Thinking about taking classes in Costa Rica or Florence? From January 22nd to February 5th, Central Oregon Community College will be hosting meetings about travel opportunities led by faculty members Jon Bouknight and Sarah Henson.
COCC has several new trips lined up, Bouknight said.
“Right now, we’re doing Costa Rica in the summer, we’re doing Florence in the fall and we’re doing London in the spring,” Bouknight said.
The trip to Costa Rica next school year will deal with wildlife biology and Spanish classes, and the spring visit to London will delve into music. A trip to Florence in the fall is being planned.
One thing for college students to consider is the price tag involved, according to Bouknight.
“It’s going to be more expensive [than staying at COCC] to go abroad,” Bouknight said. “You’re typically going to be paying in Euros, which doesn’t have the best exchange rate, and the overhead cost is just under $1,000 a week.”
However, the cost for study abroad at COCC remains low in comparison to other colleges, according to Bouknight.
“Our programs tend to be cheaper than other schools,” Bouknight said. “My main recommendation to students is to start planning in advance.”
For more information, study abroad details are under the academic programs tab of the COCC website. Interested students might also want to research study abroad scholarship info, as students eligible for the Pell Grant can potentially get funding from the Gilman Scholarship.
Ultimately, the decision to stay or go depends on the person, Bouknight said.
“Not everyone’s enamored with traveling abroad, but those who do always have life-changing experiences,” Bouknight said.
Junnelle Hogen
The Broadside