Identity Abroad with Syracuse Abroad

Students can explore different academic interests abroad, just like they can on campus! Marion Patsalides ’28, Mechanical Engineering major and Global Security Studies minor, studied in Strasbourg where she could take classes for both her major and minor. She walks us through a day biking around the beautiful city along the rivers, stopping for lunch at a boulangerie, and heading to classes at the local engineering university. Marion also gives advice on not getting a class you want due to scheduling conflicts, a common student experience, and how she ended up loving the class she switched into even more. Tune in to learn how the unexpected can be the best part of your experience, if you roll with the punches!

In this special bonus episode of the pod, Delaney and Emma sit down one-on-one to go behind-the-scenes of the podcast! They share the origin story behind the pod, thank the awesome people that help make it happen, and discuss what they’ve learned the most from guests. Tune in now to get deep on the impact of study abroad, travel and connecting to others across cultures and borders.

Dual majors in Whitman and Newhouse have to plan carefully to study abroad, but when it works it is so worth it! Victoria Chen ’26 joins the pod this week to discuss how she balanced two majors, an internship, and more while studying in London. She talks about learning a different work culture while helping run a theater, meeting celebrity actors, loving a Sunday roast, traveling to Wales, and so much more! Tune in now to hear Victoria’s best advice for anyone studying abroad in the future.PS Delaney announces a new paid internship program through Syracuse Abroad!

Studying abroad provides the opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture like no other travel experience can. But it’s not always easy to do! This week Brianna Gjongecaj ’26, a Strasbourg alum, and Peyton Foley ’26, a Florence alum, join the pod to talk about how they navigated connecting to their host city. The group talks about becoming a regular at a neighborhood restaurant, making local friends through speed-dating, speaking at the grocery store in the local language, and so much more. The big lesson learned? Everyone needs to talk themselves out of their nerves!

Traveling as much as you can while you’re studying abroad is one of the most unforgettable parts of the entire experience. Some students visit a different country every weekend, others try to get off the beaten path to go somewhere less traveled. Three amazing alums - Olivia Fried ’26, Keira Bowers ’27, and Gabriela Peniston ’26 - join the pod this week to talk about their wild travel adventures. They share tips for traveling solo, stories about going the wrong direction (oops), and how to keep a very detailed Notes app itinerary. Their journeys include traveling to Iguazu Falls from Santiago, to Giza from Madrid, and to Austria from Florence. Listen now to get ready for your future adventures!

Studying abroad brings all sorts of new love into your life…and sometimes even brings you a partner! Elena Cooper ’25 G’26 and Mason Burley ’27 first met on a short term program, “Experiencing Education in Rural and Urban Settings in Kenya,” and have been traveling the world together ever since. They talked to Emma and Delaney about showing each other their respective study abroad host cities - London and Wroclaw - and how it feels to navigate periods of long distance. Tune in now to feel the love for travel and the people we meet along the way!

Music, theater, art and so much more give students studying abroad a gateway into new cultures. Rachel DuBrow ’28 and Greta Kirby ’26 join the pod this week to share their experiences immersing themselves in the arts of Santiago, Strasbourg and London! Listen now to learn about how music illustrates a place’s history, seeing Jonathan Bailey in Richard II on the West End, bringing American theater to Strasbourg, and so much more. Get inspired for the incredible experiences you can have when you study abroad!

One of the most exciting and meaningful aspects of travel is eating authentic, local food. Ava Downey ’26 and Elena Cooper ’25 G’26 join the pod this week to talk about all their favorite culinary adventures during their studies abroad. They talk about breaking fast during Ramadan in Morocco, sharing cake and tea after kayaking through Stockholm, family meals in Kenya, and so much more. The group dives into beverages, too, sharing stories about special tea and coffee cultures. Listen now to take a culinary journey around the world!

Jacquelyn Trotman ’26 and Lauren Auciello ’26 join this week’s episode to share how they have evolved since their return from their semester abroad in Florence! They speak with Emma and Delaney about carrying the more leisurely pace of life back with them, trying to live in the moment more, and so many other amazing lessons learned from study abroad. If you’re trying to find your footing after your experience of a lifetime, this is the episode for you! 

The Syracuse Abroad podcast returns with an extra-special, LIVE edition! In collaboration with New Student Programs, Emma, Delaney and our guest Marc Pantano ’26 share experiences and tips in conversation with new students as part of Winter Welcome Week. Marc, who studied abroad in Madrid, talks about thrifting in Europe, winning an award for being the most involved, and planning his classes as a Whitman student. This is a great starting point for anyone dipping their toes into the study abroad process! Don’t forget to listen to the end for questions directly from the audience.

Anna Lupardo ’26, our host Emma’s best friend, joins the pod for the final episode of the semester! Anna and Emma chat about studying abroad away from your friends, since Anna was studying in Madrid while Emma was in Poland, while building a new found family abroad. The group also shares favorite holiday memories (‘tis the season!), having the support of a Syracuse program, and traveling to unite new friend groups. Plus: Emma reveals where she almost studied abroad instead! Tune in now for our most intimate episode yet and join us again in 2026!

Architecture students at Syracuse University get education and inspiration in international design through studying abroad all over the world. Samantha Wilson ’27, joins the pod this week to share her experience studying architecture in Florence and beyond. The group talks about awesome field trips, Sam’s favorite class (which traveled through Bosnia!), comparing architectural styles across time and space, and so much more. Sam also goes in depth about her studio project, which was redesigning an abandoned dairy farm in Sardinia, Italy. Tune in today to get the full experience of studying architecture abroad!

This week, Xanthe Kakaras ’26, Communications Design major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, joins the pod to share her journey to London this spring and then to Florence in the summer! She explained the classes she took in her special Design-oriented program, getting artistic inspiration from the exciting cities around her, and gaining a new, unique perspective. Xanthe also talked about her cool internship in Florence with a jewelry designer, who she helped with growing the business and even planned a whole photoshoot (with her friends at Syracuse Florence as the models!). Tune in now to learn more about being a VPA student abroad and how to make study abroad work for you!

Alison Wu ’26, an Information Management and Technology major, joins the podcast to tell us everything we need to know about studying abroad as an iSchool student! Alison shares her stories from Waseda University, a World Partner program in Tokyo (she changed majors to do this program!), and Eurotech, a short-term program specifically for iSchool students. We dive deep into the clubs she joined in Japan, the nonstop travel of Eurotech, and how she made two study abroad experiences work with her major. Tune in now to hear about Alison’s whirlwind experiences around the world!

Educating future generations requires School of Education students to understand the greater world around them. Elyas Layachi ’27, Mathematics and Inclusive Education major, traveled all the way to Italy on the “Inclusive Schools and Society: Lessons from the Italian Context” short-term program to gain a new perspective on education. He joins Emma and Nico on the podcast to share about his experience, where he learned how Italy has created one of the most inclusive education systems in the world. Elyas also talks about traveling and learning alongside InclusiveU students, on the first fully inclusive program at Syracuse Abroad! His pro tip: Bring really good shoes to Italy! Tune in now to hear more about this unique experience abroad.

Study abroad shows you that there is something incredible to learn in every corner of our world. Miles Scherer ’27, International Relations and Environment, Sustainability and Policy major, joins the podcast this week to share everything he learned about the planet on SIT Madagascar. He had the incredible opportunity to visit national parks and study natural resources management in a small island nation where 90% of all living plants and animals cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Miles and our host Emma Poper chat about the importance of learning the local language, stepping outside your comfort zone and meeting like-minded people on a small program. He even tells the story about how he saved turtles from smuggling! Tune in now to hear about this incredible adventure in Madagascar.

The sports industry is global, and when Falk College students study abroad, they gain an invaluable understanding of new sport markets. Claire Patin ’26, Sport Analytics major, knew she wanted to study abroad, so she headed to London to get the experience of a lifetime. Claire joins the podcast this week to talk about making abroad work as a Falk student, her internship with a major-league sports data company (working with the Premier League!), and getting to attend games in the UK. She also talks about her favorite spots in London and why studying abroad in the fall was the absolute best (perfect weather + holiday markets!). Tune in now to learn about Claire’s experience and let it inspire your study abroad adventure.

From Discovery Florence to SRAS: Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, Sarah Schreiber ’26 has studied abroad all over the world. She even took a gap year in Germany, spent a summer in the country of Georgia, and had an internship for a semester in Washington, D.C. She joins our host Emma Poper to share how each of these experiences impacted her differently, changing her understanding of the world around her. Sarah also gives advice on learning the local language, establishing a routine abroad, and navigating challenging cultural differences. Listen now to learn more about her world travels!Note: Due to a technical issue, this episode cuts off the last minute of conversation. We apologize for the inconvenience. 

In today’s world, our businesses are all impacted by global economics, supply chains, and more. On this episode, we dive into studying abroad for students in the Whitman School, with help from two program alumni. Our guests are Frances Brown ’27, finance and television, radio, and film major; who studied abroad on the Whitman Core program in London as a sophomore, and Jed Stockdale ’26, business analytics major, who studied in London in the fall of his junior year. Both share their love for the city, immersing themselves in the hustle of London, and everything they learned in their Whitman classes and unique electives. We also bring back a beloved segment - study abroad fails! Tune in now to hear both our guests’ and our hosts’ London travel misses.

Studying abroad is crucial for professional development for Newhouse School students! With so many opportunities for learning about communications around the globe, it can be hard to narrow down your options. Jude Bazerman ’26, broadcast and digital journalism and geography major, joins the pod this week to tell us all about his experience in London, where he explored every nook and cranny of the city. Emma also shares about her two journalism internships in Central Europe, where she worked with Ukrainian refugees in Poland. They share what they learned abroad that they couldn’t have learned anywhere else! We end with a question from a Newhouse major studying abroad in Strasbourg right now. Spoiler: Jude’s pro tip is to journal about your experience!

Landon York ’27 joins the podcast this week to talk about his experience on the Florence Center: Engineering program! He tells Emma and Delaney about managing his course load, where he got to travel, why he picked Italy and more. Delaney also shares details about the other study abroad programs that are perfect for Engineering and Computer Science Majors. Landon also answers a question from Margaux, an ECS major abroad right now in Strasbourg.

Have you ever wondered, “How can I study abroad with my major?” Our new series will visit every school and college at Syracuse University to speak with students about how study abroad worked with their major - and even changed their lives. We begin with Arts & Sciences and Maxwell School, featuring Sarah Santiago Ruiz ’27, Neuroscience and Biology double major and Madrid Health and Sciences program alum, Kyle Henry ’26, Art History major and Florence alum. Hosts Emma and Delaney also share their experiences as Maxwell students! Sarah and Kyle reflect on how hands-on opportunities (Scuba diving in the Mediterranean! Seeing Leonardo da Vinci’s art in person!) brought new meaning and passion to their chosen careers.

The Syracuse Abroad podcast returns with a new host behind the mic – Emma Poper ’26! Emma is an alumna of the Exploring Central Europe program, and she invited two friends from her program – Winter Cameron ’27 and Katya Kauth ’26 – to join her on the first episode of our new season. They discuss their favorite things from Poland (mostly obsessing over Żabka) and how their journey through Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic changed their views of the world. They also answer a question straight from a student about to leave for Central Europe in our new segment! If you want your question answered, DM us on Instagram.Trigger Warning: This episode discusses the Holocaust and World War II.

From first impressions to final farewells, host Sebastian Talib closes this season of Identity Abroad with his best friends from studying in London, Tynan Weathers ’25 and Michaela Fry ’25. Sebastian shares how Tynan and Michaela actually inspired his passion for the podcast, bringing it all full circle. They reminisce about their favorite memories from London and talk about how they’ve stayed friends through semesters apart in Los Angeles, Rome and Melbourne. Though Sebastian will be very missed on the pod, these seniors are bonded for life and are off to do amazing things. If you’ve ever wondered how you’ll make friends while studying abroad, even if you don’t know anyone going into the program, this is the episode to listen to!

Scandinavia gets its moment in the spotlight on this week’s episode of the podcast! Cheryl Olanga ’25 and Nafisa Jeilani ’26 bring us along as they recount their journeys in Denmark though DIS Copenhagen. They rave about their classes, trips to visit Spotify headquarters in Sweden and see ancient art in Greece, and embracing “hygge” as the temps get cooler. Both Nafisa and Cheryl share how they learned new things about themselves, reconciling what “minority” means in the US vs Europe, and finding community with other POC students at DIS. They emphasize how you are never alone, no matter where you are. Listen now to learn more about studying abroad in Copenhagen and having the time of your life while abroad!

This week, the podcast completes its tour of the Syracuse Center programs with a conversation about Florence, Italy, with Ananya Sayekumar ’26 and Allie Bamford ’27. Sebastian, Delaney and the guests talk about having FOMO for life back on campus, leaning on your friends and host family, and the simple joy of walking around the cities of Italy with nowhere to go. Ananya dishes on brushing elbows with celebrities at a film festival, Allie shares the secret to finding the best gelato, and they both laugh about learning (and speaking!) Italian. Check out this episode for food recs, good laughs, and fails that bring us to both Pisa and Oktoberfest!

This week, Sebastian finally gets to talk about one of his favorite cities in the world - London, England - with two other alums, Yuelin “Peter” Wang ’25 and Alex Shaffer ’25. The group goes deep, talking about the moments in the city and broader United Kingdom that left them in awe. Sebastian and Peter reconnect over football, Alex reflects on visiting Lockerbie, Scotland, and much more. Alex also offers important insights on managing mobility challenges while living in such a large city. Tune in to learn about their favorite experiences abroad and why you should study in London in the future!

Beautiful beaches, ski resorts, glaciers and volcanoes - Chile has it all for adventurous spirits! Caylin Davids ’26 joins Delaney, a fellow Santiago alumna, and Sebastian to talk about her experiences studying abroad in the heart of South America. Caylin reminisces about traveling through Buenos Aires, Machu Picchu, Patagonia and beyond while taking classes in Spanish at a local university. Caylin and Delaney both agree that one of the best parts is how amazing their director and professor, Mauricio Paredes, was. This weeks’ “fails” include a fistfight that delays a bus and having to slowly reverse a rental car after a wrong turn!

Doing an internship while studying abroad is one of the best and easiest ways to boost your resume! On this episode of the podcast, Emma Poper ’26 and Jordan Kramer ’26, share all about their internships in Poland and England. Between cracking jokes with Sebastian and Nico, this week’s guest host, they talk about how easy the process was, how it’s helped them get future opportunities, and the warm welcome they received from their supervisors. Plus, this weeks’ study abroad “fails” include sleep deprivation, unexpected fines and angry border patrol officers. Tune in to learn more about how and why you should add an internship to your study abroad experience!

After living the dream (read: eating tons of pastries) in Strasbourg, France, Erika Steinhart ’26 and Ta'Nasia Coleman ’26, sit down with Sebastian and Delaney to reminisce. They shared their favorite classes, highlights from the group trip to Paris, and, most importantly, their favorite French eats. Ta'Nasia’s study abroad “fail” (unfortunately) includes stolen luggage, putting everyone else's fails to shame. Tune in to learn more about this quintessential European experience and get inspired for your semester studying abroad!

Did you know Syracuse Abroad offers more than 50 World Partner programs? Shamila Santana ’25 studied abroad all the way in Seoul, South Korea, and on today’s episode joins Sebastian to talk about the World Partner experience. Shamila raves about the support of her program provider, CIEE, talks about challenges with the language, and dishes on her favorite Korean restaurants and stores. At the end of the show, guests and host share how they’ve all been personally victimized by international transportation. If you’ve dreamed of the world beyond Europe, this is the episode for you!

Students have a multitude of study abroad options to choose from, including short-term faculty-led courses that travel all over the world. One of these unique opportunities is “Italian Football: Impact and Outcomes,” which travels through Rome, Milan, Florence and Bologna to study the analytics and management of elite Italian Serie A football (aka soccer!) teams. Jackie Dorchester, Program Coordinator, and Francesco Riverso, Program Manager, both in Sport Analytics in the Falk College of Human Dynamics, join Zachary Silverstein ’26, Sport Analytics major, to talk about the success of last year’s experience and how they are evolving for 2025. They talk with Sebastian about once-in-a-lifetime professional opportunities, opening international sport to their students, and, of course, amazing Italian food!

Bella Corral ’25, who studied abroad at Syracuse Madrid in Fall 2024, joins Sebastian and Delaney to share her story and favorite experiences abroad. Some of the best parts of her time in Madrid included long talks with her host mom, learning the differences between Spanish in Spain and Mexico, and relaxing with friends in Retiro Park. Sebastian also shares his shopping recs in Madrid and Bella recommends some great churro spots. Stay tuned to the end for her study abroad “fail”!

In our last episode of the semester, Lauren Salomon ’26 and Maureen Ferguson ’25 share their insights on everything students need to know before they get on the plane to their study abroad program. Host Sebastian Talib ’25 talks with them about how they picked their programs, what goals they set for each of their study abroad experiences (they’re both study abroad repeaters!) and resources for planning their experiences. Sebastian also finally shares his (very recent) travel fail!

If you’ve ever wondered how to figure out if study abroad is affordable, you’re not alone. In this episode of Identity Abroad with Syracuse Abroad, Emmy Njue ’25 and Allie Fabrizi ’25 talked with host Sebastian Talib ’25 about how they managed their finances on their journeys. They shared their insights on scholarships and aid, including the Gilman Scholarship, and how they made their money last over a full semester in Madrid and Sydney. At the end, they tell stories of how they made it home in one piece during our study abroad “fails” segment!

Welcome to the first official season of Identity Abroad with Syracuse Abroad! Sebastian Talib ’25, our new host, welcomes guests Talia St. Angelo ’25 and Anna Meehan ’26 to talk about the basics of studying abroad at Syracuse University. They share their stories of studying in Spain and Poland, why going in the fall is the best, and their study abroad “fails.” Delaney Van Wey, Campus Outreach Manager at Syracuse Abroad, also shares a brand-new announcement about applications.

Everyone who studies abroad has a unique, personal journey to share. In this new series, we talk one-on-one with a program alum to get their stories, insights and mishaps from wherever in the world they studied abroad. Today, we are talking with Carly Ward ’24 about her experience studying at University College Dublin in Ireland! Carly shares how she made friends on a World Partner program, got into Irish culture and studied abroad as an engineering major.

If you are from the United States, studying abroad may be the first time you experience living outside of your home country. You may have to navigate new cultural norms, stereotypes of Americans and more that’s outside your comfort zone. In this episode, Giana DiTolla ’24, Madison Lamont ’24, Danis Cammett ’25 and Gabriella Terry ’26 discuss how they experienced their respective host cities and tips they learned for understanding their host cultures. Guided by Katie Shaw, Student Services & Inclusion Coordinator and co-lead of the DEIA Student Working Group, at Syracuse Abroad.

Join Alena Slak ’24, Giana DiTolla ’24 and Nishkreenchan Chowdhury ’23 as they discuss their unique journeys studying abroad in Spain. As you prepare to study abroad - in Spain or beyond - this conversation will help you better understand how you might experience culture shock, difficult conversations, loneliness, and other challenges. Guided by Joelle Orecki, International Programs Advisor and co-lead of the DEIA Student Working Group, at Syracuse Abroad.