In spring term, students will have an opportunity to live in London for ten weeks while earning college credit.
The London study abroad program offered to Central Oregon Community College students through Oregon International Education Consortium will take place spring 2014. This program rotates during the spring with the study abroad program in Barcelona.
Typically, study abroad programs don’t take place until a student’s junior or senior year. OIEC gives students the option of studying abroad within the first two years of their degree, according to Jon Bouknight, COCC speech professor and coordinator for the OIEC program at COCC.
“During this time, students are still figuring out career options, and often times studying abroad can influence that decision,” Jon Bouknight said. “One of the main reasons students enroll at OIEC is because the classes they take are guaranteed toward a degree.”
One professor from COCC typically goes with the students on the study abroad program to teach a class for students there. Jon Bouknight went on the 2002 London study abroad trip to be one of the groups professors for the term. His wife, Lisa Goetz-Bouknight, transitional writing instructor at COCC and their then ten year-old daughter went with him.
“London changed our daughter’s life. Just to see the culture, the history and the general perspective of actually being there was amazing,” Lisa Goetz-Bouknight said. “London is the most exciting city i’ve ever been to. London is a sort of magical place.”
Students going to London will not only earn college credit but will have access to the theater district, museums, cathedrals, and historical sites such as Oxford and Stonehenge.
“London is an exciting place, you never know what you’ll find there,” Lisa Goetz-Bouknight said. “London has a way to make the antiquities of history seem like new.”
Students will have four days on class followed by three days off so they have ample time to explore the city, according to Jon Bouknight.
“A lot of the activities there are free to encourage a variety of people to come,” Jon Bouknight said.
Jon Bouknight hopes to see interest in the study abroad programs continue to increase.
“Generally I think there is a big advantage to spending time in another college,” Jon Bouknight said. “It’s a great opportunity for students to learn about themselves.”
Molly Svendsen
The Broadside
msvendsen@cocc.edu
Cover photo submitted by Jon Bouknight
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