OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi student Libby Paradoski arrived in Paris in early January to spend the semester studying at the International School of Commerce. Her only glitches were overcoming a brief bout of homesickness and learning to get around on the local metro and bus system.
A junior accountancy major from Webster Groves, Mo., Paradoski said she has experienced minimal culture shock.
“After taking French for four years in high school, I have found it quite easy to get around and talk to people,” she said. “As for the school, there are 2,000 enrolled, including 90 exchange students. I am the only American, and there’s one boy from Canada. I have made good friends from all over Europe, including Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany and Holland.”
On her first Study Abroad, she is enrolled in junior- and senior-level management courses equivalent to 14 Ole Miss academic hours. She will receive credit toward her UM degree, thanks to an exchange agreement between UM and ISC-Paris managed by UM’s Study Abroad Office. While some ISC classes are taught in French, hers are taught in English.
“The classes are set up differently here,” she said. “There is hardly any homework given, and around 50 (percent) to 70 percent of the final grade is based on the final exam, which is a presentation in some cases. They love presentations and case studies here. I have them for every class, but I am enjoying working in groups with students from all over the world.”
She is also working a paid internship through March with the head of the ISC English department.
“I basically coach students and teachers in English and help students prepare for interviews and write American-style resumes and cover letters,” she said.
With no Thursday or Friday classes scheduled, Paradoski enjoys traveling on long weekends. She has visited Amsterdam and plans to see Holland and the Provence region of France, as well as London and Dublin, Ireland. She expects her brother to join her when her classes end May 12. They plan to travel throughout France and Italy, then fly from Italy to Cairo, Egypt, for more sightseeing before heading home June 4.
Describing her Study Abroad opportunity as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Paradoski said that besides her experience at ISC and learning about other cultures, she is also gaining independence and self-confidence.
“I have to learn to manage my time wisely between schoolwork and traveling,” she said. “I believe this will enhance my overall college education because I will continue to use what I am learning here.”
Paradoski plans to complete UM’s five-year accountancy program in May 2012 and take the CPA exam.
A graduate of St. Joseph’s Academy in Frontenac, Mo., she is the daughter of Bill and Ann Paradoski of Webster Groves, Mo.
For more information on Study Abroad programs at UM, go to http://www.outreach.olemiss.