In order to tell the story of how a growing number of students at the College are taking part in study abroad opportunities by taking Jan-Term travel courses, ABC-7/KGO-TV took the time to visit Saint Mary's over several months, capturing images of SMC students before they left for a Jan-Term trip to Colombia and when they returned. Education reporter Lyanne Melendez spoke with history professor Myrna Santiago about her Colombia course and communication professor Shawny Anderson about service learning courses in Haiti and Dominica and the impact both of their courses have had on students. Also featured in the profile "St. Mary's offers students life changing travel courses" were SMC students Andrew Aguilar, Yesenia Chavez, Kathleen Sueltz and Alicia Villanueva.

Jan-Term's travel courses are the primary reason more than half of all Saint Mary's undergraduates have had a study abroad experience and why, according to a recent study by the International Educational Exchange, which tracks study abroad opportunities in higher education, the College is now listed as seventh in the nation among the top 40 institutions conferring master degrees.

Watch the ABC-7 education story "St. Mary's offers students life changing travel courses."