Regina Dupuy has simple advice for anyone who’s considering studying abroad.

“Do whatever you can to make it happen because it’s definitely the experience of a lifetime.”

And she advises those who think they want to study abroad but are afraid of the costs not to let the lack of financial resources get in the way.

“I received a DSC Foundation Scholarship to study abroad, and it definitely helped with some of the expense,” says Dupuy, an Early Childhood Education major who was able to take advantage of the Summer Study in Paris program last summer.

The deadline to apply for a DSC Foundation Scholarship for Study Abroad for the summer of 2008 is Wednesday, December 5, advises John Lugthart, Dalton State’s International Education Coordinator, noting that the DSC Foundation has allotted more funds for study abroad scholarships this year than in years’ past.

He stresses that living in another country, learning about a different culture, and earning college credit at the same time are just a few of the compelling reasons to study abroad.

“I tell students who are interested that study abroad may even change the way they see the world and how they see themselves,” he says. “And it’s definitely a worthwhile investment in their future. I think the experience even makes them more marketable for certain jobs.”

Dalton State students can choose to study in nearly any country in the world on joint programs offered by the University System of Georgia or those offered by individual colleges in the state system. Available programs range in length from one week, one month, a semester, or a year.

The four to six week summer programs sponsored by the USG’s World Regional Councils have been the most popular with Dalton State students, says Lugthart, noting that these include seven programs in European countries and one in China. The Summer Study in China program is actually led by Dalton State’s own Associate Professor of Political Science, Dr. Baogang Guo.

The summer programs provide up to six hours of college credit in courses taught by USG professors from institutions across the System. Both upper and lower level courses are offered, including a number of courses such as literature and history which are required in most student’s first two years of college.

“One of the great things about these programs is that they blend class time with field trips which is a wonderful way to learn,” Lugthart says. “Just think about taking British literature in London – on Monday you may be discussing Shakespeare in class and the next day you and your classmates are off visiting the places where he lived and had his works performed. The Europe programs have just four days of class and field trips each week, which allows the students long weekends to explore the area they’re in or to take trips to other sites, even other countries.”

Last summer, Dupuy studied geography and world history while in France.

“It was wonderful,” she says, recalling that because her classes met on Mondays and Wednesdays, her professors would take students on field trips on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons.

“For my world history class, we visited the Palace of Versailles. We could have spent several days there.”

There was plenty of opportunity for her to sightsee on the weekends, Dupuy says, noting that she received eight Eurail passes when she arrived. She used two to travel to and from Florence, Italy, a 12-hour train ride.

But most weekends, she explored Paris, where she shopped in the outdoor markets, toured museums, and took walking tours of the city.

“It was great to be in Paris for Bastille Day (June 14). We went to the Eiffel Tower where they had fireworks at night. There was even a concert with Nelly Furtado. I had always wanted to see her in concert and ended up seeing her in France.”

The cost of the trips ranges from $3500 for the Summer Study in China program to around $5100 for Summer Study in Paris. The price includes airfare, lodging, most meals, and some excursions. HOPE eligibility covers tuition for students who qualify.

To learn more about Study Abroad programs through Dalton State, go to www.daltonstate.edu/studyabroad.