Centers Week: Get to Know Our Study Centers in Italy & Mexico!

Every year in September, the College of International Studies and Education Abroad sponsor Italy and Mexico Weeks, weeklong celebrations of OU's unique international study centers, OU in Arezzo and OU in Puebla. This year's series of events, combined in a single "centers week,' features information sessions, advising and Study Abroad 101, alumni chats, giveaways, and of course — FOOD! Check out the full schedule at studyabroad.ou.edu, and read on to learn more about these amazing study centers and their recent programs.

Why Study Abroad at OU's International Study Centers?

While The University of Oklahoma offers many study abroad options, our international study centers are a special mix of OU community and international immersion. Students at OU in Arezzo and OU in Puebla typically live with their classmates — in the Kathleen and Francis Rooney Residential Learning Center (Arezzo) and the OU in Puebla apartments — and take at least some courses with OU faculty. This environment, along with on-site Center staff, provides a feeling of safety and support far away from home. But students at our study centers are also able to immerse in the local culture in a number of different ways: through internships, volunteer opportunities, organized activities and exchanges, excursions, and, at OU in Puebla, by taking courses at OU's local partner university, UPAEP. Therefore, these study centers provide the best of both worlds: the support of an OU family with the ability to explore and engage with a whole new world.

Those interested in studying abroad at our centers in Italy and Mexico have the option of spending a year or a semester abroad, or participating in a short-term summer program. Visit studyabroad.ou.edu, arezzo.ou.edu, or puebla.ou.edu for more information.

Application Deadlines:

• The spring 2023 application deadline is October 3, 2022

• The summer 2023 priority deadline is December 1, 2022

To help you decide if this program is for you, read on to see what students at OUA and OUP were up to during spring and summer 2022!

Spring 2022 at OUA

Spring is always a beautiful time in Arezzo, a small city nestled in the rolling Tuscan hills outside of Florence, and this year's spring cohort made the most of their time. Aside from trips to Venice, Rome and Florence, one highlight for spring semester students was the Big Event in April, when students volunteered to create a series of murals relating to Arezzo cultural identity for the Arezzo Municipality and the Association MURo (top photo).

Summer 2022 at OUA

OU in Arezzo had a busy summer as usual, with a total of nine short-term programs running, including:

• Journey to Italy

• Landscapes of Italy

• Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication in Arezzo

• STEaM Engineers in Arezzo

• Mediterranean Diet and Culture

• Organic Chemistry in Italy

• The Political Economy of Italian Art and Food

• President's Leadership Class (PLC)

• President's Community Scholars (PCS)

Spring 2022 at OUP

Spring 2022 in Puebla, a safe, historic city known for its rich culture and culinary scene, drew a close-knit community of students for an incredible experience. In addition to studying at partner university UPAEP, the group took two courses with OU faculty, Language and Power with Racquel Sapien and Environmental Conservation with Bruce Hoagland (both of whom will teach at OUP for spring 2023 as well). Excursions for last spring's group included Oaxaca and Mexico City; spring 2023 students will have an added excursion to Costa Rica.

Summer 2022 at OUP

In summer, OU in Puebla hosted four exciting programs focused in different fields:

• Verano Poblano is a Spanish language and culture program in which students took Spanish language classes as well as a class on the history of Mexican cuisine. Excursions included Cholula, Teotihuacan, and Mexico City.

• Summer Pre-Health in Puebla students did clinical rotations and lab practice at our host university UPAEP and took classes on the healthcare system in Mexico and medical Spanish, Excursions included Cholula, Teotihuacan, and Mexico City.

• Engaging Mexico, a special 2022 grant program sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, was launched in collaboration with Project Threshold. Students explored Puebla, Mexico City, and La Preciosita. They attended lectures from local entrepreneurs and organizational leaders, and met with staff from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, including the Ambassador himself, Ken Salazar.

• Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education Summer in Mexico students had the opportunity to gain experience working in a local elementary school in Puebla.

We hope that you'll join us for Centers Week to learn more about these exciting study abroad opportunities! For more information on upcoming events and the study abroad application process, please visit the Education Abroad website at studyabroad.ou.edu.