Study Abroad Alumni Graduation Spotlights

Today is our final spotlight, Isabelle Brna. Isabelle has been a member of our office since March 2020, at the start of the pandemic. She has done great work on our social media, especially with being in charge of all our social media spotlights. Below Isabelle shares her experience

What are your post-undergraduate plans and what do you hope to achieve in the future?

I plan on attending law school. I am interning at a law firm this summer, which will give me the experience I need to stand out on law school applications. I have a long process ahead, but I can’t wait to jumpstart my career!

What was your role in our office and what did you learn?

I worked as both a Peer Advisor and a Communications Intern. I enjoyed both positions in different ways. I think being a Peer Advisor enhanced my interpersonal skills as I interacted with students more and learned how to help them. Being a Communications Intern helped me improve my social media skills and helped me discover so much about the use of social media analytics that I did not know before. Being part of this office increased my confidence and I definitely feel prepared to enter the professional workforce.

Do you believe you will be able to apply your study abroad experience to your future career?

I definitely believe I will be able to apply my study abroad experience in my future career. Through study abroad, I learned about cross-cultural communication and how to acknowledge cultural differences. I think this is an important skill in any career, as the professional world requires interacting with so many different types of people. I think it is important to embrace those differences, so that you can learn more about the other person and build a better relationship!

What career advice would you give to incoming study abroad students?

Go out of your comfort zone. While I was abroad, I really tried to venture out and do things outside of the itinerary. You will surprise yourself on what you will discover. I would also suggest to build as many connections as you can. I made two really close friends on my program, who I would have never met if I did not go abroad. We learned a lot from one another and I think we have given each other the confidence to continue to branch out of our comfort zone.

Final thoughts?

Working in this office definitely set the bar high for future positions. I never worked in a place that puts importance on tasks and the well-being of every staff member. I worked with some of the most kind and down to earth people. Through my whole study abroad experience, I was able to gain more confidence in traveling but also professional office experience because of the fantastic staff I worked with. It was a wonderful experience and I am going to miss it so much.

Thank you to all students that have taken the time to share their graduation plans! And a special thank you to Isabelle, who did an amazing job in leading our graduation spotlights. We want to wish all our graduates good luck! Go Tigers! #TUProud #HowBigIsYourWorld