University of Wisconsin–Madison

Current Bloggers

These UW-Madison students will share their stories and study abroad journeys from programs around the world!

Summer 2026

A student with blonde curly hair smiles at the camera with her face tiled to the side. She is wearing a pink shirt and has earrings in pink.

Tatem Adessi

Program Name: IES Milan Internships
Major: Textiles and Fashion Design
Hometown: Encino, California

I want to deepen my understanding of how Italian fashion houses approach craftsmanship, textiles, and brand storytelling, and apply those insights to my own work as well as have a clearer understanding of how to position myself for future roles in the fashion industry. One of the reasons I chose IES is its combination of academic learning and professional placement. I value the program’s structure, which not only places students in real-world internships but also supports them through coursework like getting to enroll in Italian and cultural immersion. This balance will allow me to grow both creatively and professionally.

Blog posts coming soon!

A student smiles at the camera in a selfie. She has dark brown bangs and long front pieces while the rest of her hair is pulled back. She is wearing rose gold headphones and has clear framed glasses on.

Vicky Chen

Program Name: GMU Joint Summer Korean Language Program
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Kentucky

One goal I have in regards to this program is getting exposed to another language that I’m unfamiliar with, and learn more about Korean. This program seemed like a great way for me to both learn a new language and explore a new country. I look forward to learning more about the language and the culture of South Korea.

Blog posts coming soon!

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Christiaan Hajos

Program Name: UW Creative Careers in Hollywood
Major: Communication Arts; Theatre
Hometown: Saint Peter, Minnesota

I chose this program because I am a student filmmaker, and it’s my dream to make movies (specifically landscape-based epics). The fact that I can go on a study-away program in a major filmmaking hub is very exciting. I hope to learn more about the filmmaking world in Hollywood, and get a better understanding of what a career in film might look like.

Learning on Excursions
Final Reflection
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Rowyn Hansen

Program Name: UW Wildlife Conservation In South Africa
Major: Wildlife Ecology; Animal and Veterinary Biosciences
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio

I chose this program because I wanted experience with exotic wildlife and a look into the conservation efforts of other countries. One of my goals is to conduct hands on research and provide restoration efforts with a small, intimate group of people. While I am there, I look forward to learning all about South African culture, food and customs.

Food in Japan
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Jessica Haynes

Program Name: UW Sustainable Food Systems in Italy and the World
Major: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Hometown: Shell Lake, Wisconsin

One goal I have for the program is to expand my view to help benefit my future research. One of the reasons I chose the program is getting to visit and have discussions with global organizations. I am most looking forward to pasta making and truffle hunting to get a sense of some of the traditional practices.

Food in Italy
Learning on Excursions
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Isabella Hill

Program Name: UW Introduction to Biological Sciences Research in Japan
Major: Biochemistry
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I’d love to learn more about this history of Hiroshima University and see first-hand some of their achievements. I chose this program because of my curiosity of research and biological sciences. I also wanted to explore the hearth of Sanrio! I am so excited to learn about the culture and the educational system. There is only so much I can learn from media, I’d love to learn how it differs from what I’m used to and use it to broaden my perspective in the world.

Food in Japan
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Kevin Hsu

Program Name: UW Markets, Mindsets & Money in the Netherlands
Major: Personal Finance
Hometown: Guam

A professional goal I have for this program is to better understand how global financial markets operate outside of the U.S. As someone who is interested in building a career in finance, I would love to see how money flows between the U.S. and Europe and how economic decisions made across Europe influence business activity and investment back home. Therefore, I chose this program because it will give me exposure to one of Europe’s most globally connected financial centers, and studying in the Netherlands has always been a dream of mine. I look forward to biking along the canals and experiencing the culture and everyday life in Amsterdam firsthand!

Food in Amsterdam
Places: Routine and Favorite
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Felix Kalscheur

Program Name: Institut de Touraine French Language
Major: Environmental Studies; French
Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin

I will be able to complete 12 credits towards my French major and graduate in time for the Spring of 2027. My level in French is already quite good but I still need practice in grammar and speaking because I don’t practice enough and would like to pursue graduate studies in France and live abroad eventually. I would like to learn more about the history of Tours as a town and the agricultural history as well.

Blog posts coming soon!

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Macy Lor

Program Name: AIP Internship in Tokyo
Major: Health Promotion and Health Equity
Hometown: Appleton, Wisconsin

Participating in the Asian Internship Program in Japan will help me achieve my academic, professional, and personal goals by gaining an international perspective. Japan’s work environment emphasizes discipline, respect, communication, a strong work ethic, and hospitality, which will allow me to observe approaches that differ from those in the U.S. work environment. I look forward to trying different types of Japanese food each week during my internship!

Blog posts coming soon!

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Ezra Love

Program Name: UW City as Studio: Drawing in Portugal
Major: Art
Hometown: Chanhassen, Minnesota

I would like to be able to learn from other artists, both my peers and from artists from a different culture. I want to be able to learn from a new culture about how art influences the city and the people that live there. I look forward to being able to fully immerse myself in Portugal, not just by the art but the liveliness as well.

Blog posts coming soon!

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Ireland McQuillan

Program Name: UW Environmental Ethics and Indigenous Rights in Ecuador
Major: Agroecology
Hometown: Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

I chose this program to learn more Indigenous environmental interactions and traditional ecological knowledge. I hope to partner with Indigenous groups in the future do develop large scale sustainable agriculture systems and I believe this program will expose me to how these partnerships work. I look forward to learning more about music and dance culture in Quito and the surrounding towns. Overall, I am excited to get outside, see some new animals, and explore the local flora.

Career Connections
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Teraun Nordman-Riley

Program Name: UW Classics in Italy
Major: English; Social Welfare
Hometown: Delano, Minnesota

One of my goals on my program is to enrich my knowledge and appreciation for the great Roman authors and their culture. One of the reasons I chose the program was that, despite my fascination with the ancient civilizations in Italy and Greece, of the two I know less about the Roman and Italian culture. I look forward to becoming educated on the civilization of both the past Romans and the present Italians.

Blog posts coming soon!

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Caitlin Quade

Program Name: FIE Dublin Internships
Major: Legal Studies; Philosophy
Hometown: Gillett, Wisconsin

I chose this program because it allows me to gain internship experience while being in a country I have always been fascinated about. I look forward to learning about basic history about historical buildings in Ireland.

Blog posts coming soon!

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Indigo Shideler

Program Name: CIEE Accelerated Chinese Language in Shanghai
Major: Legal Studies; Chinese
Hometown: Appleton, Wisconsin

My main goal with this program is to improve my Chinese language skills. I chose this program because I wanted to take more Chinese classes without overcrowding my schedule, and I’m very excited for this opportunity to study two whole semesters of language in eight weeks. This will give me much more freedom in my future classes and allow me to gain language fluency much faster! I’m looking forward to pretty much everything about studying in Shanghai. I want to try the food, I want to explore the city, and I want to make friends and connections. But, like most learning experiences, I think I’ll only know what the most valuable part of this program was once I’ve left. So I look forward to finding out what that is!

Blog posts coming soon!

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Jocelyn York

Program Name: Great Dane Japan Brewing Internship
Major: Biological Systems Engineering
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

My main goals I have for my program are to bridge the gap between my classroom Japanese studies and real-world application. I aim to gain confidence to engage in conversations with the staff at my internship and locals. I chose this program because it was another opportunity to combine my academic background in engineering and interest in fermentation food science. It gives me the opportunity to study the production of brewing specifically quality control, research and development and fermentation microbiology. What I am looking forward to learning about my program city is exploring the historic temples that are all around the city and learning more about the culture. The city is known for having a lot of different temples and onsens all around.

Blog posts coming soon!

Spring 2026

A student wearing a white strapless top stands in front of the ocean. They have long strawberry blonde hair and are smiling at the camera.

Natalie Brandt

Program Name: University of Sydney
Major: Biochemistry; Environmental Sciences
Hometown: Neenah, Wisconsin

I am looking forward to how Sydney’s environment, both physical and natural, influences its culture and lifestyle. Sydney is very different from the Midwest, and I want to experience how living by the coast and in such a vibrant city shapes the way people live.

Our Global Classroom
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Vacheron Lin

Program Name: Waseda University Exchange
Major: Economics
Hometown: Greendale, Wisconsin

I look forward to learning about the differences in how Japanese college students go about life versus Americans.  My goal is to be able to speak Japanese at a very comfortable level where I can smoothly have day-to-day conversations with locals.

Blog posts coming soon!

Past Bloggers