![\"australia\"](\"http:\/\/ezing.me\/transfer\/wp-content\/uploads\/australia.jpg\")
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This spring semester, Urban again said “yes” to adventure, taking advantage of a UM Study Abroad opportunity at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, where she earned 12 academic hours toward her bachelor’s degree in political science and public policy leadership.<\/p>\n
Focusing on a career in international law or business, Urban is a member of UM’s Lott Leadership Institute, which was a major reason for her college choice.<\/p>\n
“I decided to come to Ole Miss because of the excellent academic programs, such as the Lott Leadership Institute. Second, when I first visited there, I fell in love with the Southern culture and the beautiful campus.”<\/p>\n
The institute offers an intellectual community of faculty and students designed to help prepare public policy leadership majors for positions of leadership in an increasingly complex world.<\/p>\n
As she prepares to return to UM this fall for her senior year, Urban calculates the value that her Australian experience added to her education.<\/p>\n
“I think my Study Abroad has given me a unique edge in understanding another country’s political structure and education system, as well as learning to live in a new place and accept a different culture,” she said.<\/p>\n
During the spring semester, 109 Ole Miss students participated in UM’s Study Abroad programs. Each year, the Study Abroad Office sends around 600 students abroad, offering programs in more than 80 countries covering Latin America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.<\/p>\n
Urban, who has visited 25 countries over the years, said her classes at Macquarie fit well into her overall career preparation.<\/p>\n
Cultural differences became evident to Urban upon arriving in Sydney and at Macquarie, which enrolls some 33,000 students. Like most students, Urban lived off campus, in a townhouse with four other students, including an Australian, a Chinese and a Norwegian.<\/p>\n
“The living arrangement with international roommates helped me experience different cultures,” she said. “Also, the house had no air conditioning or dishwashers.”<\/p>\n
Then there was another kind of culture shock: “We found spiders the size of our hands, foot-long lizards and birds that belonged in the zoo in our house,” she said. “It was fun living there, even though it was a huge change.”<\/p>\n
Urban took advantage of travel opportunities during her four-month sojourn. She toured Sydney and took a trip up the coast. Weekend excursions included bungee jumping in New Zealand and sightseeing in Canberra, the capital of Australia. She visited Manly and Bondi beaches, which she describes as “the nicest beaches I have ever been to,” and she spent spring break in Bali.<\/p>\n
Her advice for other students is, “I think every student should study abroad during their college career, because it opens up a whole new world.”<\/p>\n
Urban is slated to graduate in May 2011 and hopes to continue studying before starting her career.<\/p>\n
“I plan on furthering my education by getting my JD\/MBA and going into some type of international law or business,” Urban said.<\/p>\n
She is the daughter of Ann Urban of Littleton, Colo., and the late Paul Urban.<\/p>\n
For more information on UM Study Abroad programs, go to http:\/\/www.outreach.olemiss.