Study abroad program taking off at UPEI

More UPEI students are taking advantage of a program through the university that has them studying abroad between May and early June.

May-mester, a term coined for the program by the office of Study Abroad and International Collaboration, has seen a nearly four-fold increase in the number of students taking part.

"The uptake was absolutely amazing, we had 22 students abroad last year on the traditional study abroad student exchange. This year we have 84," said Sherilyn Acorn-LeClair, manager of Study Abroad.

"It seemed like that month filled the needs of most of our student body in terms of having an international experience."

Running the program in May lets students finish their spring semester, before they start summer jobs. It also allows nurses to study abroad before clinical placements later in their education, Acorn-LeClair said.

'Faculty is passionate about this'

"The reason I think there was such a huge uptake is because it fills the needs for all students."

The increase in interested students, she said, is also because the "faculty is passionate about this."

If students are learning in the classroom about Shakespeare, then the professor will take them to the U.K. to learn all about Shakespeare, she said.

Funding has also helped the program move forward, with the Florence Simmons Global Experience Scholarship, which provides a minimum of $1,000 for an international experience.

"It helps off set the cost of airfare at least."

In May students will visit Ireland, Spain, France and the U.K. for about two weeks, learn and get a credit at UPEI.

"It's something they didn't think they could get without doing an entire semester abroad," Acorn-LeClair said.

"There is no downside to this."

She said this is the most students that have studied through the program and it is sparking interest for a longer Study Abroad experiences.

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