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Hello! I'm Olivia, and I'm a third-year Biomedical Sciences student. I always hoped to study abroad to explore and learn about other cultures hands-on. In the summer of 2022, I studied Ireland's culture, society, and justice system for two weeks. I learned about Ireland through conversing with Irish citizens, seeing historical and beautiful landscapes, and making new connections with my RIT peers on the program. Studying abroad opened my eyes to the possibilities of working abroad after college, which is now one of my goals. I believe everyone should experience some time abroad as it opens further travel and exploration opportunities.
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Hello! My name is Abby Jones, and I am an ASL interpreting major. I studied abroad in Croatia during the summer of 2022 at an RIT global campus. I've always loved the idea of traveling and knew I wanted to study abroad in college. Thankfully, RIT was able to provide this fantastic opportunity! Although it can be a scary experience, I learned so much about myself and other cultures abroad and would love to do it again! Traveling provides amazing experiences, new perspectives, independence, and memories that will last for a lifetime, as cliché as that sounds. Studying abroad was a wonderful opportunity, and I would love to help others take advantage of it. I am always here to ease concerns and discuss anything related to studying abroad that you may want to know! :) Besides traveling, I love petting cats, relaxing with friends, and sitting outside when the weather is just right. Feel free to reach out at any time!
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Hi! My name is Akhil Alavalapati, and I am a 3rd-year Electrical Engineering Tech student at RIT. I did an exchange program during the spring of 2023 at Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid, Spain. It was truly a life-changing experience that allowed me to travel across Europe. Studying abroad allows you to immerse yourself in a different culture, providing a unique opportunity to learn about and appreciate the customs, traditions, and perspectives of people from different backgrounds. I have a lot of experience with European travel - definitely reach out if you have questions about study abroad or travel in general.
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I am a 4th year MECE BS/ME. I love sailing and have been on the RIT Sailing Club team for 2 years. The main reason I choose to study at RIT was their study abroad options. I studied through an affiliate program for a semester in Dublin, Ireland, a faculty-led month-long program in Rennes, France, and studied at the RIT Dubai campus for a semester. I'd love to help any prospective study abroad students with any questions they might have.
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Hello! My name is Chloe, and I am a fourth-year Nutrition and Dietetics student! This past summer, I studied abroad for 6-weeks in Thessaloniki, Greece, with Perrotis College to learn about the Mediterranean diet. During my time in Greece, I visited local farmer’s markets and a mussel farm, hiked up Mt. Olympus, visited Athens, and went on a sailing trip to visit and explore the amazing islands in Greece. While the thought of studying abroad seemed daunting, it was an incredible and unforgettable opportunity that forced me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to make many new memories and friends. I would love to help you navigate the study abroad process and answer any questions! Please feel free to reach out anytime!
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Hi!! My name is Leiani Butler and I’m a second year Imaging Science Major. I studied abroad in the summer of 2024 in England at the University of Sussex. I took a course in Neuroscience of the Human Brain where I learned how to use an MRI machine and conducted research to learn more about how we can better understand MRIs and improve them. As someone in a small major at RIT, I never thought traveling abroad was an option for me, so I’m open to giving advice to those who may also feel the same way. I am also in the RIT Honors program so I am happy to chat about how I was able to study abroad and have this experience.
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Hi, everyone! I’m Nilda Castañeda Figueroa, a Puerto Rican 4th year Graphic Design student minoring in Marketing and Language Science. Ever since high school, I have wanted to study abroad in South Korea. Learning more about the country, its culture, and its language helped shape my university career, so I needed to visit the country before graduating. After much hard work, I achieved that goal during the 2024 Spring semester, attending Sogang University in Seoul. From the moment I landed in Korea, I grew so much as a person, experiencing all the hardships and amazing benefits of going abroad. If you ever want to know what highs and lows to expect or want to talk about Korea, immersion in a foreign language, the Hispanic experience abroad, or traveling solo, I’m the one to go to. Feel free to email me.
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Heyo! My name is Thevana (they/them), and I am a first-generation Haitian-American Illustration student who has studied abroad. I am also neurodivergent with some mental health disabilities as well. As someone who’s challenged with depression and anxiety, I initially worried about feeling alone and isolated in a different country. Despite this feeling, studying abroad was a complete 180. Studying abroad was a far better experience than I anticipated. I didn’t expect that there would be spaces for a Black queer creative like myself, but there certainly was!
When I first arrived in Florence, Italy, I was deeply relieved with how walkable the city was. Coming from NYC, I greatly missed the ability to walk far destinations. It was fantastic to have my college in a walkable distance while also being in walking distance to food shops, clothing stores, and to glorious Florentine architecture. It also became a relief when I found out how many people in Florence (and across Europe) spoke English! Despite my Italian Duolingo practice that I learned before arrival, it wasn’t as necessary as I thought. Even when studying abroad on my budget, there were so many things I could still experience with the affordability of Italy itself. Studying abroad is extremely affordable!
Now I will be honest: there were barely any people of color in the study abroad program. Out of the total of over 100 study abroad students, there were only 4 Black students (including me) and less than 20 students of color (this includes the Black students). On top of that, most of the students of white students were preppy. But I didn’t let this discourage me. I ended up connecting with a lot of queer students of color, and many of them were also nonbinary! They become my home away from home, inspiring each other to extend our POC Queerness in our arts. Even if I wasn’t socializing with the group, I took artistic inspiration from Italy’s destinations for my body of artwork.
Finally, my internship created the strongest change in me. While abroad, my internship was focused on working with Black History Month Florence (BHMF), which was managed by The Recovery Plan @SRISA. Inaugurated in September 2021, The Recovery Plan, founded by Justin Randolph, is a creative research center that fosters the transnational exchange of the Afro-descendent arts. My internship job was to connect with Afro-Italian Illustrator Shannice Alogaga and digitally archive the Africana comics in the research center.In connecting with Alogaga, we formed a mentor-sisterhood that is still in effect. I curated one of her exhibitions and received in-depth feedback for my personal storyboard series. Aside from that, archiving the Africana comics led me to wonderful researchers, which sparked my desire to study grad school abroad.
If you’re ever worried that studying abroad would make you feel disconnected and out of place, I’m letting you know that it will be the opposite of that. Studying abroad teaches you to be self-sufficient and put trust in yourself. Once you prioritize exploring and learning what you desire, connecting with others will come naturally. Enjoy your trip abroad to the fullest. Ciao ragazzi!
Hi! My name is Ian Fanfair, and I am a 3rd year Software Engineering student. I did my study abroad program at RIT Croatia during the summer of 2023, during which I completed a minor in business administration. It was my first time leaving America and traveling outside the country, and I found that the culture there was quite different from America, so I fell in love with it. From the people, the food, and the quality of public transportation to the city's walkability. It was an absolute blast, and I acquired many memories and stories during those three months. For people that haven’t had the opportunity to leave the country, I recommend studying abroad as you can gain credits and memories seeing a new country and its culture. I am thrilled to now be a Global Ambassador to help answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to contact me!
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Hello, my name is Nick Ganti and I am a third year Accounting Major. I did an Affiliate Study Abroad Program in Spring 2024 in Buenos Aires, Argentina with CIEE Abroad. It was a transformative 4 month experience where I learned spanish, made new friends, and got culturally immersed. This inspired me to guide other students towards study abroad to have great experiences like I did, and I am happy to help any student interested in Studying Abroad!
Hello! My name is Libby, and I am a 4th year International and Global Studies and Chinese double major. I have always dreamed of studying abroad, and in Spring 2024 I studied abroad in Taiwan for a semester! My experience studying abroad allowed me to learn a lot about myself, and changed me for the better. I am also a Gilman Scholarship recipient, so if you have any questions regarding the application process or in general about studying abroad, feel free to reach out!
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Hi everyone! My name is Mamifio Kulee, and I am a fourth-year Supply Chain Management student. Studying abroad was something I always wanted to do before graduating, and in January 2024, that dream became a reality. From January to May, I spent my Spring 2024 semester studying abroad in Zagreb, Croatia. During those four months, I had the chance to visit several countries, including Frankfurt, Germany; Budapest, Hungary; Paris, France; Brussels, Belgium; Kusadasi, Türkiye; Trieste, Italy; and Ljubljana, Slovenia. This experience was everything I had dreamed of and more. I believe studying abroad is something every college student should consider. The benefits are endless, from learning about new cultures and gaining unique experiences to one of the most important aspects: expanding your network beyond U.S. borders. If you have any doubts about studying abroad, feel free to reach out!
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Hi! My name is Grayson Manzino (they/them), and I am a second-year chemical engineering major. Studying abroad was one of my top priorities for college, as I love traveling and exploring different countries and cultures. In the summer of 2024, I did a Business Administration Minor in Croatia at RIT Croatia, Zagreb. I lived in Zagreb and traveled throughout Croatia, Italy, France, and Hungary for three months while taking five courses. I learned so much about Croatian culture and Baltic history from visiting different cities and museums and through some of the Croatian friends I made throughout the summer. This was a life-changing experience for me, and I am thrilled to help other students discover these opportunities. I am happy to answer any questions or chat about my experiences. Besides traveling, I love swing dancing, which is where I met my Croatian friends, as well as hiking and biking. Please feel free to reach out!
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Hi! My name is Ryan Noyes, and I am a Software Engineering and Japanese double major. I studied abroad three times: twice during high school (to Rabat, Morocco, and Shanghai, China), and then recently to Kyoto, Japan. Through these experiences, I have learned so much about myself, my host country, and the world as a whole. I want to show that studying abroad is an amazing experience and can change lives, and I hope that I can encourage some of you to travel. Feel free to reach out - I am very happy to answer any messages about studying abroad.
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Hello! My name is Syd, and I am a Biotechnology and Molecular Bioscience major. I studied abroad in Dubai over the spring break of 2023. I visited the Burj Khalifa, spoke to Emiratis about fashion trends, and ate an offensive amount of dates. It was such an enriching experience that on the flight back home, I was already planning my next trip. Traveling has taught me more about myself, different cultures, and time management. I once left the airport ten minutes before my flight departed. Exploring a new country reignited my love for adventure and the unknown. If you are unsure if you should take the leap and study abroad, please contact me.
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Ciao! My name is Troa Vimahi, and I'm a 4th year interior design major. I studied abroad for my Spring 2024 semester at Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA) in Milan, Italy. I believe going abroad for those 4 months taught me more than what 2 years of classes taught me prior to that. I am a huge advocate for demystifying the nitty-gritty of the predeparture process and breaking down the systems that make this experience possible, especially for those who don't know where to start. I am perpetually excited by change, so I'm your guy if you ever need help embracing it. EMAIL ME!
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I am a 3rd year Biotechnology major with a minor in Theatre Design and Stagecraft. I studied Deaf Culture abroad for two summers in a row starting with South Korea in 2023 and France in 2024. As part of my experience abroad, I learned a massive amount about how to manage different parts of my identity such as being Deaf, Queer, Chronically ill/Disabled, and Neurodivergent in a new space. I am a huge dreamer and planner, and I would love to help you figure out your next adventure! (PS: I am fluent in both English and ASL!) Feel free to reach out and chat with me in whatever method you prefer!