DIAS: A Comprehensive Study Abroad Experience

Being Senegalese, I thought the DIAS program would not teach me anything new about Senegal. However, I was proven wrong. I believe DIAS is the best study abroad program in Senegal because of many factors. I will choose three reasons.

Firstly, DIAS does not have a "one size fits all" model like many other study abroad programs. In other words, the program does not recycle goals and procedures from previous years. Instead, DIAS centers its students and makes sure their time in Senegal is useful in furthering their academic and personal interests. Being a heritage learner, I was accommodated accordingly with more classroom hours and an advanced wolof instructor.

Second, DIAS' African Studies courses are unlike any I could find in my home university. The professors were all Africanists with doctorates in their field. I learned about Africa, from Africans and with African texts and sources. I always left class stunned at how far my professors had pushed me intellectually.

Third, DIAS provides a comprehensive study abroad experience in Senegal. DIAS makes sure its students do not engage with Senegal in a superficial way. The program places students in internships all around Dakar, places students in local families for home stays and the students take courses with local Senegalese students from the University of Chiekh Anta Diop. From the beginning, students are not Americans in Senegal but residents within Senegal.

I would do the program all over again in a heartbeat. I am very pleased with my experience and would highly recommend the program to any student, regardless of their academic background.