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February 18, 2008 | Vol. XI, Issue 22 Summer Spent Studying Abroad An Experience That's Worth The Price, UF Law Students Report
Students contemplate studying abroad while in law school but struggle with the difficult decision between going overseas versus gaining experience in the workforce and making a living after their first year of law school. It is a difficult decision for many because sacrificing a paycheck involves the reality of becoming even more in debt with student loans. But second-year UF law student Jon Eichelberger (pictured above) did not think twice when deciding to go abroad and put it all into perspective, saying “With all the debt you already have in law school, what’s a little more.” Adds fellow 2L Elizabeth Moum, “It’s so worth the money.” Eichelberger and Moum are both putting themselves through law school and took out more loans to spend five weeks during the summer to study in France. However, the travel enthusiasts insist the program is reasonably priced and there are ways to be frugal while on the trip. “I got everything I wanted out of it – stellar education in interesting subjects, boosted GPA and saw a dozen different cities in Europe,” Eichelberger said. “I definitely got to work the experience.” The interactive classroom discussions with foreign students led by UF Law professors are very conducive to learning. “It is a complete day and night from the first year of law school,” Eichelberger said. “You go from a very typical Socratic Method to having an intimate discussion.” While being able to attend classes made up of American and European students, many students gained a new perspective of international and comparative law. Classes were captivating and it was an eye-opening experience to hear about the European take on issues, Eichelberger said. Besides this intimate learning environment, students were able to immerse themselves in the rich French culture. “The program was very well balanced – class time, studying time and free time,” he said. There were many opportunities to take field trips, day trips or participate in programs that allowed students to interact with the natives. On the weekends, many students traveled around Europe with some participating in or witnessing the running of the bulls and others took driving tours of south France. Some students also enjoyed another side of the French culture – its food. “I absolutely loved the food,” Moum said. “We literally ate nonstop.” Moum and Eichelberger routinely made trips to the local grocer to prepare authentic French meals in their apartment.
“It was by far the best decision I’ve made in law school, and I would do it again in a minute,” Eichelberger said. The Summer 2008 Law Program in France will run from June 23 to July 25 with the first week of the program spent in Paris and the last four weeks at the University of Montpellier in Montpellier. Courses offered will include Comparative Criminal Procedure, Comparative Regulation of Hostile Takeovers and European Union Business Law. American and French professors will examine the United States and French legal systems and European community law. Students will also have the opportunity to meet with members of the judiciary and the legal profession. The deadline for applications is March 21. Interested students can visit the study abroad website at http://www.law.ufl.edu/students/abroad/ and contact the program's co-directors, Professor Christopher Slobogin at slobogin@law.ufl.edu or 352.273.0942; Professor Stuart Cohn at cohn@law.ufl.edu or 352.273.0925, or Director of Student Programs Michelle Ocepek at ocepek@law.ufl.edu or 273-0620. Home | Email to a friend | Print article | Contact FlaLaw Online |
Not many students can admit that while in law school they participated in the running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, or witnessed the Tour de France. But some UF Law students are taking full advantage of having the opportunity to have once-in-a-lifetime adventures while studying the law and receiving UF credit in France. While law students sometimes spend the summer working full-time jobs to gain experience and pay off loans, other law students found traveling through western Europe and learning firsthand about international and comparative law while experiencing unique European traditions just as rewarding.
Before the pair of students decided to join the program, they both heavily researched the pros and cons of passing up working during their first summer. They were both surprised and excited to learn that employers were proponents of students gaining experience abroad. Many employers thought the experience was an impressive attribute to include on a resume and advised not to pass up the opportunity because there would not be many other times while in the workforce where you can take off work for more than a month to study in a foreign country, Eichelberger said.