2008 Woodie Awards
Kosovo study abroad program sees success
Caitlin Varley
Issue date: 8/26/08 Section: Campus
Miami University students have many choices when it comes to study abroad. As of summer 2008, they have one more: Kosovo.
This summer, Miami debuted its first study abroad program in Pristina, Kosovo with eight students.
The students, one graduate assistant and two Miami professors spent eight weeks in Kosovo for the program, which was sponsored by the journalism department.
According to Ed Arnone, coordinator of the program and an instructor of journalism, the students worked for the news agency KosovoLive and took two classes, a journalism class on enterprise reporting and a political geography course covering the history and culture of Kosovo.
"The program was designed to be journalism-centered, but to (also) give them as full an experience as possible in the daily life (and) the culture of another country," Arnone said.
Arnone said that Kosovo was an especially interesting country because it is newly independent. Kosovo
declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008. Students were able to be in Kosovo while the country's institutions, including the news media, were evolving.
Summer Glasmeir, a 2008 graduate from the University of Dayton who heard about the program from a professor there, said she was surprised by Kosovo's culture and how much the people there loved Americans.
"I actually felt safer walking in Pristina than I do in a lot of other major cities in the States," Glasmeir said. "There was never a point when I felt that I was at any sort of risk for my safety."
According to Glasmeir, a typical day would start with a news meeting where they would come up with story ideas. Then students went to class from 9 a.m. to noon, and then worked in the KosovoLive news room until 5:30 p.m.
Glasmeir said the long hours were the worst part of the program, citing many days that went from 8:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m., and then continued with homework.
Senior Jay Stolkin agreed. Stolkin said that the even though the amount of schoolwork was the worst part, it comes with the territory since the classes were at the 400 level.
This summer, Miami debuted its first study abroad program in Pristina, Kosovo with eight students.
The students, one graduate assistant and two Miami professors spent eight weeks in Kosovo for the program, which was sponsored by the journalism department.
According to Ed Arnone, coordinator of the program and an instructor of journalism, the students worked for the news agency KosovoLive and took two classes, a journalism class on enterprise reporting and a political geography course covering the history and culture of Kosovo.
"The program was designed to be journalism-centered, but to (also) give them as full an experience as possible in the daily life (and) the culture of another country," Arnone said.
Arnone said that Kosovo was an especially interesting country because it is newly independent. Kosovo
declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008. Students were able to be in Kosovo while the country's institutions, including the news media, were evolving.
Summer Glasmeir, a 2008 graduate from the University of Dayton who heard about the program from a professor there, said she was surprised by Kosovo's culture and how much the people there loved Americans.
"I actually felt safer walking in Pristina than I do in a lot of other major cities in the States," Glasmeir said. "There was never a point when I felt that I was at any sort of risk for my safety."
According to Glasmeir, a typical day would start with a news meeting where they would come up with story ideas. Then students went to class from 9 a.m. to noon, and then worked in the KosovoLive news room until 5:30 p.m.
Glasmeir said the long hours were the worst part of the program, citing many days that went from 8:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m., and then continued with homework.
Senior Jay Stolkin agreed. Stolkin said that the even though the amount of schoolwork was the worst part, it comes with the territory since the classes were at the 400 level.
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