CEA Alumni Ambassadors Directory
Find Alumni Ambassadors by:
PJ Carney
How did your study abroad experience impact your personal and professional growth?
I plan to use my experience for personal and professional growth by using the knowledge I learned to make decisions moving forward. I learned that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. I never thought I would ever work at the Cannes Film Festival and be able to experience what I did. I now want to pursue the entertainment industry because CEA's French Riviera study abroad program showed me anything is possible. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life.
How did you engage with the local community while abroad?
While abroad, I engaged with my local community by going to the daily farmers' market and interacting with the locals. I signed up for the local gym where I built relationships and communicated on a regular basis with workers and regulars there.
Giselle Warhus
What was your favorite course abroad?
My favorite course while I was abroad was my Italian class because it facilitated my immersion into the Italian language and culture. I took Intermediate Italian, and I was the only student in my class, so I had a one-on-one Italian lesson every day. As the only student, the course was geared toward my needs and I asked as many questions as I wanted. The individualized learning experience allowed me to learn Italian quickly, and I felt confident in my language skills at the end of the course. We spent most classes conversing in Italian - I asked my teacher about Italian culture, and she asked me about American culture. I learned a lot about Italy and Italians through these conversations, and I applied my knowledge and skills while living like a local in Italy. Outside the classroom, I felt more comfortable speaking Italian at restaurants and stores. I also understood and appreciated many of the cultural differences as a result of the class.
What did you enjoy most about studying abroad?
One of my favorite aspects of CEA Study Abroad was going on class field trips. For each of my classes, I went on at least one field trip where I was able to see how in-class material applies to real life. Each field trip was somewhere interesting, fun, and exciting. Through these excursions I felt more immersed in Italian culture. For my Critical Perspectives on Italy class, I visited Eataly, an Italian grocery store and restaurant that brings awareness around sustainability and eating clean. At Eataly, our class did a wine and cheese tasting, during which we examined the Slow Food movement in Italy and related class concepts to this discussion. Other field trips included a visit to the Jewish Synagogue in Florence and a tour of Funghi Espresso, a farm that grows mushrooms out of coffee grounds. Each field trip offered the opportunity to partake in a fun experience while still learning course material and expanding my cultural knowledge and skills.
Natalie Burns
What do you appreciate most about CEA?
One thing I appreciate most about CEA is the staff’s evident desire for program participants to succeed. As a recent graduate entering the program, I lacked experience & struggled with confidence in the workplace, which was very unfamiliar to me given my previous remote internships & education. CEA’s unwavering & outspoken belief in my capability propelled me to put myself out there without fear of failure. If not for the staff that managed my application process, I may never have followed through with the opportunity to study abroad at all.
How did your study abroad internship impact your professional growth?
My internship colleagues, program peers, & the remaining assortment of individuals I came across while abroad endowed me with an immense volume of knowledge & are valuable contacts to have to collaborate with on shared objectives. I gained a greater understanding of the female sports industry, which opened my eyes to a future career altogether, & of the various cultures, demographics, & backgrounds of young girls who I met through my internship, which solidified my foundation with regard to the social issue at hand. Undoubtedly, this will help me in the future as I continue to advocate for gender equity & equality.
Jessica Reicin
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
My favorite study abroad class was about social media. It was cool to learn about one of my interests while being in another country.
Rose Alexander
How did you engage with the local community while abroad?
Every Thursday and Sunday I went to the local markets in Seville. The culture of Spanish markets is so special and there is so much to learn every time you go. I would bring my camera and photograph everything I saw and would talk to every worker at each stand. It meant so much to me that they shared their experiences and it also meant a lot to them that I was curious to learn more.
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
One story I always tell people about my time abroad is about the time a train broke down on our way to our weekend vacation in Málaga. It was around 6 a.m. and it was still pitch black outside when we departed. After only 20 minutes on the train, it came to a sudden halt - the lights turned off, the doors were locked, and the train sunk into the tracks. My friends and I were all so confused and scared because no one knew what was happening. Since it was so early in the morning, all of us were delirious and despite being scared, it was really funny and something we look back on and joke about now. After another 30 minutes, the train was back up and running and we made it to our destination safe and sound. We ended up having one of he best vacations ever with permanent stomach aches from all the laughs and jokes we had.
Ella Weil
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
My favorite study abroad class was my Spanish class! This was unlike any other Spanish language class I've taken and I really enjoyed it because we learned through immersion classes rather than a typical lecture. We weren't wasting time with busy work or listening to a boring lecture. It was super engaging and we spent most of the time talking to one another in Spanish and doing fun presentations.
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
One of my favorite parts of my trip was all the weekend traveling to nearby beaches. Every weekend my friends and I took a bus and traveled the coastline. Costa Rica makes it so easy to visit popular places! A story and moment I will always remember and share about my time abroad was the night my friends and I were stargazing and bonding at the beach.
Hannah Bradford
How did you engage with the local community while abroad?
During my time abroad in Alicante, I tried to engage with the local community as often as possible. Apart from daily activities like riding public transportation and going to cafes and supermarkets, which are very important for community engagement, I attended an annual week-long festival. This festival is a large part of the culture in Alicante, so the streets were filled with young adults and families at all hours of the day. I better understood the people of Alicante and attended the same family gatherings that they did. Another way I engaged with the local community was by attending a church in the city. This was really cool because I worshipped in another language and connected with a smaller community that shared similar beliefs I have.
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
My favorite class was my Intensive Spanish Language class. I loved it because of the small size which made it easy to get to know my professor and classmates. My professor focused our class on our specific needs and interests, and always encouraged us to share personal experiences as a way to promote our learning. My classmates were from all over the world and our only common language was Spanish. This was unique as I learned about the cultures of other countries apart from Spain. It also allowed me to dramatically improve my Spanish speaking skills.
Aoife Rouse
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
My favorite study abroad class was my Czech Democracy class through CEA. As a history major, I really enjoyed learning about Prague history and their political landscape. Some field trips we took included a spy bunker, a Communist museum, and Czech government buildings. Seeing historic landmarks as we learned about their history was an amazing opportunity.
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
One story I always share about my time abroad is the moment I learned the conversion rate from Czech koruna (CZK) to USD. The first night upon arrival in Prague, we ate at a local bistro near our apartment. The check came out to 1000 CZK. Naturally, we thought we picked the most expensive place in Prague. However, after entering it into our currency converter app, the total was $42 per person. As we became more comfortable with the currency, we found Prague much more affordable than other European cities we visited thanks to the great conversion rate, even if it made the bills look scary!
Xi McWilliams
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
As a person of color, we are constantly discouraged to virtue out to seek higher learning opportunities. Going abroad changed the narrative that people like me cannot afford these things or that we should not seek out these opportunities. CEA truly helped me realize that there are multiple ways I could afford to study abroad.
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
My favorite study abroad class was Medical Health Spanish. My professor was highly hands-on and always had some type of fun activity waiting for us every morning. The class was engaging and I was encouraged to consistently try my best.
Zoey Nylund
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
I'll never forget the first night I arrived in Florence. I met my roommate and we instantly became best friends. After unpacking we went to grab a late night treat expecting a quiet night since it was so late, and we were pleasantly surprised. There were so many restaurants only a block away from us and they didn't seem to have any intention of closing. Though we could only speak English, we were welcomed and seated right away and served fresh, homemade pizza that we watched them prepare through the window. This is when I fell in love with the social culture of Florence.
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
I equally enjoyed both of my classes. My art history class consisted of many museum tours which I found fascinating and inspiring. I felt like I was living in a dream when I saw paintings and sculptures IRL that I had only studied or seen in pictures previously. I also studied Beginning Italian which helped me navigate around Italy. It was very hands on in that we went to local coffee shops and ordered in Italian. I loved both of my professors as they were a large part of my time abroad.
Olivia Thomas
How did you engage with the local community while abroad?
I attended an Italian partner institution where I met Florence locals. One person in my Italian class brought in his little cousin and taught us how to speak with others. We also went on excursions where we practiced our speaking skills at local markets and restaurants.
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
I tell people to go in with an open mind and don't be afraid to get out of their comfort zone. I went to Florence alone and met so many people I became friends with.
Avery Simpson
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
One story I always share about my time abroad is when my program took a weekend trip to Valencia. We explored a lesser-known part of Spain and connected with other students in the program!
How did you engage with the local community while abroad?
I loved going to local cafes and getting to know people there!
Addysen DiMatteo
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
Introduction to Food and Wine was by far my favorite class. The first half of the semester was focused on Italian cheeses and the second half was all about the wine. For our final we created a pairing of the two and presented it to the class. There was something about this experience that was so interesting to me. I'd take it again in a heartbeat.
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
I think the most important thing I tell people is how much I changed. Every day I prioritized going different places, which usually meant a lot of walking because there was so much to see. I met new people from various countries which gave me a new appreciation for other cultures and why our way might not always be the best way.
Alexandra Pina
How did you engage with the local community while abroad?
My favorite way to engage with the local community was simply by wandering around and finding local businesses to visit - from bookstores to coffee shops to restaurants. I felt like I found more local spots by walking around and discovering places rather than looking up places on my phone. One example of this was a bar we found near our residence. It was small and seemed to be run by a family. We went here for drinks and tapas multiple times a week, and the staff started to recognize us. This made me feel like a true part of the community and allowed us to meet local people and hear about their life in Granada.
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
My favorite class was my literature course about the Spanish Civil War. Granada was a very important city during the war, and a huge component of the course was going on "Civil War Site Tours" around the city to see some of the actual buildings and locations where major events occurred. This was so interesting to me, and it was cool to see how historians were constantly rediscovering the history of the Civil War and learning more about what actually happened.
Angelora Castellano
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
I loved Art and Archaeology in Ancient Rome because it was a totally hands on experience for class learnings. We took field trips and went to incredible monuments, locations, and ruins that we studied. Before studying abroad, I never actually saw the historic places I wrote about or got tested on, so it was such a cool way to learn in an immersive way.
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
One of the really cool things that happened during my program in Rome was when the city soccer team won the championship game and the entire city celebrated. We went to the city center near the Colosseum and joined the party - it was one of the best and most memorable moments ever! Everyone was screaming joyfully and there were fireworks, smoke signals, flags, and music in celebration.
Francis Black
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
My host family is always the first thing I mention. I loved having three adorable little siblings, and my host parents were very intentional and made local season staples which helped me experience the culinary culture.
How did you engage with the local community while abroad?
I registered for a parkour class, which is a sport that started in France. I spent a lot of time downtown at coffee shops and went on exciting excursions with CEA and the partner institution to nearby French towns.
Isabelle Newbury
Tell us about your internship experience.
I loved my internship experience because every day I was amazed that I had the opportunity to work where I did. I interned at Giorgio Linea, a Florence-based company that produced leather goods for luxury brands. My favorite part about it was watching a piece of leather turn into beautiful luxury items.
How did you engage with the local community while abroad?
When I was abroad I enjoyed visiting museums and sites that were special to Florence. I spent time at local coffee shops across the city and read or observed everything happening around me. I also traveled to smaller towns and learned a great way to meet locals and connect with the culture in less crowded places.
Abbie Pierce
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
I got to meet Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) during my time abroad. He was so nice and meeting him was the highlight of that week! I also love talking about my visit to the Warner Brothers Studio where they filmed the Harry Potter movies.
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
I loved both classes I took, but my favorite was the Jack the Ripper course. I learned about London history and how the legend of Jack the Ripper started. One day we took a walking tour around the city and visited iconic spots in London history that had correlations to Jack the Ripper too!
Paige Morningstar
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
Principles of Marketing was my favorite class mainly because of my professor and the overall content of the course. It didn't feel like a two and a half hour class because it was so engaging. I learned more in that month-long class than a semester long class at my home institution. My professor, Alex Bastadas, taught us international marketing and used real world examples so we actually understood the concepts and why they succeed or not. He didn't assign homework because he urged us to explore the world and travel on weekends to learn in our natural surroundings. Every time I stepped in the classroom I felt confident, encouraged, and excited to learn.
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
I always tell people about the incredible humans I met when I went abroad. I traveled to other countries on the weekends and met even more people from different places across the world. That was by far my favorite part. I think it's fascinating to witness diverse cultures and see how people act depending on where they come from. I believe the best part of traveling is meeting all the interesting characters in my study abroad story.
Summer Tallman
How did you engage with the local community while abroad?
I communicated with employees at local restaurants I visited. Some of the classes I took required me to try and meet local friends at coffee shops. This is something I was grateful for because I learned about the culture up close.
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
Social Psychology was my favorite study abroad class. I completed a final project where we asked pedestrians on the street questions about Barcelona. This was my favorite class because the project enhanced our communication skills and introduced us to Spanish locals.
Beth Baum
What is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
Studying abroad opens your mind to how you view and may be perceived by others. You become more culturally aware of everything all the time.
What was your favorite study abroad class and why?
My favorite class was Spanish where I learned about culture and dialects in Spain. It was my favorite because I met and learned alongside other students from all over Europe.
Leah Latorra
How did your study abroad experience impact your personal and professional growth?
I plan to use impacts from my study abroad experience when navigating life in the future. I've gained strong communication, navigational, and time management skills from studying abroad that will benefit my professional life. The professional skills I've gained through my internship consist of working well with an international company and how to organize and present my thoughts and ideas. These are key skills to apply and practice in any professional setting.
One thing I appreciate most about CEA is how comfortable they made this study abroad experience for me. Going into the summer term, I felt more confident about my journey ahead knowing I could always reach out to CEA staff if I had any questions or concerns about any aspect of my time abroad.
Ali Youel
How has study abroad shaped you?
Study abroad really helped me learn more about my priorities. I want to live outside of the U.S. when I graduate (preferably Ireland) and I want to prioritize travel. I learned so much about myself while abroad and feel like a new person. I moved to a new country, where I knew nobody, in the middle of a global pandemic, and truly pushed myself. I did things I was terrified of and I am incredibly proud of myself.
What did you enjoy most about studying abroad?
One aspect of CEA study abroad that I enjoyed the most was applying what we learned in class IRL. For my Italian class, we practiced Italian by going to different locations around Florence and spoke to locals. For Culture of Food and Wine in Italy, we explored food markets and tried new foods and that gave me a better understanding of class material.
Angel Argueta Lara
One of the best things about the CEA study program is that it offers a pre-departure orientation before classes start. During that program I met so many people and also made new friendships. Plus, in the middle of orientation onsite staff introduced us to AICAPS activities offered through the semester - the best part of that is it's included in the program price! I attended many of those activities but the one I enjoyed the most was the long day trips to other towns nearby Barcelona and the weekend trip to Madrid.
Why are you passionate about being an Alumni Ambassador?
I learned about study abroad opportunities during my freshman year of college. From that moment I knew I had to do it at some point in my college career. When I began sophomore year, I started planning my study abroad experience. CEA offered many options, but I chose Spain because of two things: first because Spanish is my first language and I knew I was going to feel safer going to a new country where I spoke the language and second because I was eager to learn about Spanish culture. Now that I completed my program abroad, I can honestly say that my semester in Barcelona was one for the books. It was a time where I met so many people, made lifelong friendships, saw new and amazing places, and most importantly Barcelona helped me gain more independence and build up my identity as a person. That said, I'd love to speak to students about all the amazing benefits that come with studying abroad and how it will change their lives. I feel that if you want to find yourself, a study abroad experience is one of the best things you can do.
Annie Hoglund-Kettmann
Tell us about your experience with the local culture in your host city.
While abroad, CEA allowed me to build a second home. In fact, on my last day of volunteering as an English assistant at a local Catalan elementary school, both the students of just eight years old and the teachers told me I had a home away from home with them. I found my volunteering experience to be one of the most powerful experiences with local culture because I went weekly, and therefore had the opportunity to grow roots. In honestly, there isn't a lot of regularity or rhythm to a students schedule while abroad because of the constant travel and adventure. I resonate with this but found my weekly hours at the school gave me the chance to develop a relationship and understanding for local life, the local school system, and hear first hand from local teachers and students what it was like to live, work, play, and study in Barcelona. Through my experiences with the school, I felt that my host city welcomed me with open arms. The sentiment behind the fact that I already have plans to video chat the class when I return home show how loving of an environment I found and how real my time was with them.
How has study abroad shaped you?
I have learned one of the most powerful Spanish traits while studying abroad, being present. Without intention, I practiced and fulfilled my presence by consciously self-reflecting and adapting my path while I lived abroad. As I built a new life for myself, I felt that I made consistent efforts to evaluate and re-direct my experience. Socially, I pushed myself to attend local language exchange events and geographically, I was constantly setting new goals for myself to explore new parts of the city. I am a hard-working, face-paced, and busy do-er. After applying myself to a variety of situations and environments over the semester, I developed a solid home within myself. I learned I am capable, independent, a natural leader, and I stayed true to who I knew I was before the program too. This is something I am deeply proud of from studying abroad, a time of change in a new culture and environment. I look forward to bringing back a more secure form of myself as I move onwards personally and professionally.
Carlo Pezzana
My study abroad experience in Barcelona profoundly shaped me personally and professionally. Living in Barcelona, another country, and learning my third language, Spanish, enriched me and expanded my knowledge. I feel much closer to the Spanish culture, but also with Latin American culture since I made a lot of friends from South America in Barcelona. Meeting a few locals helped me connect to the Catalan culture and the debate with Spain. I even learned a few words from Catalan, and I can understand it a little bit. I also made connections with a lot of American students from all around the U.S., and that was another significant aspect. From a professional point of view, I networked on a global scale with a lot of people from students and faculty to professors. Moreover, attending classes at a local partner institution helped me understand Spain's education system. I am even considering the idea of pursuing a master's degree in Barcelona and working in Spain, a country that hypnotized me with its warm, diverse, and suave culture.
Why are you passionate about being an Alumni Ambassador?
I love sharing my experience with other students. This is an opportunity to follow up and maintain the contact with CEA in a way that I will never forget my experience. Studying abroad for a semester or a longer period of time, is an opportunity that changes your life. It opens new doors and opportunities, it shapes your identity, and enriches you from every point of view. When I studied abroad in Australia in high school, my life completely changed. That was the best decision I ever made. I would not be here applying to become an alumni ambassador without that experience. Since Australia, I became more open minded, and more eager to learn about other cultures. I love traveling, and take the most from every experience. I also like to build strong connections with other people, and it would be amazing to talk to other students about my experiences, influence them, and as an Italian student, to share my culture and let them know that going abroad is an excellent endeavor.
Katelyn Schweik
How has study abroad shaped you?
My study abroad experience has shaped me more than I could ever describe. I gained a ton of resilience from my trip and a much better sense of self. I did not know anyone in Spain before leaving, nor did I know anyone in my CEA group well. It was a completely fresh start and everything was so new and different than anything I ever knew. Although this was hard, after the first couple of days I threw myself completely into my trip. I was outgoing and cultivated new relationships with people. I learned how to navigate a brand new city, as someone who has never lived in an urban setting before. I experienced culture shock but bounced back quickly. Most importantly, I became extremely independent and learned so much about myself. This brought me so much more confidence and courage to take on the world. It also exemplified my belief that speaking another language is one of the most important skills to have and that I always want to use my Spanish.
What did you enjoy most about studying abroad?
What I enjoyed most about my study abroad is all the relationships that I made and maintained. I had a really great friend group during my time in Granada and we are all still friends. One of them has become one of my best friends and we plan to return to Granada together. I loved my host family and was so lucky to get to know five wonderful people in a local family from Spain. My host mom and I ate lunch together almost every day and by the end of my program we became incredibly close. I helped my host siblings with homework and we played games like Monopoly or Guess Who. My host dad and I always laughed together and he still jokes around and messages me to this day. The onsite CEA Granada staff that I worked with was also amazing. They showed that they really cared for us and were a constant support system with anything that came up. My professors, classmates, CEA group, and other friends that I made all positively impacted my study abroad experience.
Kaylea Focia
What were your favorite classes while abroad?
While abroad I took two classes and a seminar, all of which I loved. My favorite course was the Culture of Food and Wine that I took in Seville, Spain. Not only was this class completely in Spanish so I picked up on the language, but I also learned about Spain's history, and how the food culture was created. My professors taught us in the classroom, on excursions outside of the traditional classroom, and at tasting sessions in and outside the classroom. There is something special about this class and by learning through experience that not only helps you understand the material more but also connect with what you are learning about. This and many other reasons I could go on and on about is the reason that the Culture of Food and Wine was my favorite class from abroad.
What did you enjoy most about studying abroad?
The thing I enjoyed the most about the CEA Study Abroad experience was how the entire program felt like family. I never thought I'd become close to all the staff and the other students in the program as we did, and I loved it and am excited for future reunions. CEA Study Center classes, excursions, and extra activities included in the program contributed to our bonding as a group and also connecting with the country and the culture we lived in.
Maddie Robbins
How has study abroad shaped you?
My study abroad experience has impacted my prospect of life the most. Prior to the program, I felt that life was very concrete, that I am making a one-way path for myself and sometimes I felt “stuck." However, studying abroad with CEA showed me that life-changing experiences are not too far away. I’ve come to find myself no longer feeling powerless with my life’s path, and though I can’t control things like the COVID-19 restrictions, I’ve learned to navigate and choose my life path, regardless of the circumstances.
What did you enjoy most about studying abroad?
It would be a lie if I didn’t say I enjoyed the authentic French cuisine the most… but food tastes better when you’re with your friends! I am incredibly thankful for the connections I made due to the nature of the CEA program. I met many students from my home institution that share the same passion as I do (which have blossomed into life-long friendships), as well as international students that I’ve stayed in contact with. Outside of school, the immersion into the culture gave me the opportunity to connect with others locally. I’ll never forget the kindness of our downstairs neighbor Bruno, the owner of Mille et Une Quilles, who I could depend on for directions, protecting our mail, and great wine recommendations!
Taylor Simpson
What was your favorite part about studying abroad?
The aspect of my study abroad experience that I enjoyed the most was learning about a different culture in depth. I became intrigued in learning about the special aspects of various countries and what differentiates a country from others. Before I studied abroad, everything I knew about different cultures was from what I read in books. While I was abroad, I fully immersed myself in a culture that I never experienced before. I learned about food, traditions, and little things that make a country so unique and special. I feel that studying abroad really opened my eyes to the world outside of the U.S. and showed me that every place has different norms. I really enjoyed learning new aspects of a culture and trying new foods for the first time. At first, living in a different culture was intimidating but now I can say that I have really enjoyed finding a deeper connection to France IRL, rather than from reading or researching.
How has study abroad shaped you?
My study abroad experience has immensely shaped who I am today. Studying abroad was the first time that I traveled internationally and I learned a lot about myself. Studying abroad changed the way I view certain aspects. I can look at situations with more of an open mind than before and make sure that I am aware of different cultures or different perspectives. Studying abroad also made me feel more independent and reliant on myself which is important because now I am more confident in myself and my actions. I also discovered my strengths and weaknesses, and learned how to deal with them properly. I feel that studying abroad inspired my insight on my future business career because I absorbed business principles in a different perspective than what I was used to. Studying abroad is the most impactful experience I've ever had.
Tess Hiller
How has study abroad shaped you?
Studying abroad made me look at life in a broader context. A lot of little things that would have seemed to be a big deal or the end of the world are not anymore. It helped me stop and smell the roses more often, even if a day is not going as planned.
What was your favorite part about your study abroad experience?
I enjoyed the excursions the most, especially since I don't think I would have chosen those specific places and activities on my own. It broadened my view of southern France and pushed me to try new things. I got to swim in the Gorge du Verdon, taste olives, see natural ochre, and much more.
