Students eager to learn information about Ohio State’s study abroad opportunities filled the Buckeye Reading Room in Thompson Library Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m for an expo put on by OSU’s Office of International Affairs.

“It is important for students to study abroad to gain a more global perspective and make them more marketable to their future employers,” said Maureen Miller, communications director for the Office of International Affairs.

According to Miller, about 2,000 OSU students study abroad every year, and she said the number keeps growing.

“With the new semester change we are now offering over 30 programs during May session, which is a really great opportunity to study abroad for four weeks,” Miller said.

The Global May programs are geared toward first-year and second-year students, and there is a choice between five or six countries where students can study. Despite the international setting, Miller said all the classes offered are taught in English.

Students at the expo said they were interested in the global experience study abroad offers.

“College is the one chance to spend a decent amount of time abroad,” said Erin Mundorf, a first-year in environmental engineering. “I want to go somewhere central like Germany so I can travel to other places on the weekends.”

Laura Trevorrow, a first-year in biology, said she plans to study abroad in Spain.

“I want to go somewhere to speak Spanish for my minor,” Trevorrow said. “I’ve always wanted to travel. I love traveling. It’s the right time. You can’t learn some of the things here. You have to go outside your boundaries and immerse yourself in it, Here you go to class for a few hours a week. There you’re learning something new twenty-four-seven.”

Trevorrow said the skills she can acquire abroad will make her more marketable to employers after graduation.

“The economy is so global right now,” Trevorrow said. “It is so marketable if you can say that I studied in another country and I know this language.”

While studying abroad might seem unaffordable for some students, Miller said there are a lot of options available to help with payments.

“There’s a myriad of scholarship opportunities out there for students,” Miller said. “We encourage them to search the websites of their own colleges and we also have a list of scholarships on our website as well.”