As an undergraduate student here at Auburn, I really wanted to study abroad but never committed to making that dream a reality. During my time as a master’s student, I realized just a little too late into my program that the College of Education had an opportunity for graduate students to study abroad in Australia. Needless to say, I was disappointed in my poor planning and had resigned myself to continuing to live vicariously through other students who were studying abroad.
Everything changed for the better and my dream of studying abroad became a reality after I began working on my Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration a couple of years later. I am incredibly grateful for the support that I received from this office, which allowed me to spend three incredible, life-changing weeks in Australia during the summer of 2019.
During those three weeks, we learned about the Australian education system, toured a variety of schools across all levels of education, and engaged in several immersive experiences that centered the lives and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Our trip began in Hobart, Tasmania – now one of my favorite places on earth. The bulk of our time was spent in and around Sydney, the capital of New South Wales. Because of my education and professional interests in higher education, I completed a brief internship at the Nura Gili: Centre for Indigenous Programs at the University of New South Wales where I was able to learn more about national policies, initiatives, and programs that help to support Indigenous student success at Australian universities.
While this brief summary of my experience cannot fully encompass its true impact, I will end by my saying my life as graduate student, higher education professional, and human being are better for the time I spent in Australia. Like Auburn Abroad said in their blogpost earlier this summer, studying abroad is “an excellent opportunity for students to broaden their horizons through cultural immersion and international experiences.” Ultimately, I’m grateful that this dream became a reality of mine, and I hope that all of you will consider studying abroad during your time as an Auburn student!