- KEY DATES -

• Sept. 7 – 9: Eleanor at Hawai’i-Hilo
• Sept. 13 – 24: Eleanor at SUNY
• Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Lee at University of Montana
• Sep. 27 – Oct. 1: Eleanor at Ohio State
• SEPT. 30: PHOTO CONTEST ENDS – ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY THIS DATE
• Oct. 4 – 6: Lee at Oregon State
• Octo. 10 - 17: Lee at Clayton State, Atlanta
• Oct. 11 – 15: Eleanor at Texas A&M
• Oct. 17 – 23: Lee at Penn State
• Oct. 18 – 22: Eleanor at University of Florida
• Oct. 25 – 29: Eleanor at Virginia Tech
• Nov. 1 – 5: Eleanor at North Carolina State
• Nov. 8 – 12: Eleanor at Clemson
• Nov 15 – 19: Eleanor at East Carolina
• Nov. 22 – 23: Eleanor at Wake Forest

Give Eleanor or Lee a text, Tweet or Facebook message, as they always love catching up with past students and meeting new ones!

- FACTS -

• 422 students studied with us this year, a 23% increase over 2009 and a 69% increase over 2007!
• This year's Antarctica program is fully booked with 16 students.
• The University of Montana is running our first business-orientated program in New Zealand this winter.
• Texas A&M is running our first Australia and New Zealand program this winter.

- PROGRAM PICS -

Penguins go up, students go down. Do these penguins in Antarctica know something that the Virgina Tech and Oregon State students do not?

Me and my ‘roo’. Bryce Delin, Texas A&M, enjoys his time with one of the locals in Port Douglas, Australia.

Synchronized swimming. Virginia Tech students show some graceful moves on the Great Barrier Reef. I wonder what Nemo and chums made of this display?

The Pirates are here! Dr. Paige Schneider and the East Carolina crew on Bounty Island, Fiji. Shortly after this picture was taken, there was a mutiny and Paige was kicked off the Island!

Row row row your boat…Dr. Bob Brown and students from Wake Forest and Montana tackle the rapids of the Luva River, Fiji. I wonder if they knew that Fijians were once fierce cannibalistic warriors?

2010 Photo Contest Launched

Find your most awe-inspiring photo to submit in the  2010 Photo Contest: It’s the Ultimate Field Trip! Open to all AUIP alumni who have studied abroad on an AUIP program, the contest accepts photos until 9:00 a.m., EST on Thursday, September 30, 2010.

Contest sponsors have donated outstanding prizes that will be awarded to our winners.

First place receives a $500 plane ticket voucher from StudentUniverse.com. Second place receives a backpack from Arc'teryx and a headlamp from Petzl. Third place receives a headlamp from Petzl. All three winners each receive four guidebooks from Lonely Planet, representing our four destinations, Antarctica, Australia, Fiji and New Zealand.

The photos will be judged on originality, creativity, impact and artistic merit. Be sure to read full contest rules and submission details on our blog or website News section.

New Programs

Northern Territory: Examining the relationship between global health and sustainable environments, the program begins in Sydney and proceeds to the Northern Territory - the real Outback.

Following a stay in Darwin, in the "Top End" of the Northern Territory, we head east to the natural wonders of Kakadu National Park and Arnheimland and then board a train south to Alice Springs and Uluru (Ayers Rock) in the famous Red Center.

Friends and Family: This opportunity is designed to give non-students an insight into the learning experiences of our normal study abroad programs. Gain a snapshot of what your friend has experienced during their time abroad, while enjoying 4-star accommodations and excellent cuisine.

Service Learning: New Zealand’s flora and fauna have evolved over 100 million years of isolation, resulting in a very diverse landscape. The New Zealand’s forests are unique with up to 80 percent of trees, flowers and ferns endemic to the country. This gives conservation of New Zealand’s biodiversity international importance. We will work to restore native forest habitat through re-vegetation.

Communications: This program focuses on the media outlets and communications mediums in New Zealand’s North Island’s major cities and Australia’s Southeast Queensland. These areas serve as hubs of journalism, communications and media resources studied during the course. Field excursions visit museums, new media studios, national parks and world-renowned sights, including the Great Barrier Reef.

Study Abroad Improves Academic Performance

Research from the past ten years has been compiled to show that students who study abroad have improved academic performance, higher graduation rates and improved knowledge of cultural practices and context upon returning to their home campus compared to students in control groups (GLOSSARI, 2010)......>>read more

VT's Tom Hammett Receives 2010 Alumni Award

Dr. Tom Hammett has been a long-standing professor on AUIP programs. Virginia Tech recently recognized his work by honoring him with the 2010 Alumni Award for Excellence in International Education. The award is presented each year to a VT faculty or staff who has had a significant impact on international education at VT.

Well, Tom has certainly accomplished that with leaps and bounds. In the past 10 years, Tom has introduced VT courses with to Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji (yes, to all of our destinations!), Nicaragua, India and Panama......>read more

Alumni News

Mike Hann from Oregon State University studied on the North Queensland and Fiji programs in 2009. After having such an amazing experience on the programs and making friends in the region, he headed this summer to New Zealand to explore the country with activities, such as climbing the South Island’s glaciers.

Let us know what you’re doing and be featured in alumni news. Send Sheena an e-mail at sheena@auip.com.

Social Media

Over the last six months, AUIP has launched several new social media initiatives. We aim to keep in contact with past students and make others more aware of who we are and what we offer.

Be sure to be a fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our blog to stay connected with AUIP, friends and news. Check the social media regularly for giveaways, such as swag from our in-country suppliers, like On the Wallaby and Fox Glacier Guides.