Student Identity Abroad

 

Study abroad is an incredible opportunity and experience! Your daily life abroad will be impacted by people, events, and activities beyond the classroom as you integrate into another society. It's important to remember that you bring your own individual set of experiences with you when you study abroad. Therefore, your experience abroad may be completely different than your peers. We all experience emotions such as excitement, frustration, nervousness and determination differently but in this experience, there are opportunities for growth.

Adjusting to a new culture is an inevitable transition in study abroad and your background and identity may be treated differently than you expect. Understanding how these perceptions can influence your study abroad experience can go a long way toward better understanding of yourself and the new culture in which you'll live. 

Remember - we are all multi-faceted human beings and as such, we encourage you to review any and all topics with which you identify. If you have specific questions about life abroad and your identity, please consult your Study Abroad Counselor or Engineering Program Manager.

"I am a first generation, Black female with a high financial need. I would advise others like me to never give up, even if the circumstances seem impossible. I had no idea how I would fund my trip or what it would even look like once I got there, but I did it and it is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Kaevyn Maple, studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea.