New peer advising will aid study abroad office

There are some things that professional study abroad advisers can't tell you.

The best place to get local cuisine good professors to take classes with social situations to avoid and the best place to get a beer are among them.

But next semester" students wishing to study abroad will be able to seek advice from peers who have volunteered to share their experiences.

Peer advising will supplement the professional advising already offered through the Study Abroad Office and will give students insight from firsthand experiences with UNC's programs.

Student Body President J.J. Raynor and academic affairs committee co-chairman David Bevevino included a proposal for study abroad peer advisers in Raynor's campaign platform. They have been working with the Study Abroad Office to create the program this year.

""Studying abroad is one of the best experiences a student can have at Carolina"" Raynor said. This makes it more accessible to students and helps them feel more comfortable through direct contact with someone's relevant perspective.""

Peer advisers will share their experiences but will be trained to refer students to the professional advisers concerning issues such as financial aid" course credits and obtaining a visa.

Kathryn Goforth associate director for advising in the Study Abroad Office said students have been requesting peer advising for a while. Peer advising had been implemented with the Honors Program" which made the Study Abroad Office more open to implementing the program.

""We're really" really excited about it but beforehand we were a little cautious" Goforth said. It was encouraging that it had been tried somewhere else and worked.""

The positions are voluntary" and students who have studied abroad in spring 2008 or after are eligible to apply for peer advising positions. Advisers will serve a minimum of one year" but no longer than two years.

""The programs we offer change so much that we want to keep getting in fresh advisers" but not a completely new group every year" Goforth said.

The application will be released on the Study Abroad Office's Web site late in the summer.

While most students study abroad in Western Europe, an increasing number have shown interest in programs in Africa, Asia and South America.

This new advising program aims to have a diverse group of advisers to represent these different regions.

Students going to these nontraditional locations need to be able to access the same amount of information as those visiting Europe" Raynor said.

Students who have previously studied abroad think accessible advising from peers could be beneficial.

I think any supplement to the resources they already have is good" said sophomore Anna McCreight.



Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.