Members of the football team are not the only Notre Dame students to bring their talents to foreign shores. The International Open House presented an array of international opportunities to students in the Hesburgh Center for International Studies on Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Anne Hayes, assistant director of the Office for International Studies and one of the event's organizers, said each year the International Open House is an opportunity for all undergraduate students to learn about Notre Dame's various international programs.
"The idea is to introduce students to the wide array of international options that are available through various offices at Notre Dame. Most students know about study abroad programs through Notre Dame, but we also want them to know about international research, service learning and internship opportunities," she said. "The Open House provides underclassmen with a chance to begin exploring options to spend time abroad. It is also a great way for students who have already spent time abroad to reflect and to expand on [their] international experiences."
Senior Tom Mitchell, a finance and economics major, said he studied abroad in Hong Kong and is interested in returning.
"I enjoyed studying in Hong Kong and I'm hoping to return through work or a research opportunity," he said. "I'm going to visit the Career Center's table."
Freshman Evelyn Bauman said she attended to learn more about study abroad opportunities in general.
"I'm here to find out about study abroad, really anything I can get my hands on," she said. "I'm considering language programs and I'm taking French, so I'm leaning toward Africa."
Freshman Daniel NilssonSjolander, an international student from Sweden, said he is considering opportunities to study in English-speaking countries.
"I'm studying abroad as it is, but because I'm studying business it would be cool to spend half of the year in England or Australia," he said.
Hayes said an important aspect of the event was allowing students to network among themselves about international opportunities.
"Because there were students who had already spent time abroad and students seeking to go abroad, there were plenty of opportunities for students to interact with one another," she said.
Over 20 offices from across campus sent representatives to discuss their international programs, Hayes said, including ND International (International Studies and International Student Services and Activities), the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Student International Business Council and the Center for Social Concerns.
Junior Bobby Alvarez represented the Center for Social Concerns (CSC). Alvarez said he participated in two summer service learning projects through the CSC, one domestic and one international.
Alvarez said the CSC participated in the event in order to pursue its overall goal as an organization.
"The Center for Social Concerns is at this open house because our mission is making education work for justice and justice goes beyond our nation, state and city," he said. "Justice is an international, worldwide concern."
Hayes said this year's speaker at the event was Dr. Nick Entrikin, the University's first vice president and associate provost for internationalization. Entrikin's remarks focused on the importance of internationalizing a Notre Dame education.
The event was co-sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies and Notre Dame International, Hayes said.
Hayes said Kellogg began sponsoring the International Open House in 2008, but this was the first year Notre Dame International co-sponsored it.
