Alumni Ambassadors

Check out our current alumni ambassador network below!

Abby Spavlik
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
January on the Italian Coast
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Step out of your comfort zone, go out and explore! This could be the one opportunity you have to visit that country and you want to make the most out of it!!
Alex Wong
Stevens Institute of Technology
January in Tokyo - J.F. Oberlin University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Make sure you always know where your passport is! You can have a small bag to keep your belongings close to you.
Alexis Nagy
University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa
Semester in London - University of Westminster
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Make sure to pack the right outlet convertor (England is different from the rest of Europe).
Alicia Godwin
Longwood University
Semester in Rome - American University of Rome
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Take it one step at a time. Going abroad is a big step but it can be one of the best decisions you ever made so enjoy your time and take lots of pictures!!!
Alissa Rumin
University of Denver
Semester on the Italian Coast - Sant'Anna Institute
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Enjoy the spontaneity of Study Abroad! I left for Italy without a list of places I wanted to visit, unlike my peers. Some of my favorite trips were booked only a week in advance because they were cheap and unique locations.
Amanda Chirico
The College of New Jersey
Semester in Edinburgh - Edinburgh Napier University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Be present in the moment and embrace new opportunities!
Angie Cogburn
University of Oregon
Summer in Florence
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! My travel tip would be to connect with everyone in your program no matter how different you all may be, because you might end up meeting your best friends!
Ashlyn Foss
Grand Canyon University
Summer on the Italian Coast
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Go with an open mind and open heart! Take every opportunity you can possibly take and know it is all once in a lifetime.
Ava Kaveh
University of Central Florida
Semester in Tokyo - Toyo University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Make international friends and share your different cultures, foods, languages, etc.!
Bella Van Kalmthout
St. Joseph's University - New York
Semester in London - University of Roehampton
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Take as many photos as possible, you will thank yourself later!
Caroline Kanevski
Hofstra University
Semester in London - University of Roehampton
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Bring a small cross body bag, it will save your life!
Christian Apostol
Stevens Institute of Technology
January on the Italian Coast
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Get travel insurance, it helps!
Daniella Gillespie
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
January in Florence - Florence University of the Arts
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Look on TikTok for easy day trip ideas! They often have great recommendations for location, means of travel, and activities that you may not find on your own.
Elizabeth Kohn
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Summer in Florence
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Use Omio for train tickets! You donu2019t have to validate it that way.
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Walk as much as possible. Walking around is how I found many of the shops, activities, and restaurants while abroad. There are a lot of cool spots that you cannot find online or by taking a cab or bus.
Emily Hay
Coastal Carolina University
Semester in Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Before you book your trips with others, be sure to establish goals and limits. Everyone is traveling with different goals, mindsets, and finances. If you establish these in advance, it ensures that everyone is able to have a fun, memorable trip. Also, if your goals don’t align with others, don’t be afraid to branch off and do things on your own!
Ezra Endamne-Wamba
Santa Clara University
Semester in Florence - Florence University of the Arts
Ask me about my experience
Halle Miller
Augustana University - South Dakota
January on the Italian Coast
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Don’t be afraid to go with the flow! Most times the unplanned events turn out to be the best memories!
Jazzlyn Gonzalez-Ortiz
Grand Canyon University
Semester in Seoul - Sogang University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Leave the city you are studying in! I can't recommend this enough; there are so many things to see and explore outside the immediate city your school is in. I definitely would recommend taking trips on the weekends or during school breaks to go places a bit farther away!
Jenna Phillips
Saginaw Valley State University
Summer on the Italian Coast
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Plan ahead! Become accustomed to transportation, grocery stores, pharmacies, and doctors in your area! While CIS Abroad and your school will give you resources, it never hurts to plan ahead and do some research on your own.
Joshua Grossman
Coastal Carolina University
Semester on the Gold Coast - Bond University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! As soon as the thought comes to mind, just book that flight - then you have no choice but to go!
Kate Jamieson
Bay Path University
Semester in London - University of Westminster
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Setting up my apple wallet so that I could pay from my smart watch was one of the bet things I did abroad. It made tapping in and out of the tube super easy, and I didn't have to worry about my wallet or phone getting stolen out of my hand.
Kate Wilcox
Stevens Institute of Technology
January in Tokyo - J.F. Oberlin University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Don't be afraid to explore less touristy areas, because more often than not you'll find something cool and unique to your trip!
Katie Kelly
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Semester in Costa Rica - Universidad Veritas
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Try to immerse yourself with the people and culture as much as possible! :)
Kayla Dalhouse
Shippensburg University
Summer in Costa Rica
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Always travel with an open mind!
Kelly Bowden
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
January in London - University of Roehampton
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Create an itinerary so you are never lost or confused.
Kemani Scott
College of Saint Rose
Semester on the Italian Coast - Sant'Anna Institute
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Engage with others and make friends everywhere you go! Some of those conversations and experiences will be one of the best parts of your trip.
Kyara Garner
Santa Clara University
Semester in Florence - Florence University of the Arts
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! A good book helps pass the time or pre-downloading movies to watch offline works too.
Laura Renfroe
University of Southern Mississippi
Semester in Seoul - Sogang University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Soak your host country all in and be okay with stepping out of your comfort zone! You will grow so much because of it.
Lily Campbell
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
January on the Italian Coast
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Socialize with the people in your group. I met 3 friends on my study abroad trip who I still talk to & hoping to see soon!
Lily Kilgore
University of Alabama - Birmingham
Summer in Limerick
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Convert your money at a bank before arriving to the airport or country!
Makayla McGill
North Carolina A&T State University
Semester in Thailand - Mahidol University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! 1. It is best to have a hard copy of your visa on you at all times.
2. Only carry around necessities to avoid pickpocketing.
3. Exchange money at the airport.
4. Check if phone company has international passes.
5. Know the transportation app used in your country before getting there.
Margaret Schwab
Texas A&M - College Station
Summer in Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Learn to be bold!
Maria Likowska
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Semester in Florence - Florence University of the Arts
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Make a bullet-point list of your must see/non-negotiable landmarks/activities for each of your trips, especially those where you have limited time, such as day trips to neighboring cities!
Mia Hawkes
Towson University
Semester in Seoul - Sogang University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Vacuum seal all your clothes - it saves so much space in your suitcase, it was the only way I could fit all my clothes!
Mo Pirela
Central Piedmont Community College
January in London - University of Roehampton
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Want to upgrade your travel experience without breaking the bank? Talk to your Uber driver! Strike up a chat with your Uber driver for the inside scoop on hidden gems, top restaurants, and nifty shortcuts. So, ditch the guidebooks and channel the power of local people.
Natalie Hingsberger
Lake Forest College
Summer on the Italian Coast
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Always have a fully charged portable charger!
Neha Konduru
University of Cincinnati
January on the Italian Coast
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Make sure to plan out what visits you are interested in seeing so you can find other students who want to go to similar places!
Nya Washington
University of South Carolina - Aiken
Semester in Seoul - Sogang University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! A picture says a thousand words; a memory says a million. Take pictures, but also live in the moment.
Paige Doherty
University of Florida
Summer in Costa Rica
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Bring a travel journal! Even if you don’t journal regularly at home, it is a great way to stay present during what is a hectic and exciting experience while also giving yourself something to look back on!
Rebecca Donovan
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Semester in Barcelona - Business & Creative Industries
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Don't be afraid to try new things and be open to everything!
Reenie Carroll
Columbia College - Chicago
Semester in Tokyo - Toyo University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip!

Be sure to have a coin purse!

Rylea Hurt
Grand Canyon University
Summer in London - University of Roehampton
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Book things as far in advance as possible!
Sarah Tobia
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Semester on the Italian Coast - Sant'Anna Institute
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Know the transportation to get back to your city before you travel.
Siddharth Bhatia
Stevens Institute of Technology
January in Tokyo - J.F. Oberlin University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Whenever I'm traveling, one thing I always make sure to pack is my little first-aid kit. It's kind of my travel lifesaver. I toss in some band-aids, antiseptic wipes, a few painkillers like ibuprofen, and definitely any meds I need regularly. Oh, and I can't forget stuff for motion sickness or an upset stomach – those have come in handy more times than I can count! It's not like I'm expecting to get hurt or sick, but you know how it is, better safe than sorry. Especially when you're out exploring and might not be near a pharmacy. It's just one of those small things that can really save the day and keep a tiny mishap from turning into a big deal. Plus, it's super easy to throw together. Trust me, it's a game changer!
Sidney Parker
University of Denver
Semester in Newcastle - University of Newcastle
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Go with the flow when traveling and don't let it be too stressful, it will all work out and give loads of good memories and stories regardless of what happens!
Tara Conneely
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Semester in Florence - Florence University of the Arts
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Be flexible with your plans, things may not always work out as you expected but that's when the best memories are made.
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Embrace vulnerability. Being abroad can be a challenging adventure, but accepting that there is so much to experience will help you to appreciate the little moments that will become some of your best memories.
Tyler Martin
Florida Gulf Coast University
Semester in Japan - Meiji Gakuin University
Ask me about my experience
Travel Tip! Don't be afraid to make new adventures by yourself! You'll meet a lot of amazing people along the way.

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