University of Wisconsin–Madison

Italy: Samuel Jacobson

Program: CIMBA, Summer

Samuel’s Majors: Actuarial Science, Risk & Management Insurance

Samuel takes a selfie in front of rolling, grassy hills which transition into mountains further in the background.
Hiking up Mount Grappa – it was a very cold/windy/rainy day and I was extremely under-dressed, but it was an experience I will never forget and I would definitely recommend it if you do this program.

What challenges or barriers did you face as you prepared to go abroad and/or during your time abroad? How did you work through them?

I had only been on an airplane once before studying abroad, I had never been out of the country, and I didn’t really know anyone participating in the program. I traveled to Italy alone, so I sort of had to figure everything out myself without any experience. I learned that it’s almost always faster to ask someone if you’re unsure what to do rather than try to figure it out yourself. I also learned not to be afraid of looking dumb when asking questions.

How were your program academics similar or different from taking classes at UW-Madison?

The general marketing and management concepts that were taught in my classes were similar to the concepts taught in marketing and management classes I’ve taken in Madison. Obviously, with only four weeks, the curriculum was more condensed, so certain concepts were prioritized. Difficulty level was slightly easier than at Madison; it seemed like both my professors wanted us students to enjoy our time in Italy as opposed to giving us a ton of assignments to work on outside of class.

A stunning sunset accented by a few clouds over mountains in the distance.
This was the view from my dorm room of the sunrise – I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful location to study.

What is your advice for someone considering your program?

Because it’s such a short program (4 weeks), you will probably want to travel somewhere every weekend to take advantage of your time there. However, I was very happy with my decision to stay on campus the first weekend and I would highly recommend it for at least one weekend. I was able to hike Mount Grappa, which was one of my most memorable experiences, as well as meet some people that I really connected with, one of whom I traveled with during a different weekend. Obviously, I also saved a lot of money, and felt like I got to know the immediate surrounding area of campus much better.