WHY SHOULD MY daughter / son STUDY ABROAD?

We know it can be tough to say "bon voyage" to your daughter / son, but in our interconnected world and in a job market that is becoming increasingly competitive and global, helping them realize their dream to study abroad can truly be the gift of a lifetime. Here are just a few of the benefits:

  • PERSONAL - When students study abroad and fully immerse themselves in another culture, they not only return home with expanded ideas and knowledge of other peoples and cultures, they also gain a new awareness and understanding of themselves as young adults. A long-term study abroad experience can result in greater flexibility and adaptability, self-confidence, maturity, and independence. 
  • ACADEMIC - At Siena, we provide each student with highly personalized advising before, during, and after their study abroad experience. We make sure that studying abroad gives our students the opportunity to gain credit towards their academic degree(s) in programs and foreign colleges/universities that live up to Siena's standard of excellence. Our students discover new approaches to teaching and learning, gain understanding of the higher education system of another country, and acquire real-life experience and hands-on learning (including internships, research, and service learning) that no traditional classroom can match.
  • PROFESSIONAL - Study abroad helps students gain cross-cultural awareness, which is critical to working on increasingly diverse, global teams; it also fosters the ability to bring global thinking skills to bear on complex issues. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), which develops a list of key competencies college graduates should bring with them to the workplace, has marked "global fluency" as one of the most important traits employers are looking for today.

Health and safety abroad

At Siena, your student's safety and security is our top priority. For that reason, we partner with highly-trusted study abroad program providers and universities. We maintain consistent, open communication with these partner institutions, working together to ensure the health, safety, success, and satisfaction of each student. Our approved programs list is regularly reviewed, and if we determine that a program location is no longer safe for our students, it is immediately removed from the list.

Typically, the staff of our approved programs works closely with the U.S. Department of State and with local authorities to assess and manage risk and emergency situations of local and / or regional significance. We highly recommend that students take advantage of the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) as well.

Prior to departure, we review emergency contact and procedures with all students, ensuring they are aware of the resources and support services available to them abroad. Additionally, for our semester/year-long students, we establish accessible communication with them via WhatsApp on a designated, departmental mobile device. Once your daughter / son travels abroad, expert on-the-ground staff oversee the day-to-day onsite operations, which includes monitoring student safety, handling situations related to illness and emergency, and maintaining communication with our staff, if necessary.

insurance

Before traveling abroad, all students are required to obtain Siena-approved supplementary international insurance coverage. For most students, this insurance is through iNext, which provides basic insurance coverage for emergency medical care and accidents for a full year. Our office automatically enrolls students in iNext coverage prior to their experience abroad and their student account is billed accordingly. Full information is provided to students as they are preparing to travel abroad.

Although iNext provides students with a valuable safety net, and should give you some peace of mind, students are required to maintain their domestic health coverage while abroad. Many U.S.-based health insurance companies will reimburse for medical expenses incurred abroad, but policies and procedures will vary. Contact your insurance company for full details.

pre-departure information

If your student is preparing to study abroad—or if they are already off traveling the world!—you may find our Study Abroad Pre-Departure Handbook very informative.