When accountancy student Gyselle Tavizon studied abroad last summer as part of our College of Business’ Global Learning Opportunities (GLO) program, one of her travel goals was to see the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
“I have always dreamed of studying abroad in Europe,” she said. “I made a replica of the Eiffel Tower for a middle school project out of hot glue and used LED lights from Five Below to represent the lights on the actual tower. So, when I saw the actual Eiffel Tower light up in front of me, it was a dream come true.”
For three weeks last summer, Tavizon and a group of Huskie business students experienced the international business environment first-hand by meeting with global companies and learning from their business practices. They discovered insights into the cultural, social and political environments of six different European countries, including France and Italy.
Aside from the more obvious international exposure and cultural education, Tavizon said she also learned more about self-awareness and budget-consciousness through her travels.
“I came on this trip knowing that I had some challenges others might not have. I went overseas with a strict budget, so I knew from the beginning that my experience would look different than some other students who had more expendable income,” she said. “I wasn’t dining out every night, shopping or buying souvenirs to take home. I had to be very mindful of every expense because I didn’t have anyone to fall back on if I needed help in that aspect.”
Tavizon noted that she is proud that she was able to make her dream come true, overcoming financial obstacles along the way. Through scholarships and fundraising, she was able to pay for her trip to Europe
“This trip confirmed something I’ve always known but had never seen so clearly: Not everyone comes from the same background — and that’s OK,” she said. “I always knew there was more to life than just living in the same city you grew up in. It’s one of the reasons why I decided to live on campus in college. I could have easily stayed in my hometown and commuted to a local university but, deep down, I felt like I wouldn’t have learned and grown as much as I did. I was so excited to go overseas and see everything from my perspective.”
Tavizon’s biggest piece of advice for anyone who is thinking about studying abroad, even when obstacles arise?
“Everything will work out in the end,” she said. “As a freshman I would always attend the study abroad fairs and walk around and listen to ambassadors. I would tell myself ‘I want to go at a perfect time,’ but in all honesty, there will never be a perfect time to do anything. Something will always come up when you least expect it to. I had to just rip off the bandage and make it the perfect time to go abroad.”
Learn more about GLO scholarships for business students.
