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Making Memories in Santiago

Hi! My name is Sally Jewell and I studied abroad in Santiago, Chile my junior year in the Spring semester of 2024. I am majoring in International Relations and Political Science, so the Santiago program was a perfect match for me as many of the course options had a political science background. One of the biggest differences between the semester I went abroad and previous Santiago cohorts is that our classes were in English but we were placed in home stays with a Chilean family so we were able to practice our Spanish with the host family.

One of the most positive aspects of this type of study abroad experience is that you are able to focus less on the language barrier in a classroom setting and are able to put more focus on the content you are learning about. Within the classes I took, I gained so much knowledge on Chilean politics, history, and culture. Additionally, you are able to learn within a classroom of people who are studying abroad just like you so you are able to help each other out with navigating a new city and country.

Something that I wished I had known before studying abroad is how helpful everyone is, especially our program directors. Everyone that is a part of the program wants to see you succeed, this includes professors, program directors, and host families. My host family was incredibly supportive and helpful throughout my semester abroad. I found it very helpful to live with someone from the area so they could give me recommendations and advice for how to navigate through this new place. I was very nervous meeting my host family, but the reality of meeting them made me realize that they enjoy this experience. They want to help you around the city and help you learn about a different city and culture; you are not a burden to them and it can be very fun and interesting for both you and your host family to talk about their culture as well as American culture and the similarities and differences between the two.

Studying abroad has taught me that there are a lot more places that I want to travel to outside of the United States. Going abroad can feel very daunting especially if you do not speak the language of the country you want to visit. However, having navigated through Santiago by myself and learning how to understand a different country and culture, I am now more confident in myself to be able to conduct myself abroad in other countries. With all the greenery in Chile, I have found that I love to be in nature and experience the beauty of the world, which is something I do not get to do in my everyday life. This has made me want to explore more areas of natural greenery and see all different sides of the world.

Additionally, studying abroad has made me think more critically about what I want to do post-college. I never really had a set plan as to what I wanted to do in the future, however being abroad made me realize that I have time to figure out what I want to do. I do not have to rush to find my passion or what I want to do with my life. I am allowed to explore unknown places and witness and experience things I would never be able to experience in the United States.

Lastly, I chose this specific program because one of my concentrations for my major is the Americas so I thought Chile would be an interesting place to go further in depth into that topic. I did not just want to be a tourist going around a city and visiting other tourist destinations close to me. I wanted to learn about the culture, history, and customs of the country I was going to. When looking at all the abroad programs together, I found that the Santiago program was one that seemed to prioritize immersing yourself in the culture and learning about the history of the country, which is exactly what I wanted. I am very happy with my decision to go abroad to Santiago, Chile and I know I have gained knowledge and experiences that will help me in the future and I will remember for the rest of my life.

Sally Jewell ’25

Santiago Center (Courses in English)

International Relations and Political Science

International Experiences: Computer Science Students Study Abroad in London

The Syracuse Abroad computer science program in London is designed for the fall semester of a student’s junior year.

“Getting a chance to see what it is like to live here on a day-to-day basis and see people working has made me think about it in the future,” says Amofah-Boafo.

“It is an opportunity that will change your life, how you look at the world and it is invaluable,” said Mosca.

Learn more about Computer Science in London

Global Exploration Creates Impactful Experiences

Jacob Grindstaff-Espinal ’24 grew up in Miami speaking English and Spanish. Despite his bilingual childhood, he never imagined he would one day take a French history class—or a class taught in the French language—while studying abroad in Strasbourg, France.

“Strasbourg is a diplomatic city and the perfect place for an internship,” Grindstaff-Espinal says. “I dream of going into government consulting or international development. My internship with the Council of Europe helped me figure out if this is the right career for me.”

Read more about Jacob’s semester in France

Applications now open for spring 2025 programs

Students can now begin applying for spring 2025 study abroad programs through Syracuse Abroad. With over 60 program options in dozens of countries around the world, there is a study abroad opportunity for each and every Syracuse University student.

In alignment with the Academic Strategic Plan, Syracuse University is committed to encouraging and enabling every undergraduate student the opportunity to participate in a study abroad or study away experience before they graduate.

Spring-only programs:

View all center semester and World Partner programs

Learn more about spring 2025 abroad

Transformative Learning Experiences Abroad

For Whitman School of Management student Talia St. Angelo, one of the highlights of her study abroad experience in Madrid, Spain was a marine ecology course focused on the biodiversity, conservation and communities of the Mediterranean coast.

Read full story

Syracuse Abroad alumni receive awards through Fulbright U.S. program

Fourteen Syracuse University students and alumni have been named as 2024 recipients of awards through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Five students were also chosen as alternates. This is the largest number of U.S. Student Fulbright recipients that Syracuse University has had in one year.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program funds a range of awards that include English teaching assistantships (ETA) and study/research grants in over 140 countries.

Three current/former Global Ambassadors and five program alumni were selected:

  • Olivia Budelmann ’23 (mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises in the Whitman School of Management and Spanish language, literature and cultures in A&S), ETA, Andorra; Santiago Center, spring 2022 – Global Ambassador
  • Jaemon Crosby ’24, an acting major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), study award, United Kingdom—London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA, classical acting); London Center: Acting, fall 2022 – Global Ambassador
  • Lindsey Kernen ’23 (psychology in A&S and citizenship and civic engagement in the Maxwell School), study award, United Kingdom—University of Strathclyde; London Center, spring 2022
  • Yasmin Nayrouz ’24, an English and textual studies major in A&S, a public relations major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, study award, United Kingdom—University of Sussex; London Center, spring 2022
  • Alec Rovensky ’21 (School of Architecture), study award, Germany—Technische Universität Berlin; London & Florence Architecture, fall and spring 2019
  • Julianne Strauss ’23 (inclusive elementary and special education, School of Education) G’24 (literacy education), ETA, Spain; Madrid Center, spring 2022

Alternates:

  • Mary Matthews, a senior international relations major in the Maxwell School | A&S, ETA, Estonia; Discovery Strasbourg, fall 2021 and CEA CAPA Prague, fall 2023 – Global Ambassador
  • Liam Goff, a senior broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School, ETA, Germany; World Partner: Colgate Freiburg, spring 2023

View all recipients

Unlocking Global Opportunities for Science Majors

Starting in the 2024-25 academic year, science and pre-health students from A&S and Maxwell can spend their sophomore fall semester in Madrid on the Health & Science program, where they will be able to complete required courses like Cross-Cultural Psychology, Sexuality in Spain and Healthcare in Europe: A Comparative Approach.

All University students going to Madrid are required to take CAS 200: Mapping Spain, but a signature section specifically tailored to the needs of science-minded students has been developed for the pilot program. Best of all, science students will still be able to interact with other peers spending the semester in Madrid and participate in many of the same cultural and social activities the abroad experience provides.

Read more: A&S new program Health and Science in Madrid

Syracuse Abroad alumni named 2024-25 Remembrance Scholars

Thirty-five students have been chosen as the 2024-25 Syracuse University Remembrance Scholars. Of the 35 students named as scholars, 20 have participated in Syracuse Abroad programs.

The scholarships, now in their 35th year, were founded as a tribute to—and means of remembering—the students studying in London and Florence through Syracuse University who were killed in the Dec. 21, 1988, bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Those students were among the 270 people who perished in the bombing. The scholarships are funded through an endowment supported by gifts from alumni, friends, parents and corporations.

“Remembrance Scholars represent Syracuse University at its best through their academic achievements, their leadership skills and their contributions to the University,” says Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter. “They reflect the talent and promise of those students whose memories they honor. We are very proud to call them members of our University community.”

The Remembrance and Lockerbie Scholars plan the Remembrance activities held at the University each year. The scholars will be recognized during a convocation in the fall.

The 2024-25 Syracuse Abroad alumni Remembrance Scholars, their hometowns, majors and schools and colleges are the following:

  • Alba Aljiboury of Syracuse, New York, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), an information management and technology major in the School of Information Studies and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; Madrid Summer Session, summer 2023
  • Adam Baltaxe of Arlington, Virginia, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a Spanish major in A&S and a member of the Crown Honors Program; Discovery Madrid, fall 2021; Santiago Center, fall 2023
  • Tanner Boshart of Jackson, New Jersey, an economics major and history major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a finance major in the Whitman School of Management and a member of the Crown Honors Program; Strasbourg Center, fall 2023
  • Danis Cammett of Washington, D.C., an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S, applied data analytics major in the School of Information Studies, a member of the Crown Honors Program and a member of the University’s Army Reserve Officer Training Program; Strasbourg Center, spring 2023
  • Natalie Dolenga of Lincolnshire, Illinois, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a member of the Crown Honors Program; Madrid Center, spring 2024
  • Charlotte Ebel of Urbana, Illinois, a public relations major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, a women’s and gender studies and German major in A&S and a member of the Crown Honors Program; Managing Global Brands of Sport program, summer 2023
  • Luke Elliott of Leesburg, Virginia, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School, a public relations major in the Newhouse School and a member of the Crown Honors Program; London Center, spring 2024
  • Abigail Jones of Mashpee, Massachusetts, a public relations major in the Newhouse School, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a member of the Crown Honors Program; The European and Global Internship Program in Brussels, summer 2023
  • Rajan Joshi of Dallas, Texas, an economics major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a member of the Crown Honors Program; Florence Center, spring 2024
  • Sierra Kaplan of New York, New York, a health humanities major in A&S; a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a member of the Crown Honors Program; Exploring Central Europe, fall 2023
  • Sophia Moore of Burbank, California, a television, radio and film major in the Newhouse School, a sociology major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a member of the Crown Honors Program; Santiago Center, fall 2023
  • Mark Nzasi of Scranton, Pennsylvania, a neuroscience and psychology major in A&S and a member of the Crown Honors Program; Discovery Madrid, fall 2021
  • Jenna Poma of Queens, New York, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School and a member of the Crown Honors Program; Florence Center, fall 2023
  • Alekhya Rajasekaran of Visalia, California, a biotechnology major in A&S and a member of the Crown Honors Program; Madrid Summer Session, summer 2023
  • Olivia Reid of Richmond, California, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a member of the Crown Honors Program; London Center, spring 2024
  • Yifan “Ivan” Shen of Shanghai, China, a student in the School of Architecture, a music history and cultures major in A&S, and a member of the Crown Honors Program; Florence and London Center, spring and fall 2023
  • Joshua Spodek of Wayne, New Jersey, a history major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a social studies education major in the Maxwell School and the School of Education and a member of the Crown Honors Program; London Center, spring 2024
  • Alyssa Sutherland of St. Louis, Missouri, a public health major in the Falk College; a women’s and gender studies major in A&S and a member of the Crown Honors Program; World Partner: SIT India: Public Health, Gender, and Sexuality, spring 2024
  • Evelina Torres of Houston, Texas, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School and a member of the Crown Honors Program; and World Partner: DIS Copenhagen, spring 2024
  • Leondra Tyler of Cicero, New York, a neuroscience and psychology major in A&S; World Partner: Yonsei University, spring 2023

View all scholars

Engineering & Adventures in Australia

Hi! My name is Brady Arruda and I just returned from a semester abroad in Sydney, Australia in fall 2023. I am an aerospace engineering major and chose to study abroad during the fall of my junior year. I decided to study at the University of New South Wales World Partner program in Sydney as Australia is home to some of the most diverse landscapes and wildlife and would allow me to travel in a part of the world few get to travel to while still getting the engineering credits needed to stay on track for graduation.

As an engineering student, there are several challenges when it comes to studying abroad. One of the primary challenges is finding a location that offers engineering classes that Syracuse accepts credit for. Another is making sure you stay on track for graduation. Since I already knew I wanted to study abroad, I took every opportunity to take classes early allowing me more flexibility in my schedule during my junior fall semester. As easy as this may sound, there are several potential drawbacks. I needed to pack my schedule my first four semesters to achieve this and will be taking a third year class as a senior. However, I do not regret my decision for a second. The opportunity to study abroad is well worth the extra planning and commitment up front.

While abroad, I took four classes. The first consisted of an accelerated marine environment class where I got to learn all about tidal zones and the abundant marine wildlife off Sydney’s coastline. Additionally, during the traditional spring term, term 3 in Australia, I took an astronomy class for fun and two engineering classes: Fundamentals of Advanced Vibration and Fluid Mechanics for Engineers, which both counted for credit for my major.

While in Sydney, I had the chance to meet many new friends and peers. I ended up meeting three Syracuse students who I did not know before and wound up traveling all around Australia with one of them. I also met many other American students studying abroad from Miami, Duke, and even Binghamton. However, through my classes and other acquaintances I was introduced to local students who shared the best spots to eat, where to go, and even got the chance to watch the National Rugby League final with a local friend while having a home cooked Australian dinner.

While in Australia I took the chance to travel whenever I could. I visited Tasmania, the Hunter Valley, the South Island of New Zealand, Western Australia, Fiji, and the Great Barrier Reef twice! One of my favorite memories was when I went to Cairns (the city near part of the reef) and went skydiving, scuba diving, bungee jumping, and wake boarding all in one weekend. I ultimately ended up getting scuba certified in Sydney before going again in Milford Sound in New Zealand and the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.

Out of all the amazing places I visited, my favorite was the south island of New Zealand. The scenery was incredible and being able to drink glacial runoff and do cold plunges every day was very restoring. I also really enjoyed traveling New Zealand and Western Australia with my twin brother when he visited me in December. The last highlight was driving around Tasmania for 5 days in a Mystery Machine themed campervan and seeing penguins.

There are two things I highly recommend bringing besides typical clothes and toiletries. Bring a journal to write about your travels in detail as they happen so you can go back and relive your experiences. The other is to pack an empty bag, duffel size works well, so you can fill it for your return as you will accumulate more souvenirs and items throughout your travels.

One of the best parts about living in Sydney was that I lived in an off-campus apartment just 2 minutes from the beach with two people from the UK. Most nights I would find myself strolling down to relax in the sand as I looked up at the stars and listened to the waves as they rolled in. The small beach community also housed several laid back cafes and was always a fun spot to hangout on a sunny afternoon. Living with people from a different country was also very rewarding as we all learned a lot about each other’s lives back home and could hear about how life differs across countries and continents.  

Overall, studying abroad has had an immense impact on my future career path and hobbies. After spending time traveling, exploring, and meeting new people, I want to strive to make traveling a key aspect of my life. Since getting open water scuba certified as well as some specialty add-ons, I am strongly considering returning to Australia to become a certified dive master so I can lead others on dive trips and spend more time scuba diving and traveling. Additionally, I have become interested in obtaining my private pilot’s license so I may fly recreationally.

Now that I know what’s out there, I will always yearn for the feeling of uncertainty and excitement I had when I first landed in a completely unfamiliar environment. I crave the adventure of immersing myself in the unknown.

Studying abroad has taught me to always be prepared, but always be flexible. Adaptability and anticipation are key. Never stay fixed on what image or expectations others have of you and live the life that will bring you happiness and satisfaction whether physical, emotional, or otherwise.

Brady Arruda ’25

Aerospace Engineering

University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, Fall 2023