Madrid, Spain, at St. Louis University — Madrid campus
Fiona Farrell ’26
Majors: Environmental science and Spanish
How has being abroad changed your perspective on St. Joe’s and the United States?
“I think being abroad has really made me value the community I have at SJU and how special St. Joe’s is as a university. It’s also made me see the U.S. from other countries’ perspectives and see how other countries operate. There’s things about the U.S. that I think I value more after being abroad, and I can also see a lot of the flaws in our country, too.”
London, England, at St. Mary’s University Twickenham London
Elisabeth Krupinsky ’27
Majors: History and art history
What has been your favorite aspect of studying abroad?
“My favorite aspect of being abroad is getting to see things which I’ve learned about. Being a history and art history major, I’m able to see so many of the things which my classes feature and discuss. It’s been so amazing getting to experience the different aspects of different cultures, especially when I’ve spent my entire education learning about them.”
Costa Rica, St. Joe’s study tour
Ean Hudak ’26
Major: Biomedical sciences
Minors: Chemistry and health care ethics
What advice would you give a student considering study abroad?
“One thing I could say to a prospective student is, ‘Just do it.’ Bite the bullet, because what you learn abroad is something that you will not learn here. Here, you’re used to the classroom and you’re used to the American mindset. But down there, you’re actually hearing stories from people. Truly, every single person that we interact with, their stories, I will take for the rest of my life, and I’ll take that into practice when I go into healthcare.”
Costa Rica, St. Joe’s study tour
Nouhad Khoury ’26
Major: Biology
Minor: Psychology
What has been your most important takeaway from studying abroad?
“In the end, what matters most is what I gained from this experience and what I learned. In our courses, we always talk about cultural competence and understanding individuals from different backgrounds, but the best way to understand others is by experiencing their culture firsthand. Going to Costa Rica has immersed me and taught me so much about their culture. By interacting with others there, it has taught me cultural humility, which I believe is much more important than cultural competence. If I were to ever repeat this experience, I would do so in a heartbeat.”
Rome, Italy at The American University of Rome
Caitlin Curran ’27
Major: International Relations
How has being abroad changed your perspective on St. Joe’s and the United States?
“Being able to meet so many people that live different places than me, even just around the United States, and also seeing so many different countries has definitely opened my eyes about the potential for the U.S. In a lot of ways, it’s made me really grateful for the life I have in the United States, but it has also been a real learning experience, seeing the difference between cultures and exploring all the world has to offer. I had never left the country before this, so I had no idea what to expect, and it was just a complete shock every single day, every single new place that I visited. I’m super grateful to have had all this new perspective that I get to bring back to St. Joe’s, and I think it’s going to make me a more well-rounded student and a better person overall. I feel like the more people and cultures you’re exposed to, the better you can be.”
