Students to spend summer out of country with MHC study abroad program

By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on June 26, 2024.

Twelve students from Medicine Hat College are taking an opportunity to travel, earn extra credits and gain a new perspective through a study abroad program this summer.

Spending their summers in India, South Korea and Japan, students will look to immerse themselves and open new doors for themselves. One such student, first-year university transfer, science student Mason Pocsik, will be leaving North America for the first time as part of the program.

“Travelling has always been a pretty big interest in my life and learning about other cultures has also interested me a lot; learning all the different traditions they have that I don’t really get to see much here in Canada,” said Pocsik. On a full scholarship, Pocsik will be attending Dankook University in South Korea four weeks.

Pocsik will be taking courses in intercultural communication and social media on a global context to help immerse him in the culture.

“What really interested me in these courses is for one of the group projects, we actually get to go and make a short YouTube video talking to vendors and locals about what life is like in South Korea,” said Pocsik. “That was a big interest for me because I really want to learn about their culture and I thought that was a really great way to do that.”

While Pocsik is going into the sciences, he adds he could end up working with people from around the world, making these courses valuable to his future career.

“It’ll give me a better understanding of how to work with people of different cultures, who have different ideas, and overall just have a completely different upbringing than myself,” said Pocsik.

While some are taking the opportunity to amplify their college experience, others will learn about their heritage. Zachary Fischer, an art and design student, will study at Osaka Gakuin University in Japan.

“I was born in Japan and moved when I was two or three years old,” says Fischer. “I don’t really know that much about Japan, so I’m excited to take that opportunity to learn more.”

During his two-week experience, Fischer will be enjoying Japanese cuisine, learning some of the language and meeting new people, as well as gaining experiences to help shape his art.

“I think it will maybe give me inspiration for new projects and definitely give me a new perspective on life,” said Fischer.

More details on the study abroad program are available on the college website.

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