Study abroad opportunities are an important aspect of internationalizing the academic and co-curricular environment at any college.

Friends University’s unique programs are not just tourism but real academic and cultural-immersion experiences. Moreover, the University tries to tie the experiences with local business and government. One example is the long-standing and highly popular Mexico study abroad program, developed by, Dr. Jerry Smartt, professor of Spanish and immediate past president of the Kansas State Foreign Language Association. Wichita and Cancun, Mexico, became sister city cultural and economic partners through the efforts of Dr. Smartt and Friends University many years ago working in collaboration with the City of Wichita.

As such, the mayor of Wichita recently accompanied Friends University students and faculty to Cancun to meet with university, government, and business officials during the month-long stay and study programs of Friends students there during May and June. Friends University students are commissioned by the city council before they travel to Mexico (some even receive scholarship help from the city), and students from La Salle University in Cancun come to visit Friends each January, where they are formally welcomed by the mayor and city council in a special banquet.

An important part of each exchange is the home-stay where each student lives in the home of a hand-picked family that will provide a complete immersion experience – both in Cancun and in Wichita. So, the exchange is not just a one-way street, but is an intentionally holistic experience. Wichita has also adopted other Sister Cities, including Orleans, France and Kaifeng, China, places where Friends professors have also have extensive engagement. Study abroad is both serious and fun at Friends … and life-changing. Just ask the participants!

Friends University has other study abroad programs of both longer and shorter duration. For example, there is a very popular, multi-disciplinary, London program in which students spend about 10 days before during and after spring break. This year, the University pioneered a Paris study abroad program at the same time as the London program, focusing on art history and architecture. Last summer, the Jazz Band toured Italy and France to rave reviews, playing in several jazz festivals from Umbria to Antibes. At one point, the band was featured on French national television! The Singing Quakers toured Germany 18 months ago, and several other international trips are planned in Fine Arts in the future.

Last summer, two Social and Behavioral Sciences professors took students for a month to Scotland, examining sociological and human systems issues. And a program of study in Xian, China with XiSu University has been developed through the efforts of Dr. Guang Xu, China history professor.

More and more programs in business and other disciplines are being developed … so stay tuned. Come and study with Friends University — the world is beckoning!