Megan Orth
At MSU, the question typically is not if you are going to study abroad, but when you are going to study abroad. With around 150 programs of study in over 60 countries, there is sure to be a program for everyone and every interest. If you are a student interested in learning about persons with disabilities, experiencing Irish culture and maybe even kissing the Blarney stone, you are in luck!
The Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) teamed with the Office of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies (ORDS) in the College of Education five years ago to create this innovative program. Disability in a Diverse Society is a four-week summer study abroad in Dublin, Ireland. It includes a mix of formal class instruction, guest lectures, and interactive service learning in the community, working with schools and organizations for persons of all ages with disabilities.
Students find that this combination allows them to experience and learn about disability in a culture other than their own, something they wouldn’t necessarily get in a classroom.
Ashleigh Bonner, a recent MSU graduate who attended the trip earlier this summer, loved the program because it was so “flexible and hands on” and it broadened her scope of knowledge about disabilities.
A participant from the 2011 trip, Andrea Parker, a senior in Lyman Briggs, stated that after one day of service learning with an organization for adults with disabilities, The Daughters of Charity, her “perspectives on disabilities were completely changed.”
This program invites students of all majors and studies, with or without disabilities to be a part of an educational and life-changing four weeks.
Citing the program’s openness, James Madison College senior, Kevin O’brien, who participated in June, noted that a critical element of the trip is that everyone brings their own unique views and backgrounds.
He found the trip both eye opening and inspiring because you meet so many people devoted to “increasing the quality of life for persons with disabilities”.
“You become more hopeful that someone is doing something…and you realize how connected the world really is.”
Beyond the classes and community involvement, students have the opportunity to experience everything that Irish culture has to offer. From a housing vantage point, students are only a ten minute bus ride from the heart of the city, providing access to shopping, festivals, museums, historical sites, and restaurants.
Students take in the beautiful views before climbing across a rope bridge during a weekend trip!
Students aiming to bond with each other and see more of Ireland are encouraged to explore other parts of the country. Parker loved the beautiful scenery and described Ireland as “a great country to travel to.”
Studying abroad can open students’ eyes to other cultures and beliefs, and Disability in a Diverse Society does just that. Students explore and challenge their preexisting attitudes about persons with disabilities while increasing their awareness, acceptance, and understanding of disability as it relates to them and others in a larger, global community.
Parker remarked “Everyone will encounter people with disabilities at some time in their life.” This program “gives people confidence and new perspectives on how to treat people with disabilities.”
Disability in a Diverse Society “will change your life. It’s impossible to describe how meaningful this program is.”
Sound like the study abroad program for you? Check out Disability in a Diverse Society at the MSU Study Abroad Fair at the Breslin Center on Thursday, September 27, 2012.
Kevin O’brien cheers on the Irish during a soccer match in Dublin! // Many students’ favorite activity is visiting the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher.