U-M ranks No. 1 among public universities, No. 2 nationwide for global learning experiences

[Link]STA Chinese folk fan dance. Image courtesy: U-M students

The University of Michigan is the top-ranked public university when it comes to studying abroad and No. 2 in the nation overall, according to a new report.

U-M had 3,340 U.S. students participating in education-abroad programs during 2022-23, the most recent academic year with complete data-based on the annual Open Doors report by the Institute of International Education, a New York-based nonprofit.

This rise in travel highlights a strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, marking a 69% increase over last year alone. In the 2022-23 academic year, U-M students traveled to 124 countries, with Spain, Italy and France as the top three destinations.

"To be ranked the No. 1 public university and the No. 2 in the nation for education abroad is a testament to our commitment to provide students with ample and diverse opportunities to engage globally, from study abroad programs to internships, from research to volunteer trips," said Valeria Bertacco, U-M vice provost for engaged learning.

"We couldn't be more proud of our entire education abroad community at the university, who work tirelessly to promote the benefits of international experiences and support students through these transformational journeys."

Dancing again in China

The transformative power of U-M's education-abroad programs was evident when five students from the School of Music, Theatre & Dance traveled to China in summer 2023. They participated in a dance exchange program in Shanghai and Harbin, where they spent 10 days performing, teaching and learning various dance techniques.

Organized by assistant professor Fangfei Miao, this trip marked the first visit by an American dance group to China since the pandemic. The program featured performances and cultural classes, focusing on traditional Chinese dance forms such as the sword dance, the Anhui Flower Drum fan dance and the Northeast Yangge handkerchief dance.

[Link]Joint performance with STA. Image courtesy: U-M students [Link]Post-performance talk. Image courtesy: U-M students

U-M students performed both solo and with Chinese dance students, showcasing choreography by SMTD students and Professor Miao.

"Being fully immersed in a different culture was enlightening," said dance major Robert Farr-Jones. "I saw varied teaching styles and began incorporating them into my work back home. Without this trip, I would have taken much longer to adopt new perspectives in my teaching."

Miao emphasized the role of performing arts in connecting cultures, aiming to broaden students' artistic perspectives and cultural understanding through the exchange.

"Through physical practice and observation, we immersed ourselves in a foreign arts culture and used movement to connect across language barriers," said SMTD student Rileigh Goldsmith.

Presenting her original choreography to welcoming Chinese audiences inspired Goldsmith, who is also majoring in biopsychology, cognition, and neuroscience, to seek more international opportunities in her career.

"Engaging internationally with dance has inspired me to prioritize travel in my dance career," she said.

Recent graduate Kevin Wang also traveled as both a teacher and learner. He co-taught a hip-hop class at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, introducing the style to Chinese students for the first time.

"The students were eager to learn and curious about the new style," Wang said. "It was fulfilling to watch them embrace something different from their training."

More demographics

The Open Doors report, funded by the U.S. State Department, is the most comprehensive survey of education abroad in the United States. However, it does not account for all U-M students who have studied overseas.

Among U.S. students studying abroad, 18% were from underrepresented racial minority backgrounds and 11% were first-generation college students. The report excludes non-U.S. citizens and those participating in noncredit educational activities such as internships, volunteer work, research and performances.

When including these groups, U-M had a total of 4,922 students abroad in the 2022-23 academic year-1,582 more than reported by Open Doors. These students took part in 5,321 trips, showing that many U-M students experienced multiple international opportunities.

"We are excited to continue to build on this momentum through our Global Engagement Strategic Plan," Bertacco said. "We saw tremendous success in Year 1 with the launch of numerous initiatives to promote early awareness of opportunities, diversify student participation and experience types, and support pre-departure preparation and post-experience reflection."

Gaining life-changing experiences in Colombia

Recent graduate Emy Guttman, who earned a master's in public health, turned her 2022-23 academic year into a cultural immersion and social impact journey through an internship at Platos Sin Fronteras, a nonprofit organization in Medellin, Colombia.

[Link]Emy Guttman at an event in Medellin, Colombia. Image courtesy: U-M students

"I knew I wanted to go somewhere that summer," she said. "I was looking into international opportunities and scholarships. Through friends, I found the connection in Colombia, which is how I fell into this experience."

Platos Sin Fronteras empowers women by teaching them how to cook nutritious, affordable meals with locally sourced ingredients. This experience became a transformative chapter in Guttman's academic and personal life. It also brought challenges, particularly with the language barrier, as she arrived with minimal Spanish proficiency.

[Link]Emy Guttman at an event in Medellin, Colombia. Image courtesy: U-M students [Link]Emy Guttman at an event in Medellin, Colombia. Image courtesy: U-M students [Link]Emy Guttman participating in a virtual cooking class via Zoom. Image courtesy: U-M students

"I came here with basically no Spanish, so that was a challenge," she said. "At the beginning, when I was going to the nonprofit events, I used Google Translate. By the end, I could communicate more and have deeper connections.

"It's always great to visit new places and grow as a person. I highly recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to understand values, attitudes, beliefs and different things that occur across cultures. It's more than just traveling; being immersed in the culture and people is super valuable."

Her international experience has not only influenced her personal growth but also her professional aspirations. After she graduated, she moved back to Colombia.

"I love Colombia, the people, the food-everything, so I decided to move here and figure out what I'm going to do with my degree," Guttman said.

She continues volunteering with Platos Sin Fronteras, helping them with various initiatives while improving her Spanish.

"The University of Michigan has so much funding and support, and you can find an opportunity," she said. "My life has changed drastically because of this experience, like needing the internship and finding this opportunity."

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.