Elon study abroad program has been ranking number one for over a dozen years. And I think fundamentally, it's not just about going abroad. It's about understanding cultural difference and coming to respect and appreciate cultural difference. Oftentimes students choose Elon, because they know they will study abroad. And they're wondering when, and where, and in some cases, how often they'll study abroad. And we do our very best to make it as accessible to students as possible.
I had a student many years ago that came to El Centro, he was interested in learning Spanish. He was very shy. And then one day he came and asked me what I thought about him studying abroad in Costa Rica for winter term. So he was there for three weeks. And you would think that three weeks is not enough time. When that student came back, he was a completely different person. He was very confident. His language skills had improved tremendously, but it was not just the language skills itself, right. I mean, it was the fact that he was able to really get immersed in the culture, and he was so fulfilling to see him grow like that.
Oftentimes, students are studying abroad and interning, or studying abroad while doing their undergraduate research. So it's the connected nature of the educational experience that is led by study abroad, that I think really is a draw for Elon students.
