By Keith Gerald Davis III
3 STEM Students Weigh in on Studying Abroad, Share Highlights
Taking Technical Courses and Developing Problem-Solving Skills Can Take Place in Many Ways and Countries
With many different STEM-related programs, students who are studying the sciences at BU have options when it comes to studying abroad and challenging themselves in unfamiliar environments.
While focusing on the frontiers of science and technology can be challenging in and of itself, many students also seek to take technical courses and develop their problem-solving skills while experiencing life in a new country. This can take place in many different ways and countries, as students study abroad for different reasons and have lots of diverse interests, both in and outside of their major.
For those who want to ensure they are staying on track and taking courses required of their major, you’ll find courses like organic chemistry, cellular biology, physiology, quantum physics, microbiology, differential equations, and more in different STEM or STEM-related study abroad programs.
We asked three students, studying data science, psychology, and biology, about why they studied abroad, what their experiences were like, and what advice they would give to their peers who are in STEM and considering going abroad.
Leonardo Perez Loynd (CDS ’25), a Somerville, MA native who is majoring in data science, did the Madrid Internship Program during summer 2024.
Alicia Dennery (CAS ’25), a Thomas M. Menino Scholar, is from Boston and is majoring in psychology and minoring in biology, with the goal of becoming a physician’s associate. She studied abroad twice, doing the Madrid Science Program and the Sydney STEM Program.
Elizabeth Rosen (CDS ’25), a Marblehead, MA native who is majoring in data science, participated in the Geneva Global Governance and Global Challenges Program in summer 2023. Long term, she wants to go into computational biology research.
Q&A
Global Matters: Why did you decide to study abroad?
Alicia Dennery: I am from Boston and never really left Boston because I came to BU. I had never “spread my wings and left the nest,” so to speak and never got to experience that. So, studying abroad was an amazing opportunity for me to do that. I loved it so much that I studied abroad twice. I felt very fulfilled after my study abroad – like my college experience was top tier because of it.
Leonardo Perez Loynd: My mother is from Spain, and my grandmother lived in Madrid my entire life. I think I speak Spanish fluently now, but it’s hard to stay on top of slang words and stuff like that when you don’t live there. So it was partially for the immersion, because I love Madrid. I was also excited to be able to do an internship abroad because I could see what it’s like to live in Spain, which is something I could do.
Elizabeth Rosen: I wanted the opportunity to travel, and I knew that the best way to do that was through study abroad. Studying abroad was something that I always wanted to do when I got to college. There isn’t a study abroad program specifically for data science, so I did one of the summer programs: Geneva Global Governance because there was a minute where I wanted to do public health policy analysis with data science.
Global Matters: Can you share a little about your experience abroad? What courses did you take? Any highlights you’d like to share about your time studying abroad?
Alicia Dennery: When I did the Madrid Science program, I studied organic chemistry and then cellular biology. I also studied medical ethics within the Spanish context, and I took a Spanish course. I lived in a homestay and loved my host family. They were a joy to be around, and we spoke Spanish in the household. I got to meet so many lovely people in Madrid and loved the program. There was a big emphasis on providing your knowledge in the courses – for example not doing multiple choice exams but having open response answers to show what you know.
During the Sydney STEM program, I took three science courses and one study abroad course called Australian Culture & Society. I took cognitive and behavioral neuroscience, microbiology, and physiology at the University of Sydney. Also, BU Sydney did events all the time for us…there was a Halloween party, welcome week, scavenger hunts, a harbor cruise, which were so much fun. We also had a week of orientation and went to Canberra as a group and visited museums. I was part of a Catholic organization and made so many friends who I still talk to today. I also made amazing friends through the program.
Leonardo Perez Loynd: Through my program, I interned at a nonprofit composed of professional tech people that work on social impact projects. I researched technologies and wrote Spanish language guides about how the technology could be used. We also made presentations at other organizations about the use of AI and how new technologies can be used for social good. It was interesting to shift from using my technical skills to adapt them for a social purpose, like teaching others. I had a lot of different goals, like practicing my Spanish and working in a Spanish speaking environment. I also loved my host family; they were wonderful and were surprised to know that I already spoke Spanish pretty well. They were very sweet and invited me to many things.
Elizabeth Rosen: A lot of my international relations course was field trip based. We visited different NGOs in Geneva, and I thought that was a really cool part of the program. We visited the UN, the World Health Organization, the WTO, the Red Cross, even the International Telecommunications Union. One of the days we got to meet the head of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Another time when we were at the UN, we were there during the Human Rights Council session and we had an anti-landmine advocate speak to us.
I was surprised by the variety of students in the class. I wasn’t the only data science or computer science kind of student in the class; there were a few others, so it wasn’t just international relations (IR) students, which I found to be interesting and made the class enjoyable. We talked about international relations issues from our [data science] perspective. One of the big decisions that the UN was making was around their development goals. They are sorting out how to incorporate AI and technology, so we had a technical point of view that we shared with the other students in our class.
Global Matters: What advice would you give to your peers in STEM who may be considering going abroad?
Alicia Dennery: I think you should go for it. I thoroughly enjoyed my programs. Don’t be scared to not know anyone. I think it’s better to go in not knowing anyone because you’ll be more likely to talk to other people and make new friends. I think it’s an amazing opportunity to put yourself out there, and the people who I met abroad I am still friends with today. I traveled with some of the friends I made. We went to Murcia. I also went to Portugal and Paris and Morocco.
When I was in Sydney, I traveled to Tokyo and Thailand. In all the places I went, I met so many locals and talked for hours on end with them about all sorts of things. But get to know the country you’re studying abroad in first – before you travel around to other countries. Get really familiar with the culture, people, and all the places you can go in your “home base” country first.
Leonardo Perez Loynd: I would recommend study abroad. I think it’s beneficial, and it’s really hard to critically understand our own country, especially if you’ve never been outside of it to other countries. It’s good to get a different perspective and see how things are in other places.
I had a really great time at the organized trips…we went to Burgos in northern Spain. It was great to experience that with my classmates.
Elizabeth Rosen: I think it’s good to be transplanted somewhere you’ve never been and have to reorient yourself and figure some things out on your own. I loved living in Geneva; it’s a really lovely city. Even just the mundane parts of my days, like the walk to class, were so beautiful. All of the buildings are stunning. We also had scheduled trips in our program: we went to Lavaux, which was breathtaking, and to Bern, the capital. We got to see where Albert Einstein lived for two years. I also got to travel to Paris and Naples, which were amazing.
I also enjoyed being able to practice my French, and I think having a second language is always a positive thing. The other thing that was cool was living in the same building as students who were doing other programs, like the Physics program, and those students were doing research at CERN. So, I got to hear about their research and also meet some impressive physicists at our goodbye party. Overall, I think it’s definitely a worthwhile thing to do.
Improving Healthcare Access in Rural Countries and Promoting Health Equity
SPH Graduate Student and Doctor-Turned-Health-Tech-Entrepreneur Makes an Impact in Nepal
Dr. Sanjiv Gupta (SPH’ 25) grew up in an economically backward district in Nepal. Siraha, from where Dr. Gupta hails, is one of the bottom districts in the human development index in the country. Apart from capturing the economic reality of the place, the human development index also informs social indicators such as education and health.
“A majority of people in the district did not have running water and depended on ground or surface water for their livelihood,” Dr. Gupta says. “Around the monsoon season, we would see a deluge of diarrhea and malaria cases in our nearby hospital.”
Dr. Gupta’s family moved from his ancestral village to a nearby town called Siraha (named same as the district) to be closer to infrastructure, such as the private schools and the only health hospital.
Since Siraha was the administrative headquarters of the district, the only health hospital was supposed to serve wide swathes of the population from different parts of the district. However, the hospital lacked enough doctors and resources to fully serve its people.
“We would periodically hear of people dying because of not enough resources or lack of personnel at the hospital, creating public uproar at times. People would have to be driven by ambulances to other regions in the country for urgent and quality treatment,” Dr. Gupta recalls. “In many cases, we had family members who had to be driven to other cities because the hospital did not have the right resources.”
Experiences such as this were catalysts for Dr. Gupta to pursue medicine and work towards affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare.
He graduated from Kathmandu University medical school and immediately felt the responsibility that came along with being the first doctor from his extended family and presumably from his village.
After Gupta graduated from Kathmandu University Medical school, he returned to his district to work as a clinician at a local hospital for a few years, practicing medicine diligently and helping patients.
“Then, one day when a 70-year-old man came into the rural hospital with his grandson and from a village family who I knew…I learned he sold his buffalo [to pay for the services], one of their family’s only assets,” explains Dr. Gupta. “When he came for the treatment, the hospital administrators, they immediately admitted his grandson and started IV medications and charged him $100.00 on day one.”
That $100.00 USD (approximately 10,000 rupees at that time) was his entire savings.
“And that was total injustice,” Dr. Gupta recalls. “So, I went to the administrator team, and then they said to me, you are a clinician. You deal with the patients, not with the administrative dealings. And that was it. I paid [for his grandson’s healthcare services] from my pocket, and the next day I resigned.”
Having worked through injustices like that as well as inefficiencies and other challenges of working in remote areas, Dr. Gupta decided to start a community hospital with a team of friends. Around this same time, the Covid-19 pandemic was in full swing, and he experienced the power of technology in a medical setting firsthand.
“I got a few devices from Israel, and I deployed those devices in different pharmacies, where the whole healthcare system depends on these pharmacies in South Asian countries,” Dr. Gupta says. “It’s not like a CVS or Walgreens. They are very small, and Nepal has around 30,000 such pharmacies.”
Armed with his medical experience and the desire to improve access to quality healthcare, Dr. Gupta developed a business model to empower these pharmacies and transform them with the addition of medical equipment – so that they could become points of care for patients in need. He also connected them to his fellow doctors and created a network of quality healthcare providers.
He viewed the work as a successful experiment in helping improve access to quality healthcare. But with the limited resources available and challenges navigating health governance, Dr. Gupta began to wonder if he could have a greater impact from outside of his country and if he could learn more about entrepreneurship in the United States.
Soon enough, he was applying to different scholarships and was accepted into the Fulbright Program. Here at BU, Dr. Gupta is studying Healthcare Management in the School of Public Health and is involved in Innovate@BU, where he was accepted into the Summer 2024 Accelerator Program. As part of the Summer Accelerator cohort, Gupta spent an intensive 10 weeks building out his organization, Rx Healthcare, that transforms pharmacies across south-Asian countries into digital tele-clinics.
“I hired 50 interns back home and hired two developers from India so we could develop our own platform,” Dr. Gupta says. “Piloting is going very well, and we are improving our software. We are providing [telehealth] services in 10 different pharmacies.”
Using Dr. Gupta’s venture, Rx Healthcare, pharmacies are integrated into the healthcare system and receive the necessary digital infrastructure and medical devices – like pulse oximeters – to connect remote communities with qualified healthcare providers through telemedicine. Rx Healthcare can also connect to local labs where testing is completed.
“As someone who has witnessed firsthand the challenges of accessing quality healthcare in rural areas, I am deeply committed to leveraging technology to bridge this gap and empower individuals to take control of their health,” Dr. Gupta says. “Rx Healthcare is not just about providing medical services; it’s about empowering communities, promoting health equity, and driving positive social change.”
Although Dr. Gupta does not identify as an entrepreneur, he says his mindset is focused on problem solving. “I’m obsessed with the problem and will take anything to solve the problem, be it a management issue or anything. Accessing quality healthcare was our problem growing up. But now I see it as a problem for many, not only those in Nepal, but in many other rural countries and emerging nations.”
Coming from a moderate background, Dr. Gupta is grateful for the opportunity and people that have helped him come so far. “I never really planned to come to the U.S.…I was fully serving my community but coming here and getting so much help and support from the entire Boston University community, I am really grateful,” he says. “My entire life has been as a gratitude – the community back home and the Fulbright community…without the U.S. government scholarship I would not be here. So, I would like to request that everyone find some way to give back to their community.”
Rx Healthcare is currently seeking funding to help with medical device purchasing for the pharmacies they are transforming. Depending on the outcome of raising funds and where his new degree in healthcare management will take him, Dr. Gupta will determine where he can have the most impact as a doctor-turned-social-health-tech-entrepreneur.
IEW Through the Years
Each year, International Education Week (IEW) celebrates Boston University’s global engagement, and this year’s IEW will offer many exciting events for the entire BU community across BU’s campuses.
Starting Nov. 11, events ranging from multicultural writing and art showcases to research talks (and more) will be offered. To register your event as an IEW event, please fill out the form on the Global Programs site. Then be sure to check the full calendar of IEW events in early Nov. on our website.
Global Programs applauds the BU community’s commitment to creating opportunities for exchanging ideas, building community, sparking curiosity on global issues, and broadening worldviews. Our community’s steadfast commitment has a long history – some of which we’ve captured in this artistic time capsule of IEW. Enjoy this look back on highlights from the last decade:
Extending Student Wellbeing Across the Globe
Numerous BU Study Abroad Locations and Student Wellbeing Collaborate in Many Ways to Support Students’ Holistic Wellbeing
From Dublin to London to Madrid, Boston University Study Abroad students have learned about the incredible power of trees – up close and in a hands-on way. In grant-funded programs run with Student Wellbeing, the teams at BU Dublin, BU London, and BU Madrid took their study abroad students to mountainous County Wicklow, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and the Casa de Campo park, respectively, where they planted trees, learned about carbon offsetting, and worked with local NGOs.
The program is one of many offerings that Student Wellbeing has helped facilitate at different BU run Study Abroad locations. And this is just one of the ways that BU Study Abroad and Student Wellbeing have been collaborating to help support all dimensions of students’ wellbeing – no matter where they are.
“We absolutely adore working with Study Abroad, and we are grateful that they have been such a tremendous partner,” says Pedro Falci, Managing Director of Student Wellbeing. “Working with the various Study Abroad sites and in different ways – whether it’s on programs through grants, workshops, or even as thought partners – has been meaningful for us and has allowed us to provide students some degree of continuity between the Charles River Campus experience and when they go abroad.”
By encouraging study abroad students to participate in workshops or a program like tree planting, students continue to be exposed to resources and habits of mind that can benefit their wellbeing.
BU Study Abroad Executive Director Gareth McFeely notes that these programs emphasize the importance of thinking about the student experience holistically: “studying abroad is not just about what students learn in the classroom, even if that’s important, but also about students reflecting on their place in the world, and on how to be in the moment.”
Falci and his colleagues in Student Wellbeing encourage students to study abroad and know that doing so benefits students in myriad ways.
“Having that fish out of water experience teaches them about their wellbeing, and they can incorporate those lessons into their life well beyond BU,” Falci says. “And we know that going abroad can sometimes provoke feelings of homesickness or basic stress response in the body, so having some of these offerings – whether it’s workshops that impart skills or programs that help students meet each other – teach them something they can take with them to make the most of their experience abroad.”
Falci also notes that it’s interesting for Student Wellbeing to learn about the differing priorities that students have when they are abroad vs. in Boston. When hosting Student Wellbeing’s Life Management workshop – one that focuses on identifying priorities – Falci has noticed students’ desire to prioritize travel to other countries while they are abroad. “Of course, they are also doing their coursework and sometimes interning while abroad, so they are busy, and it’s interesting for us to see the differences.”
Another virtual workshop that Falci has hosted with study abroad students is titled Exploring Personal and Social Identities. He led this workshop for past students in Padua and Venice, Italy a few times.
When he hosts it, Falci invites students, who are by and large Americans studying in Italy (in this case), to reflect on how we tackle identity in the U.S. in comparison to what they’re seeing in Italy or on the European continent.
“We talk about how in the States we have to check boxes around race and ethnicity, sex and gender, religion, class, all those things,” he says. “Students are then prompted to think about how another culture tackles the same topics, and we engage in a conversation around those differences. It’s a really rich conversation when we get going.”
The Director of Padua and Venice Programs, Elisabetta Convento, appreciates how enthusiastic and adept Falci has been in hosting valuable and interesting workshops for her students.
“He is always extremely enthusiastic and very available to discuss any topics,” Convento says. “I think our ‘formula’ in Padua and Venice of prioritizing wellbeing from the very beginning – the day after students arrive – and then continuing with small activities throughout the semester that [reinforce] the importance of wellbeing has been working well.”
Convento and her team first started partnering with Student Wellbeing thanks to former Padua student Ariel Crawford (CAS ’24), who studied abroad in spring 2023 and also worked for Student Wellbeing as a Program Assistant.
“Ariel was going through the orientation that we give, where I would show the Student Wellbeing website,” says Convento. “She was collaborating with Pedro and helping work on the website and said why don’t we do a session with Wellbeing?”
In addition to workshops with Wellbeing, Convento and her team runs initiatives and events with students where they get involved in the local community, collecting trash, planting trees, touring the area on bikes, removing graffiti, and more.
“This past summer I took students to a beautiful villa in the middle of the countryside where they could enjoy the landscape, draw if they wanted to, and just wander around and be immersed in nature,” Convento says. “They loved it and appreciated spending time in nature.”
Students in Madrid, Spain have also enjoyed outdoor excursions and outdoor clean-up activities that connect them to nature and help them appreciate their environment. In addition to the tree planting event, they participated in a marine biology excursion.
“That was great because we cleaned the beach and collected all the trash there,” says Amalia Perez-Juez, Director of Madrid Programs. “It was a great; everyone seemed to love it.”
In addition to nature-focused activities that promote environmental wellbeing, the BU Madrid team regularly hosts a cultural wellbeing event where they ask students to share a photograph of what Spain has meant for them and to speak about that. The traditional Spanish dish paella is shared and enjoyed at this event as well.
“Lately we have also been doing talent shows because we've seen that students love to show what they do, and they want to sing and dance,” adds Perez-Juez. “It's getting everyone together and knowing each other in a different way that is not in a classroom.”
Cara Kennedy, Student Life Manager for BU London, adds that BU London runs wellness afternoons a few times per semesters where they host sessions designed to help students relax and reduce stress in a healthy way. “Students are invited to join in activities that promote creativity, community, and relaxation, Kennedy says. “Positive wellbeing is key for academic success, so they can discover new ways to stay energised, focused, and feeling good during busy times!”
One of their more popular wellness activities is hosting a therapy dogs visit, working with a UK charity called Pets As Therapy. In addition, they include wellbeing events (free to participate) in their social programming, and these events vary each semester.
“In summer, we took students on a trip to Kentish Town City Farm where they spent some time with the animals,” Kennedy says. “A group of students also took part in the Battersea Park: Chase the Sun run event where they ran 5K or 10K. We have also organised walks before to local parks such as Richmond Park and Hampstead Heath.”
The Director of Dublin Programs, Mary McCloskey, agrees and emphasizes the benefits of getting students together outside of the classroom, especially in the spirit of making new friends and improving social wellbeing.
“Some students come with their friends, but we always work under the premise that you have come alone, seeking your independence, stepping out of your comfort zone, and seeking new adventures and opportunities,” says McCloskey. “So, I set the tone during orientation and during our treasure hunt event by setting up the teams alphabetical by last name so [already established] friends aren’t joined at the hip and going around. It’s bonding with new peers, and that’s important.”
She adds that in addition to the various activities, excursions, and events that they run in Dublin, she often shares resources and events with her students, even if they are taking place on the Charles River Campus. A silver lining of the Covid-19 pandemic has been the strong connection to the Charles River Campus that zoom meetings, events, and workshops enable.
“It really is a global village, because it doesn't matter whether you're on the Charles River Campus, in Shanghai, in Dublin or wherever BU has programs, you can register, you can join, you can partake in the workshops and events virtually,” she says. “There’s a stronger feeling of inclusiveness and feeling part of the mother campus in Boston, so to speak. We feel the benefit of that, and the students feel the benefit of that the same because they can get involved if they want.”
Studying English, Enjoying a Boston Summer – Just 22 Years Apart
Tangier followed in her mother Leli Chen’s footsteps at CELOP
When Leli Chen studied at CELOP 22 years ago little did she know that her daughter, Tangier Lai, would end up following a similar path. Tangier, who participated in CELOP’s EducationUSA Academy, enjoyed the program and says she improved her English language skills as well as her interpersonal skills. She also learned about the process and requirements for applying to colleges in the U.S.
“I learned how to cooperate with other people and how to overcome challenges,” she says while reflecting on her academics and the experience of living in the Warren Towers residence hall with other international students this past summer. Although the program is short – just three weeks – it packs in many valuable workshops, activities, tours, and class time studying English. It also focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship, with students learning the vocabulary and concepts associated with business.
CELOP Senior Lecturer Carol Piñeiro taught both Leli and Tangier, and though they participated in different programs, feels great pride in seeing students come to CELOP generation after generation, as Leli and Tangier have done.
“The story of Leli and her daughter Tangier is not uncommon to CELOP,” says Maria Arruda, Managing Director of CELOP. “Last summer we hosted a student from Vietnam whose brother and father also attended CELOP at one point. I think what’s unique to this story is that Leli and her daughter were taught by the same wonderful teacher, Carol.”
“I have taught at CELOP for more than 40 years, and it’s gratifying to know that the students one teaches go on to become successful professionals, which means they’re eventually able to send their children to CELOP to study,” Piñeiro says. “In general, the younger generation is much savvier about social media. Facebook was just starting 20 years ago, when Leli was a student. The advancements in technology have changed the ways students present information. Tangier’s class was very quick to gather information and put images, sound, and video together in a pleasing and professional way.”
Tangier thought about one of her favorite assignments that Piñeiro gave the class. “We had to write a personal statement,” Tangier explains. “Carol asked us to think deeply about our own story. I thought about my academic achievements in science debates in Taiwan.”
An 11th grader at Chang-Hua girl's senior high school in Taiwan, Tangier developed a strong interest in science at an early age and excels in a gifted student program for math and science. She hopes to major in physics and perhaps earn a master’s degree in the future.
Piñeiro delights in saying, “Tangier is as motivated as her mother was when she came to Boston to do a graduate degree two decades ago.”
Tangier hopes to be accepted to a U.S. college or university and has visited many different states over the years with her family. Tangier agrees with her mother’s outlook that “everyone who comes here [to the U.S.], comes with their own perspective, and we are all a bit different – and that’s the best takeaway.”
When Leli first came to the U.S. and Boston University, she was earning her second graduate degree and was accepted to the Master of Science in Public Relations program. At CELOP, before she started her graduate degree, Leli took a class in media studies with Piñeiro along with other graduates who had been accepted to the College of Communication.
“The main focus was on improving listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in order to navigate the area they had chosen, like public relations in Leli’s case,” explains Piñeiro. “The students put a lot of effort into the course and felt more prepared for their graduate study by the end of their time with CELOP.”
Reflecting on her experience, Leli says, “I really liked the way CELOP educated us and helped us…they knew we were not young students and that we had experience.”
Leli and her fellow students learned about citations and how to create presentations. She describes it as intensive but helpful, and she credits the program with helping her kick off her successful time at BU and keeping pace with other students in the graduate program.
After BU, Leli moved back to Shanghai and worked at the award-winning global public relations consultancy firm Edelman PR and then eventually moved back to Taiwan, where she and her husband are raising their two daughters.
“I remember Leli being a motivated and enthusiastic participant in class, ready to discuss the topic on the table and always a team player,” says Piñeiro. “I think Leli has raised her daughter to be like her, eager to participate in academic life and engage in the quest for knowledge, no matter where it takes her.”
Arruda adds that as CELOP looks ahead to its 50th year anniversary in 2025, highlighting special alumni stories like that of Leli and Tangier’s will be a focus.
BU Student’s Participation in the Venice Studio Arts Program Allows for Exploration in the Creative Arts Abroad
Seeking Inspiration in Treasured Classics, Pushing Artistic Boundaries Contribute to Incredible Experience
From her early years spent sketching to her discovery of Photoshop in high school, Boston University student Lilia Geguchadze (CFA '25) has always been drawn to the creative arts. She knew she wanted to pursue this interest in college, and from there, the idea of a full-time career path in visual storytelling began to unfold.
To help bring this future to fruition, Geguchadze sought a program that would allow her to expand her knowledge while also empowering her to explore various fields. The College of Fine Arts at BU, with its multitude of opportunities and emphasis on interactive learning experiences, stood out among others. Additionally, having been raised in Maine, Geguchadze was looking for a way to combine the hustle-and-bustle of big-city life while also staying near her family. Boston University being at the heart of a vibrant metropolitan area made it the perfect setting to achieve her goals.
However, these weren’t the only goals she had in mind. Soon enough, Geguchadze’s aspirations led her to look beyond the United States. Studying abroad would provide her with the opportunity to challenge herself personally, professionally, and creatively.
“I had never been outside of the U.S. And that's something that really intimidates me. I thought, what better way to do that in a very manageable step than to do it through a [study abroad] program?”
As a result, she decided to try the Venice Studio Arts program offered through Boston University Study Abroad. This opportunity provides students with the ability to learn and grow their creative skills via classes in Italy, a location well-known for its rich artistic heritage.
Geguchadze had set off to immerse herself in a new culture and experience. Arriving in Italy, although she encountered warmth and hospitality, she initially struggled in adjusting to such a big change. However, with the help of her peers, she was able to navigate these challenges and form wonderful new friendships. “It took me a little bit of time, but because I had other people who were kind of going through the same thing, it was a little bit easier,” Geguchadze says reflecting on the experience.
Right away, she noticed how a difference in lifestyle influenced the classroom setting as well. “The program was a little bit different [from those in the U.S.], because they really allowed us to work on whatever project we were assigned,” she says.
Geguchadze created a lot of art during the semester, and her favorite was a book re-design project pictured above. “We had to choose a book that we had a connection to and interpret and re-design the cover. We then had to create a new second cover that is inspired by our re-design, but the new cover had to be inspired by Venice,” she explains.
Compared to the fast-paced setting she was used to in the United States, Geguchadze found the Italian lifestyle to be more relaxing. These qualities were also mirrored in her Italian lectures. She was deeply impacted by this style of teaching, specifically because it placed a strong emphasis on encouraging individual expression and creativity.
Beyond the classroom, Geguchadze was also able to explore a multitude of sites that Italy had to offer. In fact, she believes the picturesque environment of northern Italy is what helps inspire and contribute to her professors’ creativity. Here, Geguchadze recalls, “I think the reason why a lot of them have a lot of appreciation for what they do was because you would walk outside, and all the buildings are historic, the museums are filled with paintings and sculptures that I never even fathomed I’d be able to see. And they get to live there.”
Having undergone such a life-changing experience, Geguchadze now looks to the future for a way to utilize and apply everything she has learned.
“I mean, it was a big experience. So, it's bound to impact my choices... I’m still trying different things out and figuring out what sector of graphic design I want to work in. But I started considering internships outside of the U.S. because I’ve learned about how strong the graphic design programs are in Europe. And now that I have connections in Italy, they could point me in the right direction.”
Overall, Geguchadze’s study abroad experience has enabled her to step outside of her comfort zone in a way that positively promotes growth and development. She has discovered new potential within graphic design that she did not previously know about, and these lifelong lessons are sure to remain with her as she heads into her future career.
Published Papers, Briefings at the WTO, Conferences at the UN & More
Two Students Make the Most of their Impressive Geneva Internship Experiences
During the spring semester of their junior year, two students in the Geneva Internship: International Relations program contributed to important work in the humanitarian field and culminated their experience by co-publishing an article with their supervisors in the "Applied Psychology around the World" of the International Association for Applied Psychology (IAAP). The article aimed at producing concepts and applying knowledge that guides an effective humanitarian response. The IAAP is the oldest and largest international association of individual members and affiliate international associations, dedicated to promoting the science and practice of applied psychology, according to its website.
While on the program, Kagan Rowland (CAS ’25) and Nathan Eyasu (Cornell ILR ’25) interned with the Centre for Socio-Economic Development (CSEND), an NGO accredited to the United Nations (UN) focused on acting as a center for knowledge and innovation in socio-economic research.
As part of their work for the article, Rowland and Eyasu researched the stress humanitarian workers face due to the brutalities of war – and the ways that humanitarian organizations can help them cope.
“The nature of war is changing and there aren’t a lot of people who consider the stress that people like aid workers are enduring,” Eyasu says. “Bearing in mind the consistent presence of conflict today, awareness regarding the experience of humanitarian workers and their demanding jobs is warranted.”
Rowland adds that work on the paper came to fruition as an opportunity for them because their supervisor Professor Raymond Saner had written an initial iteration of the article decades ago.
“He wanted to update it to fit today’s modern context of the struggles that humanitarian workers are going through,” Rowland explains. “We helped update and revamp the paper and eventually it was republished, which I was very proud of, and it was a great privilege to work on it with Raymond and Dr. Lichia Saner-Yiu.”
Together, Dr. Lichia Saner-Yiu and Professor Raymond Saner run CSEND, where Rowland and Eyasu interned. Previously, Professor Saner served as a delegate for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for many years, an experience that Rowland and Eyasu drew upon and deeply appreciated learning about while in Geneva.
Also, during their internship, Rowland and Eyasu attended briefings at the World Trade Organization, conferences at the UN headquarters, and consultations at the World Summit on the Information Society.
Of all the memorable and impactful experiences that they had, Eyasu, says, “The most memorable part of my time working in Geneva was experiencing the selfless attitude of professionals working at international organizations, dedicating their careers to making the world a better place.”
Eyasu and Rowland expressed gratitude for their supervisors' roles and for the work to which they have dedicated their lives.
“Professor Raymond Saner and Dr. Lichia Saner-Yiu are two incredibly bright intellectuals whose commitment to learning and growth never ceased to inspire me,” Eyasu says.
The old chestnut says to make the world better, you must make your world bigger. This sentiment rings true for both Eyasu and Rowland, who found themselves in Geneva for the first time, both a bit awestruck by the city’s global disposition and by the critical role that Geneva plays as host to myriad international organizations.
“It was cool to go to the UN Regional Commission on Sustainable Development to see how many people are following up on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and reporting on progress being made or finding gaps where improvement is needed,” Eyasu says. “It was inspiring. I think being in the U.S., you are kind of insulated from the rest of the world and what’s going on…all you see is American politics. So, it was great to see how many people are working on these global goals.”
He was also inspired by this work and thinks that as a future path, for graduate school or afterward, he would consider returning to Geneva. “Whether it be to work in international trade or studying economics around the world and perhaps even microeconomics to better understand poverty, I think Geneva really led me to understand what I want to do longer term,” Eyasu says.
Rowland adds that he enjoyed learning about the history of Geneva and Switzerland and the role it plays in Europe and on the world stage. As a child, he did some international travel with his family, and in Geneva, years later, found himself being reminded by how skilled and multilingual many Europeans are.
“It’s humbling, and I am looking to learn more languages in the future,” Rowland says. “It was cool to see the diversity of cultures and people in Switzerland. I think the international side of Geneva really shines through.”
In addition to the paper that Eyasu and Rowland co-wrote, Eyasu wrote a research paper on socio-economic development titled Could Cooperatives Improve the Livelihood of Single Mother Households in Ethiopia?
His paper explores the struggles of single-mother households in Ethiopia and analyzes the benefits cooperatives could provide to their precarious standing.
“Considering the shallow level of research done on single-mother households in Ethiopia, despite them making up 22 percent of Ethiopia's households, I believe this piece could be instrumental for future research exploring solutions for their poverty,” Eyasu says.
Eyasu realizes how incredible this opportunity was for him and how he has been able to contribute to the research field of microeconomics – as an undergraduate student no less.
“Before this, I had not had experience with research,” he says. “Our supervisors were very helpful in showing us what is expected of an academic research paper. You have to be thorough; you have to back everything up with previous research and understand the importance of contributing to the existing field of research – not just reiterating what people have already said.”
The Director of Geneva Programs, Leonella Castellano, and Geneva Internship Placement Manager, Mehrnaz Tohidi, feel immense satisfaction and pride when Geneva students, like Eyasu and Rowland, excel in their internship workplaces.
“Our dedication to student professional development is highly rewarding, especially when witnessing successes like those of Kagan and Nathan over a time span of just four months,” Castellano says. “They leave Geneva with invaluable skills, newly found self-confidence, and, most importantly, a broader critical perspective on global politics that impacts not only the U.S. but also the entire world community.”
Tohidi says students like Nathan Eyasu and Kagan Rowland are the highlight of her job. “During their placement interviews, both exhibited a quiet confidence,” she recalls. “They both made the most of their time in Geneva by proactively attending side events and conferences. I had the opportunity to attend a roundtable discussion at their internship, led by the former Head of the Africa Region of UNCTAD. During this event, I heard Nathan share his insights on the economic development of Ethiopia. His perspective, as a representative of Generation Z, was immensely appreciated, and his remarks were particularly poignant.”
Photo Credit: Nathan Eyasu, while visiting the UN headquarters
A Look at BU’s Newest Study Abroad Programs
Wide-Ranging Study Abroad Opportunities Add Even More Options for Students
Studying abroad creates the opportunity to journey to new places – literally to new destinations, and figuratively to widened world views and perspectives. It encourages reflection and can fuel exposure to new cultures, customs, and ways of living. As the saying goes, to make the world better, you must make your world bigger.
While there is great comfort in the familiar, it is beyond familiar territory where true growth happens. Boston University Study Abroad (BUSA) hears this sentiment time and time again from students who spend time abroad. The transformative nature of studying abroad is undeniable. To that end, BUSA constantly evolves and creates new study abroad opportunities, adding to its diverse program opportunities for students.
This past academic year, BUSA has launched new programs as well as renewed academic opportunities in some locations that had operations temporarily shuttered during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. View the new and renewed programs from this academic year below and visit the BU Study Abroad website to learn more about each exciting opportunity.
New Programs, Academic Year 2023-2024:
- Sydney, Australia – Offered during the fall semester, the Sydney Study Abroad Program is a one-semester non-internship experience that allows students the opportunity to explore one of the most progressive cities in the Pacific Rim region while earning credit to advance their undergraduate degree. Coursework focuses on various aspects of Australia’s dynamic history and contemporary culture, including its literature, politics, economy, and media, as well as coursework in computer science. Sydney students also benefit from the excellence of the Boston University Sydney Center’s staff, facilities, and activities while abroad.
- Santiago, Chile – The Santiago Program offers students the opportunity to study in the political and financial capital of Chile and enroll directly at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and the Universidad de Chile. Students will also be able to take advantage of courses, staff, facilities, and cultural excursions offered by BU’s partner IES Abroad.
- Amman, Jordan – Students may improve upon or launch their Arabic language skills while engaging in topics related to Arabic culture, politics, and religion in Amman – one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world – while experiencing the renowned Jordanian hospitality and bustling markets (souqs). Students study at the CET Academic Center in the Sweifiehneighborhood of Amman.
- Padua, Italy Conflict & Crisis Reporting (Summer) – The Padua Conflict & Crisis Reporting program will prepare students to begin covering conflicts, crisis, and hostile environments smartly, ethically and with greater safety. Based at BU’s Padua Academic Center, the program will take advantage of unique opportunities in Padua, including engagement with the IMP Festival (International Month of Photojournalism).
- Cape Town, South Africa The Cape Town Program offers students the chance to pursue courses in their designated fields of study through direct enrollment at the University of Cape Town and in collaboration with academic partner IES. The University of Cape Town, the highest ranked university in Africa and oldest university in South Africa, is situated near the base of Table Mountain National Park.
Aidan Flanigan (CAS ’23), who was one of the first BU students to take part in this program, says his experience inspired him and reaffirmed his interest in African politics. “I left the program feeling confident in my chosen studies and with a new excitement for my major…I would strongly recommend doing the program if you want to build on your knowledge of African political structures. I was able to meet future politicians and lawyers with strong ambitions that in turn inspired me,” he says.
Renewed Programs, Academic Year 2023-2024:
- Universidad San Francisco De Quito Exchange, Ecuador – The USFQ Exchange immerses students in the cultural and ecological diversity of the northern Andean country of Ecuador, through direct enrollment in university coursework and all-inclusive excursions throughout the country. Students may choose from two programs: the Cumbayá Program or the Galápagos Semester Program (GAIAS), which brings students to several of Ecuador’s unique climate zones.
- The Grenoble Science Program at the Université Grenoble Alps, an institution that dates from the fourteenth century, is an ideal choice for pre-health and other science students. This unique program combines science coursework with French language study and is designed to allow students to take courses that fit neatly into their existing curricula and requirements.
- Grenoble Engineering – Students study at the Université Grenoble Alpes. The program, offered only in the spring semester, is ideally suited for second-semester sophomores in engineering. There’s no prior language requirement, and engineering courses are taught in English by French faculty.
- Berlin, Germany – The Berlin Study Abroad Program offers students the opportunity to pursue 15-19 credits by taking courses in German language and area studies in the German capital of Berlin. Students take advantage of courses, staff, facilities, and cultural excursions offered by IES Abroad. German language students may also choose to enroll in an internship or courses offered by a local host university, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU).
- Auckland, New Zealand – The combination of academic work, field trips, and personal travel opportunities gives students a rich introduction to New Zealand life and culture. Students directly enroll at the University of Auckland and take four elective courses that depend on their specific field.
Mother, Daughter Duo Take on Paris
Laura and Julie Pitois Complete BU’s Paris Study Abroad Internship Program, 26 Years Apart, Deepen Their Love for the City
In many ways Julie Pitois (UNCA ‘25) has followed in her mother’s footsteps. They both studied sociology and French. Their love for the city of Paris and its beautiful architecture is infectious. But perhaps the most striking similarity is that they completed the same Paris study abroad program – the Paris Internship Program – albeit 26 years apart, and both interned for non-profit organizations in Paris.
Julie’s mother Laura Pitois (CAS ‘98) first enrolled in the Paris Internship program as a junior BU sociology major in 1997.
“When I first went on study abroad, I wasn't fluent in French,” Laura recalls. “And I would say by the end of the semester, I was pretty fluent. I kept learning and continue to learn…I still speak French.”
During her time abroad, Laura says she fell in love with Paris and calls the City of Light her favorite place in the world. Beyond developing fluency in French and falling in love with Paris’ rich culture, Laura notes that doing the Paris Internship program opened doors for her professionally. “Having a non-profit Paris internship on my resume definitely helped, especially because I work in international education,” she says.
When Laura graduated from BU she returned to Paris and was able to get a work permit. She loved it so much that she ended up living and working there for more than five years.
“I stayed in touch with Renée, [Pontbriand, then the Assistant Director and currently the Director of Study Abroad Paris for BU] and I was able to fill in for her when she went on maternity leave,” Laura says. When Renée returned, I moved into a program assistant position and helped with housing, communications, and other things.”
Laura worked for BU Paris until she had Julie, and their family moved back to the U.S. when Julie was 9 months old. “So it's no exaggeration to say it changed my life,” Laura says. “Julie wouldn't be here if I had never studied abroad because I met her Dad in Paris.”
Perhaps it’s of little surprise that Julie would end up studying abroad in Paris, but she doesn’t take any of it for granted. Julie has worked hard and knew that studying abroad would help her improve her French language skills. “I’ve looked forward to studying abroad for a long time so I could become more fluent,” she says.
Interning at the non-profit organization Prométhée Humanitaire has helped Julie advance her French, among other skills. “The organization helps children who are living in the streets in Haiti, Senegal, and Madagascar, and they help provide them with shelter, food, education, and community activities,” Julie says. “What I’ve done is help with all their fundraising efforts, contacting various sponsors who are designer clothing and jewelry companies that we can sell at a fundraising event.”
Before going abroad, Laura gave Julie plenty of advice and insight, no doubt, but perhaps among the most practical was the tip to get comfortable jotting down phone numbers quickly at her internship.
“Julie can tell you, I drilled her on catching phone numbers quickly, especially with the higher numbers like soixante-dix, quatre-vingts…it can get very confusing,” Laura says. “I told her how, as an intern, it was hard when people called me wanting to leave a message, and I had to try to catch their number. So we worked on that together, because I wanted to save her from what I went through with the phone numbers.”
Being able to catch phone numbers accurately helped Julie as she called on sponsors for her internship’s fundraising event. Aside from improving her French and getting valuable experience working with sponsors, Julie learned what it’s like to work in a non-profit organization, noting that the idea of it was completely foreign to her before the experience.
Another avenue of personal growth for Julie came in exploring new neighborhoods. Laura loves setting out with no real destination and walking around Paris all day, meandering in and out of shops and galleries. “I will go out all day and just walk around, but I don’t think Julie loves that quite as much as I do,” Laura says.
Julie admits that it’s not her favorite thing to do and that her feet begin to hurt, but Julie told her mom recently, “I actually did a lot of walking today, you'd be proud of me, because we were handing out flyers for the sale. I felt like I was channeling your energy today, because we were walking around neighborhoods that I'd never been in. I saw some really cool architecture and shops.”
Julie also praises the public transportation in Paris, which saves her feet, and allows her to get around the city quickly. “I never really understood the hype around public transportation, because we don't have that anywhere that I've ever lived [before Paris]. But now I get it. It's definitely fun to take the metro and just go wherever you want. Or the bus because I take the bus to my internship.”
Being able to see the city and re-live studying abroad, in a way, through her daughter’s experience has been special for Laura. Laura notes how brave and incredible she thinks Julie and all students who study abroad are. “The fact that you're stepping out and being really brave and doing something totally different – it’s very valuable,” she says. “I've talked a lot about how I think studying abroad helps with your personal development – as a human, as a student, and as a worker – because it really takes you out of your comfort zone. And I think through that discomfort comes growth and maturity.”
Pictured: Baby Julie, visiting BU Paris with her mother Laura in 2003
Laura also notes her appreciation for longtime director, Renée Pontbriand, who has been working for the program since 1992 and at the helm for 16 years.
“I want to thank Renee for being such a wonderful director to me and to Julie,” she says. “Just knowing that she's running the program was really comforting to me. To know that she was there and that she's done such a fabulous job for so long. And that it's still available for Julie and, who knows, maybe her sister in a few years, who is a senior in high school. I'm really thrilled that the program’s still there, it's still going strong, and it's still providing this wonderful opportunity to students.”
How First Class Helps International Students Transition to BU
Online, Pre-arrival Course Covers Many Important Topics, Helps International Students Prepare for Arrival in U.S.
For all international students coming to BU, Global Programs offers an online, noncredit pre-arrival course designed to prepare them for their transition to the American classroom and the University.
The course, first launched in 2016, is aptly called First Class and is delivered on Blackboard, with short videos, polls, and self-checks designed to be completed from anywhere, on any device. There is a second First Class course offered by the ISSO, currently in the edXedge platform, to help students maintain their visa status while at BU.
"BU First Class introduced me to the different resources on campus, and I also appreciated the videos of students who discussed ways to deal with stress and the importance of health and wellness,” says Myat Thadar (QST ’26). “Taking the ISSO [portion of the First Class] course has helped me maintain my visa status and allowed me to prepare accordingly to visit my home country Myanmar during the summer break!"
Comprised of several sections, First Class helps international students in myriad ways and covers everything from academics to health and wellness to preparing for entering the U.S.
Simran Raikundalia (CAS ’25), a junior studying biochemistry and molecular biology with a minor in mathematical statistics, remembers the uncertainty she faced when transitioning from an international British high school to a university in the United States.
“It was one of the hardest decisions I made, and First Class was one of the first orientation platforms that helped me transition into studying abroad and understand that this step outside my comfort zone was worth it,” she recalls. “The most helpful information I gained from this course was regarding the BU Classroom principles. I learned a lot about engaging with professors outside of the classroom as I was introduced to the concept of office hours and learned more about Classroom ethics. Additionally, I was unaware of the importance of each syllabus and the breakdown of course grades, as during my high school, grades were simply based on end-of-year exams.”
PhD student Erning (Henry) Chen agrees and says the parts about the American classroom experience were most helpful for him.
“For those [students] who have not been studying in the context of the U.S., I think talking about the classroom experience is helpful. Especially, there are quite a few students invited into these videos to provide testimonials and talk about their experiences,” he says. “The most helpful thing that I found was, I think, the conversations and dialogues that happen between certain students.”
Read on for some additional highlights and feedback about First Class from BU international students who took the course in fall 2023:
“I really feel educated and informed about BU after this class. I have learned things about various different aspects, and highly appreciate BU’s effort’s on ensuring me smooth transition into the BU community/society. Please keep up the good work for students that are coming in the future!”
“International students can easily feel overwhelmed and lonely by an unfamiliar environment. However, this module made me feel that I am really taken care of by the University, and I do not need to worry about the new beginning.”
“I wasn’t aware of the rules related to plagiarism, overall the content was really helpful.”
“I know now that participation is really important in assessing the grade, which was not in my home university.”
Some additional comments on what else students learned…
Global Feature
Global Feature
Global Feature
