Class Year: 2026 
Major/Minor: Psychology
Program: IFSA University of Wollongong, Australia
Identities I can speak to students about: Student athlete, Mental health, Women abroad
Program specific experiences I can speak about: Enrolled in a course at a local university
Favorite experience:
My favorite experience in Australia was making new friends. You meet all kinds of people, both local residents and other abroad students. I had a close group of friends at my university and I still talk to them now that I am home!
What course/internship experience during your global study semester allowed you to learn something new and exciting?
One experience I had in Australia was going to the Outback on a fully guided three day tour. My tour guide took us on three hikes and told us all about the significance of Australian history. We also learned about the Aboriginal people who live there, and that the center of this protected area is Uluru, or the Ayres rock. This experience combined a fun trip in Australia with a huge and impactful learning element that I will keep with me for life.
How have your global studies related to one of the 7 Enduring Skills?
Looking back, my study abroad experience greatly increased my communication skills. I spent a lot of my time in Australia with friends, both ones who I came with from Gettysburg, and ones that I met there. We went on a lot of trips together, and that requires top notch communication skills. I got particulary good at communicating with my friends because there were times when not all of us agreed on what to do and we had to speak up in order to get what we wanted. Before Australia, I would have considered myself a very "go with the flow" type of person, but now after speaking up when I had an interest or idea of what our group should do, I know how important having this skill is. My newfound communication skills have allowed me to grow so much in these last few months, and I feel happier as a result of doing more things that I want to do, instead of letting someone else pick. Of course, I still did most things that my friends wanted to do, but it was nice to feel a sense of leadership on the days where my friendgroup did my activity. Finally, communicating with my friends also supported my social skills with strangers and people of authority. Navigating a new country comes with talking to locals, whether they were people communiting home from work, train station workers, or baristas. Learning to communicate with these people got easier every time and benefited me so much in the long run. I am so happy with my decision to study abroad because of my gained communication skills!