My name is Skyler Kasselmann, and I am a senior at Samford University, working toward a business degree with a major in marketing and a minor in psychology. Entering my second year as Samford Abroad’s marketing intern, I want to share the ways study abroad has enhanced my college experience.
I began my study abroad journey working in the SamfordGlobal office as a student assistant during my freshman year. I had never traveled out of the country before, and was a bit nervous, but with the encouragement of my supervisor, Jill Fisse, I applied for the International Marketing in London course. Over winter break that year, I received the exciting news that I had been accepted. This was the best Christmas present ever!
We arrived on July 19, 2022, to sweltering temperatures. It was the hottest day ever recorded in London at 104 degrees. I still have the printed newspaper from that day with the headline, ‘Hottest In History!’. It was an adjustment at first because many of the buildings in the city do not have air conditioning, including the Daniel House — Samford’s residential study center. Located in the heart of London in South Kensington, it is just one reason why I found this study abroad program so unique.
As one of the world’s leading financial and cultural hubs, London provided the perfect location to study international marketing. Our class was able to visit several British businesses and hear from their leaders on topics such as social media marketing, search engine optimization and content marketing. Some of these companies included Lloyds of London, Dale Underwriting Partners and Wimbledon. We also had the opportunity to sightsee and partake in cultural events, including a few nights in the West End to see musicals such as The Phantom of the Opera, Six and Hamilton.
I was hopeful to also complete the Samford in London semester program, but I was unable to commit because of my course schedule. After London, I still needed my fine arts and humanities general education course credits. Luckily for me, Samford Abroad offers several May term and summer programs to fulfill each of those requirements.
My sophomore year, I applied for the Arts in Society in Montreal program to earn my fine arts credit. Once accepted, I packed my bags again, and in May of 2023, became fully immersed in the art, music and theater of Montreal and Quebec City, Canada.
Montreal is a lively city full of different cultures, languages and traditions. We visited the 1967 World’s Fair site, went on a mural and food tour, saw a Cirque du Soleil performance, and even watched a musical about a potato chip! One of the many highlights of the trip was seeing the AURA Light & Sound Show in Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica.
Our required reading, Two Solitudes, gave us a deeper understanding of the cultural divide between the French and English communities in this area. It demonstrated how language, identity and culture have shaped Canadian society. Canada celebrates these values through the presence of its rich history and culture through art.
This past summer, I traveled to Italy for a program titled Eternal Rome to earn my humanities credit. We first visited Orvieto, a beautiful hilltop town located in the Umbria region of central Italy. We stayed there for four days before traveling to Rome, our home for the remainder of the program.
Upon our arrival, we were put into groups and tasked with locating all the obelisks around the city. An obelisk is a tall pillar with four sides that is used as a landmark to commemorate an important person or event. In Rome, there are 13 obelisks located in piazzas which translates to a public square or marketplace. This was a wonderful introduction to the city and helped us learn how to use the various transportation to find our way around.
Seeing the Colosseum, Pantheon, Vatican and many other famous landmarks for the first time really brought the city to life. It was surreal to walk the same streets that previous generations traveled so long ago and to experience the many other present-day aspects of Italian culture. We had gelato every day and even took a cooking class in which we learned how to make pasta from scratch—a definite highlight of the trip!
These short-term programs allowed me to explore three very different subjects—marketing, fine arts and humanities—each in different global locations. Samford has exceptional programs and professors that enabled me to explore these disciplines in distinct cultural contexts. I also met so many amazing people on these travel excursions, many of whom will be lifelong friends. Each program broadened my horizons and taught me about myself and my place in the larger world around me.
Freshmen, sophomores, juniors and prospective students as well, I urge you to look through our 2025 program offerings and apply for the adventure that awaits you. Go farther!
Applications open on Friday, Oct. 18, and will close on Thursday, Dec. 5. Visit abroad.samford.edu for more information and stop by our office in Brooks 221 with any questions.
Stay tuned to hear from more students who share their unique travel experiences in our new blog, Sincerely, Samford Abroad.
