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Study Abroad Fair allows IU students to explore possibilities within OVPDEMA program

Study Abroad Fair allows IU students to explore possibilities within OVPDEMA program

By: Aggrey Sam

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Ochmaa Escue and Martin McCrory present IU student Toni Pringley with funding. — OVPDEMA Overseas Studies and Scholarship Program Director Ochmaa Escue (left) and IU Vice Provost for Educational Inclusion and Diversity, and Associate Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs Martin McCrory (right) present an IU students with funding for a U.S. passport.

Upon entering Indiana University, neither Toni Pringley nor Alyssa Claymiller had ever left the United States. Now, the two sophomores each have an insatiable thirst to explore more of the world and share the positive impact of seeing other parts of the world with classmates.

Their shared desire for international travel developed as a result of participating in the Overseas Studies and Scholarship Program, part of IU’s Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs (OVPDEMA). Claymiller, who hails from Kendallville, Ind., visited the Dominican Republic, while Pringley, a Bloomington native, went to Ghana.

Pringley and Claymiller took part in last weekend’s OVPDEMA Study Abroad Fair, sharing their experiences with other IU students. A mix of students who previously studied abroad through the program, nearly 20 IU campus partners, a resource fair, a photo booth, international-themed performances and food, and giveaways that included funding for four U.S. passports and other travel-related gifts converged Saturday afternoon at the School of Global and International Studies to create a festive atmosphere. At the event—which attracted approximately 200 students and was held in conjunction with IU’s International Education week through the Office of International Services—Pringley worked at an OVPDEMA resource table, which served as a central hub to inform students about the different aspects of the program, while Claymiller was on a panel discussion, telling students about her specific experience.

Leading up to their trips, both students took part in an eight-week class to prepare them for the different cultures they’d experience. For Claymiller, the class was also an opportunity to meet classmates she didn’t know, an added benefit to her journey.

Toni Pringley presents on her experience to other students.

Alyssa Claymiller holds a flag from Santo Domingo.

“We started to learn about the culture through essays and other projects, but I didn’t know any of the other students in the group before the class,” she recounted. “We started to get to know each other, which was nice. It made it an easier transition, because you’re with people for two weeks.”

Claymiller, who learned of the program through weekly emails she receives as part of IU Bloomington’s 21st Century Scholars Program, cites the cultural aspect of visiting the island nation as the most poignant part of her trip.

“We went to a lot of places, and that’s what I liked about the program. A lot of students in study-abroad programs say they stayed in one city. We went to Santo Domingo, which is the capitol, Santiago, the second-largest city in the country, and several smaller villages. We were mostly in the cities, but we would also take day trips to other places,” said Claymiller, an exercise science major with plans to attend optometry school.

“One of the best memories I have from the trip was visiting a museum in Santiago. We learned that the Dominican society doesn’t always reflect on their African heritage, even though something like 90 percent of the population can trace their ancestry back to Africa. That was one moment that really stuck with me.

“A lot of people, when they heard I was going to the Dominican Republic, they just thought I would be going to the beach. But that’s not what the program was about. It was more about learning about the culture, which was my favorite part of the trip.”

The program just teaches you things in ways that you won’t understand until you experience it. Going there sparked a desire in me to study abroad more.
Sophomore, Alyssa Claymiller

Ochmaa Escue, director of OVPDEMA’s Overseas Studies and Scholarship Program, explained that the type of experience Claymiller had is exactly what OVPDEMA intended when the Overseas Studies and Scholarship Program began.

“Our vision is to be able to afford students who don’t traditionally have the opportunity to travel and study internationally the chance to do so, then return to campus and their communities with greater knowledge of other cultures and an enhanced perspective of the world,” said Escue.

“The OVPDEMA Study Abroad Fair was a great way to increase the awareness of the Overseas Studies and Scholarship Program. I like the fact that it brought students of all backgrounds together, and that there was a genuine air of excitement as they learned about the program from our campus partners and through the experiences of their fellow students.”

In Pringley’s case, the effect Escue mentioned was certainly achieved with her summer journey. A media advertising major with a specialization in public relations, the bubbly Pringley participated in the Overseas Studies and Scholarship Program’s partnership with the Council on International Educational Exchange, receiving a free passport as part of the CIEE Passport Caravan in January. At a meeting leading up to the passport giveaway, Pringley learned about the program’s trip to Ghana over the summer.

“They talked about the different programs that they offer and how affordable they were. Going to Ghana immediately appealed to me” recalled Pringley, who is both a Groups and 21st Century Scholar, both OVPDEMA programs.

“We were there for two weeks and we went to Kumasi, Cape Coast, and Accra. For most of us, it was our first time outside of the country. I’m pretty sure it was one guy’s first time flying. It was a great experience and I couldn’t think of a better group to go with.

Representatives work at an information table during the OVPDEMA Study Abroad Fair.

Toni Pringley kneels with a child during her overseas study in Ghana.

“Landing there and seeing how different the airport was really opened my eyes to how different things are in Ghana in comparison to here. Then, spending so many long hours in the van while traveling different places really brought us together. But I think our favorite stop was Cape Coast. It was so beautiful,” she continued.

“Sometimes, especially in Accra, it looked very Americanized. You couldn’t even tell you were in a different country. But in places like Kumasi and on the way to Cape Coast, it was very apparent that it was very different.”

Pringley’s journey has turned her into an advocate among her fellow IU students, encouraging them to see the world.

“OVPDEMA’s motivation is to give underrepresented minorities and other students the chance to experience life overseas at an affordable cost, so it puts us in a position to succeed and do something outside of the norm. I really hope I get chosen to go to India,” said Pringley, mentioning an upcoming trip through the program.

“A lot of people that I talk to say they aren’t trying to leave the country because they don’t know anything about life abroad, but I tell them it’s affordable and it’s awesome.”

Claymiller concurred, referencing the fact that she never thought she’d have the chance to travel internationally.

Students gather information at a table during the OVPDEMA Study Abroad Fair.

“As a 21st Century Scholar, I didn’t know that it would be financially possible to go abroad, but it happened through my OVPDEMA scholarship,” said Claymiller.

“The program just teaches you things in ways that you won’t understand until you experience it. Going there sparked a desire in me to study abroad more. I recently found out that I’m going to Australia next semester. With the right scholarships—if you’re willing to put in the time to apply for them—you can definitely make it possible. It sounds cliché, but it can change your ideas.”

Study Abroad Fair allows IU students to explore possibilities within OVPDEMA program

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