Heading overseas gives students a broad experience

Student Services

Two University of Adelaide students are showing that getting the full student experience at university can actually mean leaving Adelaide!

Margie Charlesworth and Alexander Marks are participants in the University's Study Abroad scheme, which allows students to study for up to a year in a university or college in North America, Europe or Asia. Students can count their overseas results towards their Adelaide degree.

For Margie, her Study Abroad exchange will be her first time overseas. The Bachelor of Social Sciences and Diploma of Language student, who has cerebral palsy, left late last month to study for two semesters at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.

She said she will use the trip to further her study interests of Gender Studies and French - and to further herself.

"I want to challenge myself, and I want to get the most out of my university experience," she said. "I left home to live on my own at an early age, which was hard, and now I'm ready for the new challenge of going to a new country by myself.

"I also want to show other people with disabilities that you can come to university, and even study overseas, if you really want to do it."

Alexander is studying for a double degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Arts, and has just returned from his Study Abroad at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

In addition to his studies in political science, he worked as an intern at the office of a Californian Democrat politician at the US Congress in Washington.

"I was able to attend a Congressional briefing given by ambassadors of three European Union nations (Britain, France and Germany) to the US about their most recent discussions with Iran on Iran's nuclear capabilities," he said.

"Although you would think the importance of such a briefing would be pretty high, because the US Congress is such a flurry of activity there weren't many people there, so I actually got introduced to everyone involved and had the opportunity to ask a few questions!

"The college experience with its fast pace, unique lifestyle and excellent teaching was very worthwhile, and my time in Washington widened my horizons and made me consider a number of career paths to take in the future."