The Legacy Behind the George H. Bennett Office for International Education
By: Ke-ana Williams
As the time to walk across the stage nears, undergraduate students are faced with a host of important decisions. Will you move back home, or set up roots in a new city? Will you further your education, or will you stop at your Bachelor’s degree? Among all the thoughts students have about post-collegiate life, a conversation not often had relates to the legacy they hope to leave at their alma mater. What mark will you leave, and how will you change the lives of students who’ll walk the campus after you’re gone?
In 2005, Virginia State University received a generous endowment from Mrs. Jesse Davis Bennett, the now-late widow of VSU alumnus George H. Bennett. Mr. Bennett had extensive experience in international affairs, impacted diplomats worldwide, and was a lifetime member of the VSU Alumni Association. The Dr. George H. Bennett Office for International Education opened in 2006, and now, more than a decade later, the department continues to strengthen global opportunities for Virginia State University students. Though the department is small, the impact is anything but; it ensures that students have the appropriate level of international knowledge and cross-cultural competence to participate in various international opportunities available to them.
The department is located in Trinkle Hall on the campus of VSU, where you will find Dr. Maxine Sample, Director of International Education. Dr. Sample is a former U.S. Fulbright Scholar who’s been involved in international education for 18 years and is passionate about helping students at VSU to study abroad.
“I wish that every HBCU student had an opportunity to visit another country or continent for at least a week,” she says. “They need to experience diversity and see new ways to view the world,” Dr. Sample expresses.
While the department champions students taking advantage of these opportunities, it also understands that the cost to study abroad is not cheap, so they offer scholarships to offset the costs and encourage students to pursue this experience. Students can also use financial aid to fund their education abroad. The most popular scholarship is the Dr. George H. Bennett Office for International Education Study Abroad Scholarship, but they also assist students with applying for outside funding.
Every semester, the Dr. George H. Bennett Office hosts study abroad informationals, passport day, and hosts programs for students to travel abroad together. Current Senior Tajaiana Menchion decided to visit the department during her junior year.
“When I first came to college, I knew I wanted to study abroad, she reflects. “I was unsure it would even be possible for me to study abroad with the limited amount of time I had in college left, and not to mention the cost. I would’ve had very little faith if it weren’t for Dr. Sample. She took the time out to help me prepare for my trip and introduced me to the different scholarship options and financial aid.”
Tajaiana had an incredibly eye-opening time abroad. “My time abroad has opened me up to a new horizon of opportunities that I could’ve never imagined,” she explains. “I met new friends, explored new places, and gained confidence that would not have been possible in the comfort of VSU.”
This year, Tajaiana Menchion and Myia Smith, a fellow student who also had traveled abroad, decided to create a Study Abroad Alumni Association. “We made an organization to help other students experience the joys of international travel in hopes that they find like-minded people with whom to take their journeys. We thought the only resources Virginia State students needed were a push in the right direction, and of course, a friend!” Tajaiana exclaims proudly.
This is the first year that the Study Abroad Alumni Association is present on Virginia State’s campus, and their goal is to offer events and informationals that educate and motivate the student population to study abroad.
The Dr. George H. Bennett Office for International Education’s site is also an excellent resource for information about upcoming events, different study abroad programs available, scholarships, and FAQs. Learn more about the department and adventures available here.
“One day, I hope to be able to send every student at Virginia State University abroad,” says a hopeful Dr. Sample. “Our story is impactful, and students need to learn about the importance of being connected globally.”
