Students interested in spending a semester studying in places like Washington, D.C., Australia, Costa Rica and nine other locations around the world are invited to attend the BestSemester Event interest meeting Thursday.
Student testimonials, free pizza and prizes are available to those who attend the event from 7 -8 p.m. in Room 115 of the Mabee Business Building. The meeting will showcase the 12 different culture-shaping and culture-crossing locations available. Through the Christian programs at BestSemester, students can study and intern for a semester in Nashville, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Costa Rica, India, Middle East, Australia, China, Egypt, Oxford and Uganda.
Christina Johnson, senior English and professional writing major from Dallas, is the ACU Alumni Ambassador for BestSemester. Johnson studied in Los Angeles and attended the L.A. Film Studies Center last spring through the program.
“You really become a part of the culture and get the full extent of the experience,” Johnson said. “It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
BestSemester offers students the opportunity to earn 16 credit hours in specialized classes for the field of their choice. Students can also enhance their off-campus study experience through community service and an internship.
Johnson received an internship at Walt Disney Studios, where she logged countless hours reading and writing script coverage and reviews.
“BestSemester allows you to figure out if this is the job you want,” Johnson said. “This is the time to take those chances and test the waters before moving for a career.”
BestSemester gave Johnson the opportunity to take film classes she would have not otherwise been able to take at ACU. Johnson said her professors at the L.A. Film Studies Center were the top-notch of their field and really wanted to see their students succeed.
“It’s a personal journey,” Johnson said. “You go out by yourself and have to trust God and this program. You are completely changed.”
Farron Salley, junior Ad/PR major from Fort Worth, also journeyed with BestSemester last spring. She studied in Washington, D.C. and landed an internship at the Daily Caller, an online news publication.
“I loved it,” Salley said. “I was so submerged in the culture of the field I was studying.”
As an intern, she covered tea party protests and healthcare rallies. Salley said she particularly enjoyed the program’s integration with the community. She worked with inner-city children and volunteered at a local food bank.
“If you put yourself out there and keep yourself open to new experiences, then there’s no other place to go but up,” Salley said. “The possibilities are unlimited.”
Salley said she plans to return to Washington, D.C. for an internship next summer.
“Studying abroad with any program is nerve wracking because you’re stepping into the unknown,” Salley said. “But that’s what makes it amazing. You’re stepping into the unknown with other Christians and your faith is tested.”
For more information about Thursday’s BestSemester Event, students can join the Facebook Event: BestSemester Event, or visit www.bestsemester.com for information about the BestSemester program. For information regarding ACU sponsored Study Abroad programs visit www.acu.edu/academics/studyabroad.
