Hello Everyone! My apologies for not posting for the last couple of weeks (more like months) but being abroad makes it harder for me to find the time. Anyway, I wanted to write about this for quite a while now so here it is! I know there are a lot of you who might not be considering studying abroad or might think it’s financially impossible to do so. Well that was me three years ago. When I was looking into colleges, studying abroad was probably one of the last things I was considering during my selection process. I remember taking a campus tour and one of the ambassadors said “One of the greatest things about Gonzaga is that there are over 40% of the students who study abroad before graduating, and most importantly that your financial aid transfers to most of the programs.” Little did I know I would end up being one of those students who luckily got the opportunity to study abroad! As a first generation student attending college was already overwhelming enough that I never thought/considered going abroad. So I basically never bothered to even think about it. Long story short, I fell in love with the campus and everything that it had to offer that I chose GU! Sophomore year came a long and I met this amazing Junior, Monicka M.(who would later be my supervisor). She had just studied abroad and constantly talked about her great, unforgettable adventures abroad. I started looking more in to it and when I started creating my four year plan I saved some of my core classes “just in case” I was able to study abroad that way I would have something to take while abroad that would count towards my degree and not just take random elective classes. The more I looked in to it the more I wanted to go abroad! But the one thing that obviously made it seem impossible was the financial component. I went to the Financial Aid office and made some visits to the Study Abroad office not knowing what I was supposed to do (obviously), but as always they were more than happy to help! (side note: before coming to GU the first thing I noticed was how people in general are so generous and helpful!) They provided me with the resources and information about the various programs that would offer the courses I could take, and they also gave me names of scholarships that students had received in the past and those that would most likely apply to my major and interests. Needless to say, after all the hard work and help from both students and staff I am here! Living in Florence and having the time of my life. I never thought I would actually be studying/living abroad that I feel blessed!!

Some things to keep in mind:
-Gonzaga Financial Aid Transfers to most of the abroad programs like GIF (Gonzaga in Florence)! There are students from other schools that literally receive no financial help from their schools.
-Most abroad programs offer core classes or classes designed for special majors, so if you are considering going abroad look at programs that would work around your schedule!
-Engineers are the only exception for studying abroad second semester of sophomore year.
-I LOVE LOVE LOVE Florence and if there is one thing I highly recommend is looking in to study abroad programs and applying for SCHOLARSHIPS!
-Talk to upperclassmen! they always have tips or “must knows” about the campus and programs in general.

Beautiful view of Florence, Italy

Waiting for the sunset

Outside the Pitti Palace

Elizabeth Class of ’13
International Studies of Latin America, Art & Spanish