Olivia Gallucci’s Global Scholars Journey: Learning beyond the classroom

Studying abroad can be a transformative experience, opening doors to new academic, professional, and cultural perspectives. For Olivia Gallucci, a senior at RIT pursuing an MBA, two Bachelor of Science degrees in Cybersecurity and Computer Science, and two minors in Free and Open Source Software and Freedom Culture, and Business Administration, this has been especially true. Originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Olivia chose RIT Croatia’s Zagreb campus to finish her studies, gaining hands-on exposure to Europe’s tech and security community, building an international network, and embracing life in a new culture.

RIT Croatia was a natural fit

As part of the RIT Global Scholars program, Olivia is spending a Fall semester at RIT Croatia, where she is gaining unique academic, networking, and professional opportunities. The Global Scholars program allows students to explore diverse cultures, expand their knowledge, and build lasting connections across RIT’s campuses, all while developing leadership skills for the future. Olivia chose RIT Croatia's Zagreb campus as her study abroad destination, finding it a perfect fit for her academic and professional goals in cybersecurity.

The teaching styles between RIT Croatia and RIT in Rochester are similar, and Olivia recalls a moment at the Zagreb campus when a professor asked the class about their schedules before assigning a major deadline, ensuring it was fair for everyone. “One student had several exams during the week the professor originally planned to set the deadline, so they moved it to accommodate the student. I found this incredibly considerate.”

Connecting with the rest of Europe

Zagreb’s central location and connectivity to the rest of Europe make it easy for Olivia to travel on weekends, mainly to all the security conferences she is interested in. “Studying in Zagreb allows me to attend and speak at conferences more easily, something that would have been more challenging from the US or smaller European towns.”

“One of the most important skills I gained from my study abroad experience is the ability to communicate with international awareness,” Olivia says. She learned how to research different cultural practices, and her travels allowed her to build a rich, professional network. Since Olivia is trying to attend security and tech conferences in Europe every week, she started developing practical travel strategies, such as learning how to pack food. With that, cooking is one of the most challenging aspects of adapting to the local lifestyle. “The challenge comes from not being able to read labels or prepare food as easily as I would in the United States. In the US, meal preparation and nutrition facts are a big part of my routine.”

Advice to students who are considering studying abroad in Croatia

Olivia shared practical tips to help students better prepare for studying abroad. From managing coursework to exploring Europe affordably and making international friends, her advice covers essential aspects for a successful and enriching experience in Croatia.

1. Study smart

If you are considering studying abroad in Croatia, it is important to know that courses in Europe are different, but not necessarily easier. There is less homework, but this means that exams carry more weight, so it is essential to stay on top of the reading to succeed.

2.  Travel

FlixBus is an excellent way to travel, but be cautious, as not all buses have functioning bathrooms or power outlets.

3.  Plan in advance

Planning in advance is crucial, as it makes everything cheaper and allows me to submit talks to more conferences. While traveling solo can be the best option for me when I have a clear agenda, group travel with new friends is an amazing experience, too.

4.  Making international friends

There are so many amazing tech events in Europe, and they are a great place to make friends. On that note, I prefer traveling alone to professional events, which helps me make friends in various locations; I have more motivation to meet new people. I like to think I’ll have friends in every country in Europe soon!

Tip: If you speak at conferences or volunteer, you can often attend for free!

An added bonus is that European conferences are often excited to have American participants because there are few non-Europeans at these conferences.

5.  Health and fitness

To stay healthy and maintain a fitness routine, it is good to research options and plan accordingly before arriving!