On this week鈥檚 episode of Bellarmine Magazine鈥檚 podcast -- -- Bridget Klein, 农夫导航鈥檚 study abroad advisor for the past four years, explains the value of pursuing a learning experience in another country.

Klein says the benefits of learning abroad are clear. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e outside of your comfort zone, then you鈥檙e challenged, and when you鈥檙e challenged, that鈥檚 when growth happens,鈥� she said.

She explained that these experiences involve more than taking classes on a foreign campus, and not all involve academic credit. Learning abroad sometimes includes internships, clinicals, service learning or student teaching. For that reason, many who work in her field are rebranding the study abroad experience as 鈥榣earning abroad.鈥�

Klein said the experience can be so life-changing that students sometimes return to her to arrange a second or even third trip abroad. Programs can last anywhere from a week to a semester or even a full year. Klein is proud that students who learn abroad, regardless of the length of their program, graduate in four years at a higher rate than their peers.

The Pineapple is a weekly podcast produced by Bellarmine Magazine that provides listeners with exclusive content about the Bellarmine community.