Student Takes on More Than Traveling Abroad
Posted: November 29, 2016 | Author: Samantha Burfiend | Read Time: 2 minutes
When Southern Utah University’s Grace Schulz, a junior communication major from Oakley, Utah, came to SUU, she quickly realized studying abroad would become a part of her college experience.
“College is such a good time to travel, because you have more time and freedom than you perhaps ever will again,” said Grace. “Not to mention studying abroad for an extended period is such a cool way to immerse yourself in a culture.”
Grace is now enriching herself in Athens, Greece, a place she never expected to study in.
When Grace first started school she wasn’t even sure which major to choose, until she took Intro to TV on a whim, where she was immediately drawn to media and journalism.
Grace attributes much of her drive and interest in her major to Jon Smith, a professor of media studies. “He has challenged me and really helped me think outside of the box to become better at what I want to do,” said Grace.
Smith was really supportive of Grace’s decision to study abroad, suggesting she document her time in Greece like a real journalist to help make the most of her experience. Grace also had encouragement from President Scott L. Wyatt—who when she told she was studying abroad, fist bumped her and asked her for advice on persuading more students to go travel abroad.
Grace has been able to enrich herself into her major in ways she didn’t expect, such as: European media ethics classes, photographing and journaling her time in the country and developing networking skills.
“I am taking a media ethics class, which is an incredibly interesting course anywhere, but it has been really enlightening to see the way American journalism ethics are perceived in another culture,” said Grace.
Grace recently registered for her Spring 2017 class schedule, and is excited to explore more of what SUU has to offer. While being in Greece, Grace has found a new interest in stepping out of her comfort zone to explore the unique outdoor classes at SUU.
For her future, Grace wants to work for a major broadcast network, or use her political science minor to draw her towards political satire journalism.
“I have a lot of potential ideas and I'm just not sure what will pan out yet, but I can't wait to find out,” said Grace.
Learn more about SUU's department of communication.
This article was published more than 3 years ago and might contain outdated information or broken links. As a result, its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
Tags: Student College of Humanities and Social Sciences Study Abroad International Affairs
