Today at Howard University, First Lady Michelle Obama encouraged students to study abroad in China. She said, “Studying in countries like China isn't only about your prospects in the global marketplace. It's not just about whether you can compete with your peers in other countries to make America stronger. It's also about whether you can come together and work together with them to make our world stronger. It’s about the friendships you make, the bonds of trust you establish and the image of America that you project to the rest of the world."
President Obama introduced the “100,000 Strong Initiative” in 2009. This program seeks to increase the number of students who travel to China and help underrepresented groups such as minorities and community college and high school students study abroad. Michelle Obama also announced today more than $2.25 million in private sector pledges has been committed to support the initiative’s goals.
The president and first lady are clearly passionate about involving students in worldly interactions. Many times at Lehigh I feel like I am in a bubble. Unless I seek out news or information, I never hear about world or local news. By encouraging study abroad, the Obamas are promoting interest in foreign affairs. Interest leads to knowledge, which can lead to understanding and working together. Michelle Obama’s view on study abroad transforms the idea from a shallow desire to travel to a sophisticated social experiment involving collaboration of people from all over the world.
I personally believe that a “hands on” approach is the most effective way to learn. Study abroad offers the possibility to learn about the history and local happenings of a foreign country, about social and cultural differences among populations, and about yourself all in an interactive environment.
For full coverage of Michelle Obama's speech: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2011/01/at-howard-u-michelle-obama-urg.html
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