea of what it means to be an American.

Shepherd University's Study Abroad Office is here to assist you and your student in making the most of a study abroad experience. Study abroad takes planning, and you will find resources on this website to help you select a program that meets his/her needs. Have your student meet with Ann Henriksson, Study Abroad Director during this planning stage. While overseas, the Study Abroad Office will keep in touch with your student by email. Back home, the Study Abroad Office will help your student evaluate the program and assist your student in integrating the new knowledge and experiences.

We recommend that your student learn as much about the host country as possible before leaving and know where the U.S. consulate is located within the host country. While abroad you and your student should keep up with world news. Visit the Department of State website for travel warnings, health and safety issues and more.

There are several types of communication you can use to keep in touch while your student is abroad: regular mail, e-mail, telephone, and fax. We suggest you and your student work out the means of communication before his/her departure and try to establish a regular schedule for keeping in touch. As your student adjusts to life abroad, you may notice signs of "culture shock." This is normal phase as your student learns to live in a new culture.

A good overview online is StudyAbroad.com's Parent's Guide to Study Abroad. You may also want to read Bill Hoffa's book Study Abroad: A Parent's Guide. It is available from the Association of International Educators (NAFSA) website http://www.nafsa.org. Click on Publications on the left, then Students Going Abroad under Publications by Category. The book takes you through the planning and selection stages for study abroad to nuts and bolts of living overseas, adjusting to a new culture and integrating the student's learning experiences when he/she returns. It gives you an idea of what to expect as your student grows and learns abroad.

For further information, please contact Ann Henriksson, Study Abroad Director.