Study Abroad Provides Global Perspective, a Chance to Explore

“It will change how you see things … give you a new perspective (that) you can’t get any other way, and open up a whole new world.” That is how Jordan Feeney sums up her summer 2017 study abroad experience.

A sophomore with a double major in accounting and economics and a minor in Spanish, Feeney said she had not anticipated studying abroad until she was encouraged by her mother to attend NC State’s Study Abroad Fair in September 2016. That’s when she fell in love with the idea of exploring the world.

For her first international experience, Feeney selected Poole College’s Summer Program, Italy – Ethics and Law – at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in northern Italy, where her classroom studies were complemented by corporate visits to local and multinational businesses. In addition, she had the opportunity to do some traveling on her own, including visits to Florence, Pisa, Cortona, Venice, Cinque Terre, Rome, Milan, Piacenza, and Verona.

She summed up her experiences in a presentation at the NC State Global Storytelling Competition held November 1 as part of the NC State Office of Global Engagement’s International Education Month activities.

“While I learned about corporate law, ethics and management during the day, the real lessons came (after class) when I explored the narrow cobblestone streets and the colorful buildings of  Piacenza, or on the weekends when I saw cultures from all over Italy,” she said in her presentation.

Feeney provided a few highlights in an email interview with Poole College communications this fall. Stops on her trip to Verona included visits to Juliette’s house – the 13th century building with the balcony where Romeo promised his love to Juliet, as retold in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet story – and the Castelvecchio, a medieval structure surrounding Verona. And during a weekend trip to Paris, she explored the Catacombs, among other sites. 

Her goal in sharing her experiences is to encourage other students to “give study abroad a chance,” to broaden their experiences and learn more about other cultures.

“Those little moments from studying abroad can completely change the way you think about things. There is always more to see; you need to keep learning and keep wanting to learn about culture and history,” Feeney said. Also, she said, “It’s nice to take classes somewhere else. Studying abroad will help open up different opportunities on campus, as well as introduce you to new friends.”

Feeney now is planning her second program abroad, this time going to London, England, through the United Kingdom: International Finance program offered through the Poole College of Management. Learn more about study abroad opportunities offered through the NC State Poole College of Management.  

This story was updated by Anna Rzewnicki, Poole College communications.