Buthod named Australian student ambassador
Friday, October 8, 2010
Kyle Buthod of Lees Summit, Mo., an international business and Chinese junior who took part in OSU’s Study Abroad Program and studied at the University of South Australia during the spring semester, was one of 34 students selected by the Australian Embassy to represent their country at North American universities.
“Studying abroad is more than just going to school in another country—it’s about immersing yourself in another culture and learning from the people and their traditions,” he said. “Australia taught me so much about my life, career, goals, and my family and friends.”
Student ambassadors were jointly nominated by their North American and Australian institutions to serve in the program, and will organize two events each semester to promote Australia’s unique and prestigious opportunities for student abroad.
“Student ambassadors have first-hand experience of studying in Australia and are well-placed to be advocates,” said Brendhan Egan, trade commissioner at the Embassy of Australia in Washington, D.C. “They are excellent resources to students considering study abroad opportunities.”
Buthod hopes to get Oklahoma State students excited about Australia and study abroad in general. “My time there was absolutely incredible and I am so thankful for the opportunity that I had to study and travel in such a great country. My seven months in Australia truly changed my life,” he said.
In late October, he plans to host an Aussie barbecue on the Stillwater campus, along with a slideshow of photos he took during the semester and a brief presentation about study abroad. He also is planning an event called “Fallstralia,” which will feature an assortment of events on Australian culture, music, movies, history and current events.
“During my travels throughout Australia and New Zealand, I backpacked down the coast, camped in the Outback, canoed in small rivers, dived in the Great Barrier Reef, swam in shark-infested waters, learned to surf, drove on sand dunes, jumped off boardwalks and cliffs and had a myriad of epic adventures,” Buthod said.
He was also able to travel before, during and after his semester in South Australia. “My time in Australia was incredible, where I was able to take new classes, meet and travel with people around the globe, and go on crazy traveling adventures. The memories that I shared with my mates are unforgettable.”
“Studying abroad is the greatest decision that I made during my time here at OSU,” he said. “I am now more focused and determined that I have ever been in my life. If all students here could have half the experience that I did, everyone would want to go abroad. The great thing is that OSU has made it so easy for students to do so - with reciprocal exchange programs and large scholarship funds.”
He also hopes to speak in classes and to high school students to encourage them to consider study abroad when they go to college.
Students were chosen for the Australian Student Ambassador Program based on the strength of their nominations and a telephone interview. They were selected on organization, articulation, professionalism, passion about Australian higher education, and having experience or an interest in event planning.
Buthod spent part of August in Washington, D.C., where he attended the orientation program at the Embassy of Australia for a briefing on his role and responsibility as an ambassador and for event planning training.
While in the nation’s capitol, he had the opportunity to visit the National Mall and other sites. “This was my first time to go to Washington, D.C., so I took advantage of my time there,” he said. “I stayed a few days more to see our nation’s monuments and George Washington’s house at Mount Vernon.”
He is the son of Gregory and Paula Buthod of Lees Summit, and is a 2008 graduate of Lees Summit Senior High School.