Current Correspondents

Blog Correspondents: Spring 2024

Madeleine Afonso

Hometown: Sammamish, Washington

Major: Botany & Journalism

Program: Bologna Consortial Studies Program

I chose BCSP because it was unlike other abroad programs offered in Italy – it enables me to take my studies in Italian over the past two years and apply them through immersion, something that sounds enriching to me and was what I was looking for when searching for programs abroad.

Food in Bologna

LJ Bachenheimer

Hometown: Roseland, New Jersey

Major: Sociology & Political Science

Program: UW in London

One goal I have for my study abroad experience is to gain the context, skills, and experiences to be a better international citizen by studying and working in a city as bustling and multicultural as London. I think it’s really cool that I’ll be able to gain practical skills and a more complete experience by working at a service internship in another country!

Daily Life in London

Ella Buffalo

Hometown: Maplewood, Minnesota

Major: Journalism

Program: Santa Reparata International School of Art (SRISA)

While I am studying in Florence, I want to push myself academically and take classes that I would not otherwise have access to. I am so excited to be attending an art school in Florence and look forward to everything I will learn both inside and outside of the classroom.

Learning on excursions

Will Fetting

Hometown: Marshfield, Wisconsin

Major: Economics

Program: CIEE Seville Business and Society

I chose this program because of the rich history within the city of Seville.  I have had a longtime personal goal of becoming fluent in Spanish. By the end of my program, I would like to accomplish this.

Daily Life in Sevilla

Avery Meierdirk

Hometown: Pardeeville, Wisconsin

Major: Psychology & Social Welfare

Program: University of Copenhagen Exchange

My goal for my program is to network and create more international connections that would be beneficial in the future, whether that is professors, classmates, or community members. You never know what opportunities can happen by conversing with the right person.

Blog posts coming soon!

Jessica Paul

Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Major: Communications Sciences and Disorders & Human Development and Family Studies

Program: IES Barcelona

One goal of mine that I have while on my program is to form new friendships, explore the vibrant culture of Barcelona and Spain through its food, famous sights, and communities.

Places: Routine and Favorite

Libby Spier

Hometown: Austin, Texas

Major: Biology

Program: UW in London

Personal goal is to find interest outside of my major. So much of my academics if not all are solely focused on STEM classes. I want to use this opportunity to explore other interest that I might have.

A home away from home in London

Manasa Anumalasetty

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Major: Psychology & Political Science

Program: Ewha University Exchange

One goal I have for my program is to become as fluent as possible in Korean, by interacting with native speakers. I look forward to learning about Korean culture, practices, and history.

Blog posts coming soon!

Nora Bergstrom

Hometown: Saint Paul, Minnesota

Major: International Studies

Program: Study in Portugal Network (SiPN)

One reason I chose the Portugal program is because I previously lived in Portugal in high school, but had to return home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Returning to Portugal now is an opportunity to finish what I started while immersing myself in Lisbon’s exciting cultural environment.

Daily Life in Lisbon

Ailyn Esquivel

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Major: Psychology & Spanish

Program: CIEE Advanced Liberal Arts & Liberal Arts in Seville

As a native Spanish speaker, I look forward to learning about the culture of another Spanish speaking country and getting a hands-on experience that goes beyond the history you learn in your classes. Sevilla is a city that has everything I love from its richness in culture to architecture and fine arts.

Our Global Classroom

Kylie Hollenstein

Hometown: Cottage Grove, Wisconsin

Major: History

Program: Aarhus University Exchange

I loved that my program was in the middle of a small but vibrant city with a long history!  I’m excited to see how Danish culture impacts the education system and how the university interacts with the broader community.

Food in Aarhus

Elisa Miller

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Major: English & Communication Arts

Program: Trinity College Dublin Exchange

I most look forward to learning about the literary tradition of Ireland. As an English Creative Writing major, I love to read and write, so I’m very excited to live in a city with such a rich literary history. As this will be my first time leaving the country, I want to push myself to really get immersed in Irish culture and take advantage of everything Dublin has to offer.

A New Experience

Sahana Prasad

Hometown: North Wales, Pennsylvania

Major: Economics

Program: University of Westminster

How different is UK culture from American culture? It seems very similar to American culture because there is no language barrier, but I want to understand what the culture is like and the beauty London has to offer!

Blog posts coming soon!

Natalie Suri

Hometown: Austin, Texas

Major: History

Program: WIP Universidad Complutense de Madrid

I hope to become confident speaking Spanish; be able to hang out with Spaniards without being hesitant when I speak or having to ask them to slow down. As someone interested in social justice, I hope to learn more about the Spanish parliament and the social movements that protest nearby.

An Impactful Moment

Blog Correspondents: Fall 2023

Brenna Braun

Hometown: Manitowoc, Wisconsin

Major: Biology & Global Health

Program: University of Copenhagen Exchange

Before applying to my program, I knew that I wanted to graduate in four years having completed both of my majors. Consequently, I was immediately drawn to the University of Copenhagen program as it would not force me to add another year of study. More so, by choosing this program, I would be provided the opportunity to take STEM-based courses that would both challenge and interest me while also experiencing life in Copenhagen.

I was always very drawn to studying in Copenhagen as my family on my maternal side almost wholly hail from Denmark. As a result, I am extremely excited to become immersed in and learn about the culture and language of the Danish people. From this experience, I hope to improve my connection with my heritage while also obtaining new life experiences for myself!

A home away from home in Copenhagen

Our global classroom

Sustainability in Copenhagen

Final Reflections

Claudia Delgado

Hometown: La Crosse, Wisconsin

Major: Global Health & Zoology

Program: DIS Copenhagen

I chose to study in Copenhagen with DIS because Denmark is the most central country in Scandinavia. I want to better understand how European cities, particularly in Northern Europe, implement social welfare programs and how that affects the wellbeing of their citizens. I decided to go with DIS because of their broad course selection and integrative study tours where I will get to spend a week in Seville studying sustainable development.

I look forward most to being exposed to different cultures and ways of life. I want to learn more about hygge and be immersed in the bike culture of Copenhagen!

Local interactions

Our global classroom

Places and Routine

Top ten list: Copenhagen

Eli Hyman

Hometown: Studio City, Los Angeles, California

Major: Biochemistry

Program: DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia

One goal is to learn more about biotechnology and gain knowledge of how Copenhagen and Denmark as a whole contribute to biotech development. I also want to meet multiple startups in biotech in Denmark and learn from developers.

A New Experience

Learning on excursions

“We’re not in Madison anymore” moment

Cindy Liu

Hometown: Dalian, China

Major: Political Science; Economics; International Studies

Program: London School of Economics

I chose this program because I have always liked this school and knew about its prestigious programs in the areas that I am also studying in. And studying in Europe just has also been something that’s always on my bucket list so I immediately applied when I learned about the opportunity.

Places: Routine and Favorite

A New Experience

Learning on excursions

Isabella Richter

Hometown: Cedarburg, Wisconsin

Major: Political Science; History; German

Program: Academic Year in Freiburg

My main goal on this program is language immersion. I want to improve my German by using it as much as I can every day in academic contexts, casually with friends, and in day-to-day life in Germany. This way, I will feel more comfortable in a different culture and get the most out of my experience.

Sustainability in Freiburg

Learning on excursions

Food in Freiburg

A New Experience

Judith Tafur

Hometown: Cali, Columbia

Major: Molecular and Cell Biology; French; Cert in Biocore

Program: Academic Program in Aix-en-Provence

Through my experience in this program I hope to improve my fluency, vocabulary and overall confidence in my French language skills. I also hope to learn about the local culture, way of life and make meaningful connections with both the people in my program as well as locals.

I am really looking forward to getting lost in everything the city has to offer. I hope to use my afternoons and weekends to learn about the city by trying  new restaurants, exploring museums, taking bus rides to new places and hiking the Mt. Sainte Victoire. I am also really excited to try the fresh produce and local cheeses at the open markets in the city-center.

Learning on excursions

The 5 senses in Aix en Provence

A home away from home in Aix-en-Provence

An Impactful Moment

Je-In Woo

Hometown: Seoul, South Korea

Major: Political Science

Program: Sophia University Exchange

Sophia University is famous for its diverse and high-quality English-taught programs in liberal arts and social science. Since I don’t speak Japanese at a level required in college classes, Sophia’s great English-taught programs seemed like the best option to solve my academic curiosity without encountering serious language barriers.

Daily Life in Tokyo

An Impactful Moment

Food in Tokyo

Local interactions

Jenna Crolla

Hometown: Mount Horeb, Wisconsin

Major: International Studies

Program: Academic Programs in Aix-en-Provence

I chose my program because I really wanted to be able to immerse myself in the French language. I’m also hoping to live in a city that isn’t a huge metropolis, for which Aix-en-Provence fits the bill. Both of those factors combined with the classes at Sciences Po being perfect for my International Studies major made it the perfect choice for me.

Learning on excursions

Daily Life in Aix-en-Provence

“We’re not in Madison Anymore” moment

June Glenney

Hometown: State College, Pennsylvania

Major: Psychology

Program: University of Amsterdam

I am excited for the opportunity to further my psychology education both inside and outside of the classroom. I hope to enrich my understanding of the human experience through my time at the University of Amsterdam and through meeting new people along the way. I chose this program because I am Dutch, and my great Grandmother immigrated from Holland. Through learning and living in Amsterdam, I want to experience what my ancestors have and get in touch with my roots. I can’t wait to explore Amsterdam and establish my new favorite cafes, parks, and vintage shops!

Places: Routine and Favorite

Daily Life in Amsterdam

Josalin Kumm

Hometown: Amherst, Wisconsin

Major: Industrial Engineering

Program:  Norwegian Institute of Science & Technology Engineering Exchange

I chose this program because it aligns with my academic interests and background. I hope to learn more about Norwegian culture while becoming a more informed global citizen and continuing my education. I believe there are many great sustainability practices and beliefs within Norway. I also hope to meet new people with different perspectives and life experiences during my time abroad.

Top ten list: Norwegian Institute of Science and Technology

Sustainability in Trondheim

Learning on excursions

Our global classroom

Paige Murphy

Hometown: Shakopee, Minnesota

Major: Political Science; Certificate in Public Policy

Program: Wisconsin in Washington

I chose the Wisconsin in Washington program because it is a great combination of taking classes while also having a full-time internship. Plus, this program relates to my major, political science, along with my certificate in public policy.

A New Experience

Our global classroom

“We’re not in Madison Anymore” moment

 

Meg Schwartz

Hometown: Middleton, Wisconsin

Major: Industrial Engineering

Program: Universidad Pontificia Comillas de Madrid GE3 Exchange

While there are many ways that I hope to grow during my study abroad experience, the biggest goal that I hope to accomplish is to become comfortable going out of my comfort zone. I know that I will be doing things that I have no experience doing, and by throwing myself into this I hope to gain confidence that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

A home away from home in Madrid

Our global classroom

The 5 senses in Madrid

My program experience in 100 words

Natalia Torres

Hometown: Sparta, Wisconsin

Major: International Studies; Information Science; Cert in Political Science

Program: University of Leeds Exchange

I chose to study at the University of Leeds because I can continue taking courses for my International Studies major and certificate in Political Science. Since those are two fields I plan to work in the future, it is essential that I gain a global experience through studying abroad, in which I will have the opportunity to learn more about theories and international issues in a new setting. My time at Leeds will complement my educational aspirations through coursework, faculty, and fellow classmates.

The 5 senses in Leeds

“We’re not in Madison Anymore” moment

Top ten list: Leeds

Our Global Classroom

Yingying Xie

Hometown: Beijing, China

Major: Sociology; Statistics

Program: London School of Economics

London School of Economics has always been my dream school and I am looking forward to it. I also want to explore London, so I got the opportunity for a study abroad program.  I am looking forward to experiencing the city life in London, go to their museums, and walk in their historical and modern streets.

“We’re not in Madison Anymore” moment

Daily Life in London