Ruth Brown

Two Students’ Association senators will soon be offered the opportunity to study abroad and develop leadership skills while in another country.

The new University Support for International Study for SA Leadership will take action for the first time this year.

A total of $2,500 for each student, provided by the university, will be given to two chosen senators to help pay for their trip.

“I am just excited that we have leadership this year that really supports our senators in this opportunity,” said Maryz Rames, vice president of Student Affairs. “I think it’s important that our students continue their leadership skills in other countries and then come back and help promote it to other students.”

Each of the 29 SA senators will be able to nominate up to five of their fellow senators to be given the opportunity to apply for the program. To nominate someone, the senator will give a short two- to three-minute presentation on why they think that senator should be nominated, said Eric Hanson, SA vice president.

“The top five nominated senators will then apply and be chosen by our committee,” Hanson said.

The committee that chooses the final two senators will include Rames, Karl Schmidt, director of International Affairs, and one of the SA faculty advisers, either Zeno Wicks or Dan Hansen.

“I think it’s a really good opportunity; I know there are a lot of people interested in it,” said Arielle Martin, a senior pharmacy major and senator of the College of Pharmacy.

The top five nominees will be chosen by Nov. 15 and the final two are hoped to be selected by the end of the semester. The chosen senators will travel the following spring or summer semester. The chosen senators may also chose to study abroad in one of the shorter programs that only lasts a few weeks.

“There are a wide variety of places the student can travel,” said Rames. “We have programs all over places like Europe, Australia and India.”

The program is open to senators enrolled in any major, but it is preferred that they be a sophomore or junior because they will be required to participate in promoting international studies the semester after their trip.

“Some of the PR activities the senators will do will include speaking to classes and groups about their experiences,” Rames said.

The SDSU Policy explains that the selected senators will sign a contract with International Affairs prior to departure, outlining the activities in which they agree to participate in. The activities must take place in the first semester following their trip. If a student fails to fulfill their requirements, they will be forced to repay the university in full for the amount of financial support they received.

“I think it is a good opportunity,” said Thomas Hagena, a junior business economics and consumer affairs student who studied in Heidelberg, Germany. “They are student government, so I think they deserve extra support.”