Sophomore psychology major Imon Rudd speaks to Eamonn Wall about the faculty-led study abroad opportunity in Galway, Ireland, during UMSL Global’s Study Abroad Fair last Thursday in the Millennium Student Center. (Photos by Derik Holtmann)

Imon Rudd has heard friends and other fellow University of Missouri–St. Louis students rave about the experiences they have had leaving the country to study for a few weeks over the summer or for a full semester.

“Everybody always really encourages it,” Rudd said. “I also had a teacher that said she didn’t have many undergraduate regrets, but she does regret not looking into study abroad.”

Rudd doesn’t want to have the same lament. So, when an email from UMSL Global promoting last Thursday’s Study Abroad Fair landed in her inbox early last week, the sophomore psychology major made sure to plan her day around the event. She was in the second-floor rotunda of the Millennium Student Center to scout out opportunities within a half hour of the 3-hour fair’s 10 a.m. start time.

“I just wanted to take that chance and see if it works out with me and my schedule,” Rudd said. “Maybe I can go somewhere pretty fun.”

Stephen Bagwell, an assistant professor of political science, discusses study abroad opportunities with senior philosophy major Olajuwon Davis during UMSL Global’s Study Abroad Fair. Bagwell and Teaching Professor Michael Costello have led a short-term study abroad program in Belgium and the Netherlands during the winter intercession.

Rudd walked past tables staffed by faculty members ready to discuss short-term study abroad trips they lead – to Belgium, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Greece, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and more. There were also advisors from each of the colleges to answer questions and help students learn how study abroad might fit into their schedules.

Some of the study abroad programs are geared toward students in particular majors, but many cover a range of academic subject areas.

Rudd stopped to have conversation with Eamonn Wall, the UMSL Smurfit-Stone Corporation Professor in Irish Studies, about the four-week Irish Studies Summer School program he coordinates in Galway, Ireland, with courses available in anthropology, art history, economics, English, history, music, political science and sociology.

Maggie Hook, the study abroad manager for UMSL Global, said the fair is important to showcase all the UMSL opportunities available in one place.

“We need to get in front of students, to be on their radar and for them to know that study abroad is a possibility for them, whatever their major is,” Hook said. “We have so many different options, whether it’s a short-term trip during summer or the winter intersession, or for those who want to go abroad for a full semester or a year. I think for a lot of our students it’s just something that they haven’t thought is possible. So, we want to get out here and spread the message that it is something they can definitely consider, and we’ll work with them.”

Sandra Trapani, a teaching professor of French and the chair of the Department of Language and Cultural Studies, has seen the impact that going abroad can have on students. She’s been leading three-week trips to Strasbourg, France, every other year since 2006. She’s seen between 100 and 120 students take advantage of the trip during that time.

“I think it’s life changing for them to get them out of the small box of St. Louis,” Trapani said. “They see there is this whole other world out there that has so much to offer. I think they find the city really accessible, too. I think they’re surprised at how well they can navigate, and it’s a confidence-builder for them.”

The most recent participants finished their time overseas with four days in Paris, where they visited some of the Olympic sites ahead of last summer’s Games. Trapani said they plan to build time into seeing the French capital into future trips, beginning in 2025.

Stephen Bagwell, an assistant professor of political science, has twice joined Michael Costello, a teaching professor of finance, in leading a winter trip to Belgium and the Netherlands, including time with business leaders and touring international institutions such as the European Union Parliament, NATO and the International Criminal Court. He’s already looking forward to returning in January 2026.

“I love seeing light bulb moments in students,” Bagwell said. “You get those pretty regularly in a classroom setting, but to be able to see it every day for two weeks straight is a lot of dopamine. It’s a rush to see things click for students. I can remember political science students and business students having in-depth conversations in the back of the van when we were driving to different places about what we just experienced or what we were about to experience and why some of these things are really important.”

Transfer student Andrew Fowler is new to UMSL this semester and is majoring in international business. He saw the fair promoted and made a point of stopping by.

“My life goal is really just to see the world,” Fowler said. “This is definitely a step in the right direction, and I want to be able to do things like this while I’m young.”

He was particularly interested in learning about the opportunity to study in Japan after previously studying Japanese. But he was happy to see the variety of opportunities available, especially the short-term trips because Fowler – like a lot of UMSL students – is currently working while going to school.

Hook knows time isn’t the only barrier students see that often prevents them from considering study abroad opportunities. There’s also cost. They often think it’s too expensive to be attainable.

“It is a myth that study abroad is way more expensive than attending here,” Hook said. “If you go through an exchange program, you’re paying UMSL tuition. Depending on where you go will determine whether your room and board is more expensive or comparable to what you’re paying here. Beyond that, our office has scholarships that we can only give out for studying abroad. A couple other units like the College of Business and Honors College have study abroad scholarships as well. A lot of our students have discovered that it’s a lot more affordable and manageable than they would’ve thought.”