By Corey Riner, Contributing Writer
Dr. Felipe Rojas, assistant professor of Spanish at West Liberty University, has just been named the study abroad coordinator.
This position has many duties, including providing students with the support, information, and encouragement needed to go further into the field of international studies.
As the coordinator, Rojas talks to students who may be interested in studying abroad about the various programs and options that can be taken.
As with any academic experience, the subject of money is a very important factor when it comes to considering spending one or multiple semesters in different parts of the world. Another facet of Rojas’s job is to provide information on financial aid options that students can take in order to make their dreams a reality.
One of the biggest responsibilities that comes with this position, occurs after the preliminary steps in getting involved with the study abroad program.
As the coordinator, Rojas serves as a liaison to students who have been sent by West Liberty University to study in other countries. If a student has any difficulties or questions while abroad, he serves as the primary contact, even if it is just a shoulder to cry on.
The position is fitting, as Rojas himself has personal experiences studying abroad. Between 2003 and 2004, he spent a semester studying in Spain and said that the trip was “life changing, no matter how cheesy that sounds.”
Rojas was eager to say that he hopes to grow awareness about abroad opportunities that are provided by the university. He said he hopes that, through his position, he can “increase the amount of experiences for the students at West Liberty,” and to “cultivate a better world view in the minds of young students, to produce global citizens who are eager about traveling and learning new cultures.”
Rojas said, “It’s nice that the university acknowledges the need for a coordinator, that West Liberty cares enough to provide students with cultural experiences and furthering the department through creating a coordinator position only elevates West Liberty more in notoriety among the top universities in the state of West Virginia.”
Rojas can be reached at [email protected].
Photo Credit: Corey Riner
