Africa
Name: Miles Scherer ’27
Major: Environmental Sustainability & Policy and International Relations
Semester Abroad: Spring 2025
Programs: SIT Madagascar: Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management (Discovery Madrid & Santiago Center)
What would you say to a student undecided about studying abroad? It’s simple. Say “YES!” The best of experiences come when we force ourselves outside of our comfort zones. Even the consideration of going abroad is a testament to bravery and a curiosity just begging to be fed. There is nothing more rewarding and fulfilling than allowing that curiosity to flourish and having experiences that push the boundaries of our thought processes to their brink.
Contact: moschere@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Adjusting to a foreign language, Cultural Immersion, Culture shock / Homesickness, Financing study away, Fitting study abroad into your home campus experience, Health, safety, and support, Living with a host family, Meeting locals, Preparing for departure, Selecting a program option
Asia
Name: Iris Araki ’27
Major: Magazine, News and Digital Journalism
Semester Abroad: Spring 2026
Program: Waseda University
What was your most valuable experience abroad? My most valuable experience in Japan was the ability to fully immerse myself in the culture I grew up with. As someone who has never lived in Japan and doesn’t plan to, having the experience to live and fully assimilate myself into the country’s culture in a variety of ways allowed me to connect deeper with myself and my roots.
Contact: imaraki@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family
Australia and New Zealand
Name: Yihua Huang ’27
Major: Sociology and Mathematics
Semester abroad: Spring 2025
Program: University of Queensland
What was your most unforgettable experience in your host country? Whale watching by boat on the Gold Coast!
Contact: yhuan216@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, Health, safety, and support, Meeting locals, Preparing for departure, Selecting a program option
Name: Kaitlyn Holl ’27 (fall)
Major: Economics
Semester Abroad: Fall 2025
Program: University of Sydney
What was your most valuable experience abroad? The most valuable thing that I took from it was to get off my phone and actually start looking at everything, take in the moment because it was going by fast when I had my face in my screens, but when I got off of them, the days felt like they were going by a little slower, and I appreciated that. The most unforgettable experience I have was going to shows with friends or just going out with friends and experiencing a whole new thing with them.
Contact: knholl@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Culture shock / Homesickness, Disability resources, First time abroad, Preparing for departure
Name: Isabella Petros ’27
Major: Health and Exercise Science
Semester Abroad: Spring 2026
Program: University of Sydney
What advice would you give to a student studying abroad? One piece of advice I would give a student before they go abroad is to say yes to everything! You never know where it could lead you and you’ll make new friends from it and have lots of cool experiences. Also, don’t be afraid to do things alone, when I first got here I was very nervous about moving to the farthest place in the world away from home. I was nervous to do a lot on my own too. After being here for a few months now, I’ve become very comfortable on my own and done lots of activities by myself that I wouldn’t have usually done, including concerts, day trips, eating at restaurants alone, etc. This has helped me gain a new sense of independence and makes me feel a lot more confident for when I graduate.
Contact: igpetros@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Financing study away, First time abroad, Meeting locals, Preparing for departure, Race & Ethnicity, Selecting a program option
Name: Layla Poli ’27
Major: Public Relations
Semester Abroad: Spring 2026
Program: University of Sydney
What was your most memorable experience abroad? During my time in Australia, I had the opportunity to participate in so many activities that made my experience so special and unique. Snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef was such a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and it was a lifelong dream of mine as a child. Being able to explore places that never felt reachable was such an incredible and valuable experience.
Contact: lcpoli@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, Fitting study abroad into your home campus experience, Health, safety, and support, Living with a host family, Meeting locals, Preparing for departure, Religious life, Selecting a program option
Europe
Name: Sean Thompson ’27
Major: Sociology
Semester Abroad: Fall 2025
Programs: DIS Copenhagen (Discovery Strasbourg & Madrid Center)
What advice would you give to a student studying abroad? I would offer advice on establishing a routine similar to the one based in the United States for the student as I believe it is important to keep a busy, yet still comfortable, lifestyle in the new environment.
I would also suggest interacting with as many locals of the host country as possible, and also speak about ensuring one takes on as many opportunities as one can comfortably do during their time out, as it is an amazing experience to try out new things in an unfamiliar area.
Contact: sthomp26@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Adjusting to a foreign language, Cultural Immersion, Culture shock / Homesickness, First time abroad, LGBTQ+, Living with a host family, Meeting locals, Preparing for departure, Race & Ethnicity
The Middle East
Name: Syarra Goldstein ’27
Major: Middle Eastern Studies, International Relations, Biology
Semester Abroad: Spring 2026
Program: Amideast Arabic Language Studies in Jordan
What would you say to a student undecided about studying abroad? Studying abroad has changed my life and I have learned so much not only about my region, the Middle East, that I could never learn in a classroom, but also I learned a ton about myself and after being abroad I trust myself to take on the challenges of the future a lot more.
Contact: sgolds07@syr.edu
Topics I’m comfortable discussing: Staying in touch with friends & family, Adjusting to a foreign language, Cultural Immersion, Culture shock / Homesickness, Financing study away, First time abroad, Fitting study abroad into your home campus experience, Living with a host family, Meeting locals, Preparing for departure