Liberal Arts Major(s): Spanish
Other Major: Supply Chain & Information Systems
Hometown: Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania

What was the best part of your experience?

The best part of my experience was being able to live in a home-stay. Being forced to speak Spanish every day improved my Spanish speaking skills; I am grateful to have had this opportunity outside of the classroom. Immersing myself in a different culture allowed me to grow personally. I have become a lot more confident in myself and in my abilities. Aside from learning and speaking Spanish, I learned a lot about their culture and was able to adapt to it. I am so beyond lucky to have had this experience.

Immersing myself in a different culture allowed me to grow personally

How did this experience impact you academically?

One of my majors is Spanish; therefore, I had the opportunity to improve my Spanish speaking skills. I spoke Spanish in restaurants, to my host family, and to people on the streets. By the end of the program, I was able to see how much I improved. All of my five courses were conducted in Spanish, and our study center was a Spanish-only zone. I communicated in Spanish constantly even when I was not in class. Also, these classes transferred over to PSU and were able to fulfill my major requirements.

How will this experience impact your career goals?

My two majors are Spanish and Supply Chain. Supply chain is so global now that I hope to be able to use my knowledge of Spanish and the culture to further my career in the business world. I would love to work abroad, and this experience will hopefully help me do that! I also taught children English twice a week and was able to better their skills.