Name: Olivia Roccia ’27
Major: Marketing
Semester abroad: Summer 2024
Summer program: Florence Summer Session
What was your most memorable experience abroad? My most valuable experience in Florence was meeting locals and being shown their love and passion of their culture through their food. During class one day we took a field trip to a local food market off the beaten path of tourists, where we tried samples from a variety of vendors. We tried everything from cheese samples, homemade sauces, fish dishes, and cow stomach, a dish near and dear to the locals. Being integrated into a new culture was an experience that pushed me out of my comfort zone and opened my eyes to so many unique opportunities. Each day abroad exploring a new country and culture gave me experiences I will never forget and memories that will last a lifetime.
Contact: omroccia@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Adjusting to a foreign language, Cultural Immersion, Culture shock / Homesickness, Fitting study abroad into your home campus experience, Meeting locals, Preparing for departure, Selecting a program option
Name: Mark Leaf ’27
Major: Engineering
Semester abroad: Summer 2024
Summer program: Tel Aviv University Internship
What was your most memorable experience abroad? Welcoming community, professional approach and a lot of studying from my colleagues. First-hand Hi-Tech development experience and endless studying from the professionals within my field. I enjoyed every second of full time work and countless challenges that I overcame.
Contact: maleaf@syr.edu
Name: Keira Bowers ’27
Major: Biology
Semester abroad: Summer 2024
Summer program: Design-scape of South Korea
What was your most memorable experience abroad? The most unforgettable experience was when our group dressed in traditional Korean clothes (Hanbok) and walked around the ancient palace grounds in Seoul. Studying abroad is truly an unmissable experience. You learn so much about yourself and your independence. I also believe the best way to travel/see the world is to experience it with a group of people around your age and/or going through college with you.
Contact: kebowers@syr.edu
Name: Dora Gordon ’27
Major: International Relations & B.S. Environment, Sustainability, and Policy
Semester abroad: Summer 2024
Summer program: The European and Global Internship Program in Brussels
What was your most memorable experience abroad? One of the most valuable experiences I had while studying abroad in Brussels was immersing myself in a city full of motivated young professionals. Brussels is filled with ambitious individuals driven to make an impact on government and politics. It’s home to the headquarters of the European Commission, the European Council, and the European Parliament, making it a hub for policymaking and international relations. I had the opportunity to connect with peers involved in shaping EU policies, and these interactions were incredibly inspiring. It wasn’t just about the connections I made; it was also about witnessing the real impact that young professionals can have on the world stage.
Contact: dgordo10@syr.edu
Name: Ariela Franco ’28
Major: Accounting, Psychology minor
Semester Abroad: Summer 2025
Program: Madrid Summer Session
What advice would you give to a student studying abroad? As someone who likes to be ahead and plan things in advance, the biggest advice I would give is to go in with an open mind and be willing to step outside your comfort zone. Some of the best memories I made in Madrid happened when plans were spontaneous or when I tried something new, even if I had no idea what I was doing. Don’t stress too much about having every day planned out. There is so much to explore and you truly never know what you’re going to see or who you’re going to meet, so you definitely have to go with the flow in many situations.
Contact: afranc21@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Cultural Immersion, Culture shock / Homesickness, First time abroad, Health, safety, and support, Preparing for departure, Selecting a program option
Name: Eric Gegiu ’27
Major: Political Science
Semester Abroad: Summer 2025
Program: Strasbourg: Pre-Law program in Europe
What advice would you give to a student studying abroad? Don’t be scared to try new things. The first few days abroad can be tough because of a new environment but you will quickly adapt and have a good time from then on. Explore as much as you can, try to spend as little time as possible indoors outside of the time in class and studying.
Contact: edgegiu@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Adjusting to a foreign language, Allergies & dietary needs, Cultural Immersion, Financing study away, Health, safety, and support, Living with a host family, Preparing for departure, Selecting a program option
Name: Jack Pasquale ’28
Major: Acting and journalism
Semester Abroad: Summer 2025
Program: Inclusive Schools and Societies: Lessons from the Italian Context
What would you tell students interested in studying abroad? Whatever you are worried about missing on campus at Syracuse will be there when you come back and whatever opportunities you think you will have abroad there will be even great opportunities and experiences that will last a lifetime and make you an even better, more rounded student when you return to Syracuse.
Contact: jcpasqua@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Adjusting to a foreign language, Allergies & dietary needs, Cultural Immersion, Culture shock / Homesickness, Disability resources, First time abroad, Fitting study abroad into your home campus experience
Name: Samuel Reinhard ’28
Major: Acting
Semester Abroad: Summer 2025
Program: Madrid Summer Session
What was your most valuable experience abroad? My most valuable experience abroad had to be staying with a host family and being able to speak in Spanish. I had been studying Spanish for 5 years before then and so the opportunity to use it in a Spanish-speaking country was extremely special and educational. Being surrounded by Spanish, even at home with my most family, helped me improve my conversational abilities and create long-lasting relationships.
Contact: streinha@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Adjusting to a foreign language, Allergies & dietary needs, Cultural Immersion, Fitting study abroad into your home campus experience, LGBTQ+, Living with a host family
Name: Stephen Woolston ’27
Major: Political Science and Philosophy
Semester Abroad: Summer 2025
Program: Strasbourg: Pre-Law program in Europe
What was your most valuable experience abroad? The most valuable experience that I had abroad was during my trip to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which our program set up for us. It was fascinating to not only be in a building where such important things take place, but also to get to hear from a judge who is involved in said important things. Listening to the judges’ perspective and motivations was truly a surreal experience and is something that I value a lot and view as motivation for wanting to take real action.
Contact: sewoolst@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Adjusting to a foreign language, Allergies & dietary needs, Cultural Immersion, Culture shock / Homesickness, Financing study away, First time abroad, Fitting study abroad into your home campus experience, Meeting locals, Preparing for departure, Selecting a program option
Name: Mia Cannizzaro ’27
Major: Strategic Communications
Semester abroad: Summer 2026
Program: London Internship Program
What was your most valuable experience abroad? One of the reasons I was so excited to go to London was because of the incredible Theater life there! I saw five shows in just seven weeks (plus a concert!), and the tickets were relatively cheap. Going to the theater (like so many locals do) was a great way to immerse myself in the city’s culture and also connect with one of my passions. I went to shows with my roommates turned friends and even attended one show by myself, which was definitely an unforgettable experience.
Contact: mjcanniz@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Cultural Immersion, Culture shock / Homesickness, Health, safety, and support, Preparing for departure, Selecting a program option
Name: Sarah Gorenstein ’28
Major: Television, Radio & Film
Semester abroad: Summer 2026
Program: Florence Summer Session, London Summer Session
What was your most valuable experience abroad? My most valuable experience while studying abroad in Florence was living with a host family. There was truly no better feeling than stepping into a new country and being greeted by the most welcoming and loving host parents. I learned an incredible amount about Italian culture, language, and arts through many meals and chats with my family.
Contact: srgorens@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Cultural Immersion, Culture shock / Homesickness, Fitting study abroad into your home campus experience, Living with a host family, Preparing for departure, Selecting a program option
Name: Hannah Hofmann ’27
Major: Advertising
Semester abroad: Summer 2026
Program: Florence Summer Session, London Summer Session, London Traveling Seminar
What was your most valuable experience abroad? My most valuable experience was being a part of a GEO 300 course where I traveled the UK over the course of ten days before starting my abroad study in London. During this traveling seminar we began in London, and were able to visit places all over the UK. I traveled with a few of my peers who I hadn’t met before and we spent multiple days living on a farm in Scotland. I was able to learn firsthand about farming and ecological footprint while building a connection with locals. We went on many daily adventures like visiting a lobster farm, hiking a mountain, learning about sustainable housing, going on a boat tour in Wales, visiting aquariums and much more.
Contact: hlhofman@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Adjusting to a foreign language, Culture shock / Homesickness, Fitting study abroad into your home campus experience, Health, safety, and support, Meeting locals, Selecting a program option
Name: Alicia Hoppes ’28
Major: Visual Communications, Commercial and Advertising Photography
Semester abroad: Summer 2026
Program: Short-term program: Storytelling in the Scottish Highlands
What was your most valuable experience abroad? The Visual Storytelling course was beyond valuable. We were given just the right amount of freedom, allowing my partner and me to explore various parts of Edinburgh throughout the creation of our photo story. We worked with two local organizations that focused on water preservation and conservation across the city, and we were granted access to photograph volunteer events and cleanups. The course was incredibly hands-on–we worked with a project partner during the day, navigating public transportation to get where we needed to be, and then received feedback on our work from our professor.
Contact: arhoppes@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Allergies & dietary needs, Fitting study abroad into your home campus experience, Health, safety, and support, Meeting locals, Preparing for departure
Name: Sasha Johnson ’27
Major: Law
Semester abroad: Summer 2026
Program: Conflict & Reconciliation in Northern Ireland
What was your most valuable experience abroad? Being able to observe court proceedings and actually speak with the judges, solicitors, and barristers was an incredible experience. Studying the similarities and differences between the two legal systems is of course helpful, but actually seeing how it plays out in real time in real cases makes for a much greater, more thorough comprehension. Additionally, seeing the different courts in person, going through security, looking at the architecture and structure of the court rooms was just an amazing experience.
Contact: sjohn110@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family
Name: Richelle Keilholz ’27
Major: Law
Semester abroad: Summer 2026
Program: Comparative Trial Advocacy
What was your most valuable experience abroad? Our class had the opportunity to explore some of the most historic locations in London related to the practice of law. These included the Inns of Court, the Royal Court of Justice, the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey), and the Supreme Court of the UK. Furthermore, the opportunity to sit inside court rooms and speak with solicitors, barristers, and judges about their experiences was absolutely incredible. This was truly an immersive experience that allowed us to compare our knowledge of the American court system with the English court system. Everyone at SU London was very welcoming and supportive during our visit.
Contact: rkeilhol@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Cultural Immersion, Culture shock / Homesickness, Disability resources, Financing study away, First time abroad, Health, safety, and support, Preparing for departure
Name: Gaelan Pollick ’28
Major: International Relations & Law, Society, and Policy, Business minor
Semester abroad: Summer 2026
Program: The European and Global Internship Program in Brussels
What would you tell a student undecided about studying abroad? I would definitely explain that going abroad is an opportunity to not only explore a potentially new place, but it also allows you to learn more about yourself. The independence you feel in another country is unmatched, and abroad is a perfect opportunity to be “independent” because you aren’t truly alone. There are other people in the program and you are able to relate with those around you.
Contact: gepollic@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family
Name: Bijan Starr ’27
Major: Citizenship & Civic Engagement, Political Science, Law Society and Policy
Semester abroad: Summer 2026
Program: Pre-Law in Europe
What was your most valuable experience abroad? The most memorable experience I had while studying abroad in Strasbourg, France, was participating in a moot court competition at the European Court of Human Rights. As a future law student, it provided a unique chance to observe legal advocacy in an international courtroom and compare it with the U.S. legal system. What made the experience especially meaningful was witnessing the differences in courtroom procedure firsthand. I observed that the courtroom layout differed from that in the United States, with the applicant and government seated on opposite sides from what I expected, and the judges being addressed as “Your Excellencies” instead of “Your Honor.”
Contact: bistarr@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family
Name: Harper Travis ’29
Major: Sport Management and International Relations
Semester abroad: Summer 2026
Program: Florence Summer Session, London Summer Session
What was your most valuable experience abroad? The most unforgettable experience from my time in Italy was taking HOA 320: Italian Renaissance Art and having my class sessions be private tours of world-famous museums, churches, and galleries, and getting a tour of Florence every day. My favorite experience during my time in London was taking a class trip to Dublin for SPM 365: Sport Economics and Analytics, and taking tours of the Irish National Sport facilities, rugby and football stadiums, tours of the city, the Guinness factory, Trinity College, and taking pub tours looking for the best live traditional Irish music we could find.
Contact: hvtravis@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Cultural Immersion, Fitting study abroad into your home campus experience, Preparing for departure, Selecting a program option
Name: Jingyi Zhou ’28
Major: Statistics, Chemistry
Semester abroad: Summer 2026
Program: Madrid Summer Session
What was your most valuable experience abroad? My most valuable experience in Madrid was learning to experience the city beyond the perspective of a tourist. Through my art history course, museum visits, and everyday interactions, I gained a deeper understanding of Spanish history and culture. I also learned to adapt to a different lifestyle and become more comfortable with cultural differences. This experience showed me that studying abroad is not just about visiting new places, but about stepping outside my comfort zone and seeing the world from a different perspective.
Contact: jzhou126@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family