Connect with GLO Fellows & Ambassadors

I'm Agnes Bijole-Himes, Class of '27. I'm a Theatre major and I spent summer 2025 in Italy, with the program: Florence: Leading a Renaissance then and now. One of the highlights from this trip was visiting Cinque Terre and going to all 5 villages! Unexpectedly, time management became one of the most useful skills for this trip. I never knew how much I could really accomplish in one day, or how many places I could see in one day until I studied abroad.

Hi! My name is Angelina Vaclavik and I am majoring in Chemistry with minors in Spanish and Global Health. I studied in Bilbao, Spain at the University of Deusto with the CIDE Global Studies and Spanish program in Summer 2025. The CIDE program took many different excursions to different cities like Pamplona, Madrid, and Toledo, all of which were incredible, particularly our trip to Pamplona, where we saw the running of the bulls. Bilbao is a beautiful city and I loved being able to be immersed in Spanish culture in a new place!

Hi! My name is Ava Moorhem, and I am a junior studying sociology and Italian. I participated in the Bologna Consortial Studies Program in Bologna, Italy during the Fall 2025 term! My time abroad was filled with four months of good food (Bologna is known as the food capital of Italy!), non-stop travel with 21 cities visited, and a life-time of memories. By participating in a language-intensive program, I was able to develop and strengthen my Italian language skills, which allowed me to integrate myself into the local community and form friendships with people from the city. Most of my favorite memories involve sitting around with my Italian friends, while playing Italian card games! I would love to talk about all things study abroad, especially for fellow first-time travelers and FGLI students!

Hi, my name is Cate! I am a junior from California studying economics and environmental science. I spent this past fall in Bologna taking courses at the Università di Bologna and through the Bologna Consortial Studies Program. Over four months, I immersed myself in Italian culture and the language as I lived, cooked, and became friends with my Italian and international student roommates, and explored diverse regions across northern, central, and southern Italy by bike and train. I would love to share my experience with the BCSP program and insights from my time abroad!

Hi! I'm David, a psychology and global health double major in Weinberg. I spent a summer at Yonsei University in 2025, and it was unforgettable. While abroad, I took courses in psychology, connected with students from all over the world, and explored Seoul. From eating landscape shaped cakes to late night street food runs without a phone, every day was a new adventure, a new experience, a new lesson. Whether it's your first time travelling abroad, navigating Korean culture, or budgeting your way through, I', excited to help you make the most of your YISS journey.

My name is Liz Bair and I am third-year pre-med bio major minoring in both Spanish and Psychology. I spent this past summer in Barcelona, Spain as part of the Northwestern Spanish Language and Culture Program. This experience was filled with lots of hiking, architecture, paella, art, beach days, Spanish, gelato, and field trips. Immersed in the Spanish culture both through my classes and in the city, I grew so much as a Spanish-speaker, global citizen, and Northwestern student. Some of my favorite day trips were the most spontaneous ones-beach days in Sitges, a daytrip to Perpignan, France, hikes to the top of Barcelona, and exploring the city by foot. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in the program and look back on my time as the most gratifying, memorable experience I've had at Northwestern.

Hi! I'm Eva, a third-year student in Weinberg double majoring in Chemistry and Art History. I spent this past summer (2025) in Berlin with NU's "Berlin: Global City in the Center of Europe" program and had a fabulous experience learning beginner German with Humboldt University and visiting numerous cultural institutions with NU. Outside of the classroom, I explored the city's modern art collections, ate lots of Döner, enjoyed free public performances, and traveled to cities across the country!

Hi, I’m Hina! I’m a junior studying Neuroscience on the pre-med track. I chose to participate in a summer study abroad program so I could stay on track with my course schedule during the school year, but I was a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to get a “true” study abroad experience as a result. However, I spent six weeks at DIS Copenhagen this past summer and absolutely loved it! I took two classes on early childhood education so I could gain some insight into my hopeful future career in pediatrics – we spent our school days going on field trips to local Danish kindergartens and museums and also went on a study tour to Finland. Outside of class, my friends and I spent nearly every afternoon swimming in the canals, catching the free Copenhagen Jazz Festival shows, exploring flea markets, eating so many pastries, and having picnics in the King’s Garden right next to our dorm. Please reach out if you have any questions about summer study abroad, DIS, or Copenhagen, I’d love to connect!

Hi! My name is Ila Gordon, and I’m a third-year student majoring in Neuroscience and Global Health on the pre-med track. In Fall 2025, I studied abroad in Copenhagen with DIS. I loved exploring the city by bike, sampling pastries at local cafés and experiencing the cozy hygge culture. Studying abroad challenged me in meaningful ways and helped me grow both personally and academically. I’d love to share my experiences and answer any questions for students thinking about their own study abroad journey!

Hi, I'm Ilya! I did GESI (Vietnam) during Summer 2025 and KCJS (Japan) during Fall 2025. I'm a theatre and computer science dual degree so I thought that studying abroad would be really difficult to do because of the different classes I have to do, and because the programs I did had nothing to do with my majors. But I managed to do it with some planning and I enjoyed both of my study abroad experiences so much! I feel like I learned so much and made so many new connections across the world. Doing study abroad was an incredible experience for me, and I hope that everyone at Northwestern considers trying it, even if they think their schedule might be too busy!

Hi, my name is Jali Koroma! I’m an Industrial Engineering major, and I studied abroad in Florence during Summer 2025 in the Leading a Renaissance Then and Now program. I absolutely loved my time abroad. From exploring different Italian cities, engaging with locals through traditions like La Lupa contrada, and eating an immense amount of gelato, I was able to learn, grow, and gain a deeper appreciation for immersing myself in new cultures. I would love to answer any questions you have about studying abroad!

Hi! My name is Jude, and I'm a political science and international studies major, and a legal studies minor. I went abroad to Thailand the summer of 2025, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Some of my favorite memories from my time abroad include bathing an elephant, visiting over 15 Buddhist temples, climbing up a waterfall, and my first time meeting my host family! It was truly an unforgettable experience, and I couldn't recommend it enough.

Hi! My name is Julia Wolfson, I studied abroad in Athens—summer 2025, and I am a History and Economics major (and maybe a Classics minor)! Some highlights from my time abroad are being able to learn about Ancient Greece in actual Greek ruins, and being able to use my free time to explore the greater Athens area. Being able to explore the Greek islands and hold a real octopus is one of my favorite memories, and something that I wish everyone could experience!

Hi! My name is Laurien Palmer! I am a current sophomore who participated in the Florence: Leading a Renaissance Then and Now program for Summer Quarter 2025. I am studying Neuroscience with minors in Black Studies and Spanish. While abroad, I got to climb to the top of Brunelleschi's Duomo, as well as take a day trip to Siena, Italy, where at the San Domenico Church, we saw the remains of St. Catherine of Siena, a religious leader who helped broker peace between the Italian city-states. We took advantage of the free weekends by exploring the coastal town of Monterosso, taking a stroll through Vatican City, and touring the Doge's Palace in Venice. I will also never forget the times we tried (and failed) to solve an Escape Room, stayed up all night playing cards, and screaming at the top of our lungs "Bella Ciao" walking back to our apartment.

Hi! I'm Rayna, a sophomore studying Communication Studies, and I studied abroad at DIS Copenhagen for six weeks during Summer 24. Studying abroad was one of the best decisions I've made, and I cannot recommend it enough. I got to learn so much about myself and also learn about a different culture in a way that I otherwise would have not. Studying abroad truly is a special experience, and I've made some of my most fun memories and met the most amazing people while abroad.

Hello! I'm Luca Martinez, A sophomore currently Majoring in Physics and German! I studied in Berlin over the summer of 2025 in the "Berlin: Global City in the Center of Europe" program. A highlight of the summer was definitely all the museums I went to! Berlin is full of art and history, and the program actually gave us a museum pass for most of the museums in the city! I went to Berlin not having experienced a lot of art in my life, but I left having learned so much about art throughout history and a new found appreciation for museums. The food scene is also amazing in Berlin, döners are just the best and Bürgermeister is the best fast food burger I've ever had, but the best part of food is who you're sharing it with, and the people in my program were all amazing. One of my best memories is getting döners with them and them walking to a nearby park, where we talked and laughed while watching the sunset.

Hello all! My name is Mariam Fofana, and I am a participant in CET's Fall 2025 Shanghai Program. I’m majoring in History with a regional concentration in the Middle East and Africa and minoring in Cultural Anthropology and Chinese. From hiking the ancient road of the Salt Way in Shaoxing City to participating in a Banyu Culture performance to even talking with my DiDi drivers in conversational Mandarin, my time abroad has been filled with moments that pushed me beyond my comfort zone and crystallized my love for cultural connection. I’ve also loved eating my way through China, sampling everything from hand-pulled noodles in Chengdu to soup dumplings in Shanghai, and discovering how food tells stories of migration, memory, and belonging. I am excited to share my experiences and encourage other students to see study abroad as an opportunity to travel and rediscover themselves in the world.

Hi! My name is Megan Delande, and I am a third-year studying Neuroscience, Classics, and Global Health. I attended the Athens: Ancient Culture and Modern City program in summer 2025. My favorite part of the program was being able to get out of the classroom and learn through site visits. I also enjoyed the cultural experiences that were incorporated into this program. Although the four weeks flew by, I was able to make strong friendships and learn from the diverse interests of my peers. Studying abroad taught me to be more open-minded and the importance of exploring curiosities!

Hi! My name is Mila Brandson and I'm a junior studying journalism and international studies with a minor in dance. I participated in the Fall 2025 University of Minnesota program in Montpellier, France. During my time in Montpellier, I took classes on the Advanced Language and Culture Track, which were all instructed in French. Living in Montpellier was such a fun and transformative experience, and I fell in love with the city! From bonding with locals and other program participants, to trying the best croissant of my life, to traveling to several other countries in Europe, my time abroad is truly something I will never forget! I would love to chat or answer any questions that you have!

Hello all! My name is Nicole Sanchez and I am a sophomore majoring in Global Health Studies and minoring in German. I spent my last summer studying abroad in Hanoi, Vietnam as a part of Northwestern's GESI program. During my time there I completed an internship where I developed lesson plans and taught English to local Vietnamese students. I had an amazing time motorbiking through the mountainous landscape of northern Vietnam, exploring the rich history of the country, and drinking the most delicious fresh fruit juice!

Hi! My name is Sarah, and I’m majoring in Industrial Engineering and International Studies. I studied abroad Fall 2024 in Paris on the European Union Studies program, and I’ve also studied abroad in South Korea through the State Department's Critical Language Scholarship. Most recently, I interned abroad in Vietnam through the GESI program. I’ve loved my experiences abroad, from traveling, being immersed in the local culture, learning foreign languages, and meeting amazing new people! As a FGLI student, I’ve loved being able to study abroad for free, and they’ve all been unforgettable experiences.

I'm Sophia, a junior from Chicago, and I studied abroad through IES Granada in Spain in Fall 2025. At Northwestern, I study history and international studies with a minor in Business Institutions. One of my favorite memories from my time abroad was the program-led 5-day trip to Morocco where we got to stay with a host family in Rabat; even though our communication was weak through broken English, I was able to practice a bit of my French! During our days in Tangier and Rabat, we got to ride camels, eat delicious couscous and fresh khobz, and meet local university students to talk about political adversities and cultural similarities/differences between us Americans and Moroccans. Additionally, being in Andalucia was such a gift because of all the beautiful Islamic art and architecture embedded in the streets; the IES building's rooftop even had a view of the Alhambra!