Liberal Arts Major: Psychology
Minor: Spanish
Hometown: Mahwah, New Jersey
Experience Time: Spring 2022
Give us a brief summary of your experience?
Spending the spring semester of my junior year in Sevilla, Spain through CIEE’s program gave me the opportunity to gain a broader knowledge of world cultures and experience a totally new way of life. In addition to taking classes at CIEE’s building, I took classes at the University of Sevilla. I had the wonderful opportunity of living in a homestay with a host mom, experiencing traditional Spanish cuisine, and engaging in conversation daily. Having the opportunity to speak Spanish with my host mom, professors, and locals has greatly improved my speaking skills.
How did this experience impact you academically?
As a psychology major with a Spanish minor, this semester has helped me tremendously academically. Not only did the courses I took abroad fulfill the remaining requirements for my Spanish minor, but they also grew my understanding of the Spanish language. I am more confident in my listening and speaking skills as a result of my semester studying in Spain and am confident that they will continue to improve.
"Spending the spring semester of my junior year in Sevilla, Spain through CIEE’s program gave me the opportunity to gain a broader knowledge of world cultures and experience a totally new way of life."
How will this experience impact your career goals?
Having the goal of becoming a mental health counselor, being able to speak Spanish will certainly aid in my career. I am passionate about helping others and I feel that minoring in Spanish and having improved my fluency in Spain will expand the audience I can reach as a mental health counselor. Since Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world, I also feel that employers consider being multilingual a valuable skill.
How has the College of the Liberal Arts helped you to find and/or succeed in this experience (e.g., adviser, faculty, staff, enrichment funds, etc.)?
The enrichment funds were incredibly helpful to this experience since learning a language is best when fully immersed and surrounded by native speakers. Undoubtedly, my courses at Penn State helped me prepare for the transition to taking courses at a Spanish university. My psychology advisor helped me prepare by discussing how a semester abroad would affect my degree plan. Additionally, speaking with my Spanish minor advisor throughout the application and course selection process was crucial in guaranteeing that I was going to get the most from this experience. I am incredibly grateful for the help I have received.