COPH celebrates International Education Week
The College of Public Health will commemorate International Education Week Nov. 16-20. International Education Week celebrates the prospective opportunities and benefits of education abroad.
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs encourages institutions to promote international education, exchange programs and community engagement abroad among their students.
Following suit, the COPH has established many opportunities for students who want to travel abroad. The COPH is leading the way by providing students the option to travel to one of four main collaborative international hubs in Ecuador, Malaysia, Panama and Uganda.
Phyllis Nowlan in Uganda.
One such program is the COPH Master’s International Peace Corps Program, a college-wide program open to all of public health students who are U.S. citizens. This program allows students to combine their master’s degree with Peace Corps service. Peace Corps Master’s International (PCMI) students have traveled to countries such as Peru, Cambodia, Fiji, Benin and Swaziland among others for the 27-month long Peace Corps service. For current updates, students should visit the PCMI Facebook page.
Danielle Rankin in Kuching, Malaysia.
Graduate students also have the opportunity to travel overseas for their international field experience, service learning, international research and international academic development. Both graduate and undergraduate students may also elect to register for faculty-led study abroad courses.
“Every year I will meet students returning from international field experiences telling me that their public health experience working on their projects overseas have changed their outlook on their lives forever,” said. Dr. Boo Kwa, associate dean for International Programs and professor in Global Health.
Ann Vitous in Belize providing lessons on the water cycle, health and environment at a primary school.
The COPH provides numerous other opportunities for students to travel the world. Other locations include, but are not limited to, China, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Nicaragua, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Czech Republic, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, India, Ethiopia and Morocco.
Allison Hansell in Penang, Malaysia at the Stepping Stone Work Centre.
Students also have the option to design their own field placement with the help of their academic advisors. Interested students should visit the Office of International Programs for more information or contact Jesse Casanova, international programs and PCMI coordinator, at jcasanov@health.usf.edu.
Story by Tabassum Tasnim, USF College of Public Health. Photos courtesy of students.