Study overseas advisor satisfies curiosity in world journey

Shannon Fitzgerald was bitten by the journey bug at an early age. She grew up in Mount Pleasant, curious in regards to the broader world. When she began finding out at Central Michigan University, she’d already traveled to Europe twice.

Now she works in Study Abroad, serving to college students comply with in her footsteps.

“Travel has had such a profound impact on my life, and it’s exactly what shapes how I approach my role as a study abroad adviser at CMU,” she mentioned.

While a CMU scholar finding out French and cultural and world research, Fitzgerald took a Study Abroad journey to Pau. It gave her a possibility to place her French language abilities to make use of someplace aside from the classroom.

Travel isn’t nearly seeing the sights for Fitzgerald. It’s having experiences that spur private development.

“The things I’ve experienced and the places I’ve seen have given me a perspective that goes beyond a classroom,” she mentioned. “I’ve lived with host families, taught children in rural communities, built friendships with people from countries all over the world and fully immersed myself in cultures very different from my own.

“These experiences taught me how to observe, listen and learn from others. They’ve made me more open-minded, more adaptable and more aware of the world around me.”

She highlights the worth of the expertise itself in speaking to college students about finding out in different nations.

“I want them to understand that studying abroad isn’t just about travel,” she mentioned. “It’s about growth, perspective and discovering who you are outside of everything familiar. I am passionate about encouraging students to take that step, especially those who may feel unsure or think it’s out of reach.”

When she was 18, Fitzgerald took her first solo journey to France. She landed in London and caught a practice to Paris, a metropolis she’d dreamed of visiting rising up. Then she made her technique to Montpellier, close to the Mediterranean Sea, the place she stayed with a bunch household for 3 months.

The expertise taught her the worth of pondering in your ft in unfamiliar circumstances.

“You figure it out,” she mentioned. “You always figure it out.”

A visit whereas she was nonetheless a scholar, however not by way of CMU, offered her with challenges and development.

Fitzgerald taught English to kids in rural Thailand. The language, meals and tradition had been all new. It was a bit overwhelming, she mentioned. The challenges additionally taught her helpful issues about herself that she utilized when working for a Mount Pleasant afterschool program.

She joined the Study Abroad employees final yr and helps college students establish and put together for their very own journeys abroad. She’s additionally enrolled in graduate college, pursuing a Master’s in Higher Education and Social Justice.

That created a nifty perk. Her program has a Study Abroad program that can take Fitzgerald to South Africa this summer time to review training programs in post-apartheid South Africa. She expects to come back again even higher geared up to assist college students join with the world.

“I can confidently tell students that stepping outside of their comfort zone is worth it,” she mentioned. “Not just because I’ve done it before, but because I’m choosing to do it again. “It shows that growth doesn’t stop after one experience, and that there is always more to learn from the world.”

News, Study Abroad