OIP - Study Abroad Ambassadors

Study Abroad Ambassadors

The following students have been selected as study abroad ambassadors. They have recently participated in UM-sponsored study abroad programs. If you are thinking about studying abroad and have questions about a specific country and/or university, you are welcome to contact the ambassadors.

	Natalie Angell Universidad de Concepción, Chile, natangell@hotmail.com Hi, my name is Natalie and I recently got back from a semester abroad studying Forestry at the University of Concepcion in Concepion, Chile. The rugged landscapes and ancient cultures of South America had fascinated me for quite sometime before taking this trip. Studying abroad enabled me to explore many striking landscapes including the Andes and Patagonia mountain ranges, although what was has been most memorable about my experience was the great opportunity to experience new cultures and establish some lasting friendships both at the university and with my host family.
	Braxton Bittinger Toyo University, Japan, braxtonbittinger@hotmail.comStudying abroad in Japan was essential to my educational experience. It has provided me with the tools and confidence that I need to pursue the career of my dreams! While studying for 10 months in Tokyo Japan I was able to explore the dynamics and complexities of my field of study, business. While gaining communication skills I was also gaining business and culture savvy. I know have the skills and confidence necessary to return to the country and people I have grown to love and admire so much over the years and utilize my education. I think that any one who has a passion for learning and life, studying abroad can be your tool for expansion.
	Brooke Davidson Université de Rennes 2, France, brooke.davidson@gmail.com Bonjour! As your study abroad ambassador I am hoping to exchange experiences with you and get you excited about going on an exchange. I was lucky enough to spend one full academic year in France at the Université de Rennes 2, in the province of Brittany. I also got to stay for the summer in Lille, France. It was an amazing experience, and the language immersion was unlike anything I could have imagined back in the states.
	Megan Graves Université du Maine, France, megang_7@hotmail.com Bonjour, je m'appelle Megan! I spent last semester in the Le Mans, France, right in the middle of the Loire Valley. While overseas, I got to experience all of the wonderful (and sometimes quirky) aspects of French culture. My language skills have vastly improved and I met people from all different walks of life. I think it's important to get out of the fishbowl and taste what other cultures have to offer. This is probably the most opportune time for university students as well; it just takes a little time and effort (and money!) to put it all together. I'd be glad to help anyone who needs it, so don't hesitate to contact me!
	Alice Jones Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaiso, mjpv@juno.comI am a senior studying English Literature and Spanish. During Spring 2006 I studied abroad in Valparaiso, Chile. My experience abroad taught me to be more independent, resourceful, adventurous, and respectful of other people's achievements and challenges. Two of my favorite aspects of life in Chile were the depth that the country's recent political history gives the culture, and the way that the city smelled after it rained-like fresh bread.
	Dave Marucheau University of Chester, UK, dmarucheau@hotmail.com Hey, my name is Dave Marucheau and I spent the entirety of 12 months living in England and exploring the beautiful English countryside of Northwest England with its dazzling Lake District and Wales impressive peaks of Snowdonia. Studying abroad broadened my perception of the global community and encouraged me to become a more independent engaging individual with the bigger world around me. Chester will enable you to take a glance in a meshing of old world Victorian charm and the influx of modern sentiments of an ever changing British culture. Please do not hesitate to pick my brain with inquiries about what it was like to “become a Brit” for 12 months, or anything that may help you. My experiences in Chester have forever changed my life. Study abroad can discover and open new paths in your life that you never would have anticipated. It will leave you expecting the unexpected.Attached is also a picture of me from the lake district.
	Kathleen Schardt University of Waikato, New Zealand, kathleen.schardt@umontana.edu Kia ora - that means Hello in the Maori language...the Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. I spent a semester studying in New Zealand at Waikato University. Waikato is centrally located on the north island within the city of Hamilton. The opportunity to study abroad has proven to be invaluable...to be fully immersed in the culture, customs, and ideals of a country other than your own is an experience that I'd wish for all to experience! *Enclosed is a picture of me, Kathleen Schardt and one of my roommates from overseas, Gina Pierskalla petting seals during a three-day kayak trip in Abel Tasman National Park.
	Breon Rabe Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaiso, Chile, breonrabe@yahoo.com My name is Breon Rabe and I originally hail from South Dakota; yet in the Spring of 2006, I had the opportunity (or excuse) to travel to South America for six months (specifically Valparaiso, Chile) in order to study, travel and experience a new end of the hemisphere. After returning, encouraging others to study abroad is something that I feel very strongly about... it is a time where you become more yourself than you ever have been in a place that is, at first, not remotely connected to you, you begin to care for the world in ways that were incomprehensible earlier, and you return with a world insight and a genuine yearning to know more about people, cultures and actually your own home and relations."
	Rachel Rhine Sophia University, Japan, Rachael Rhine, natanau_jp@yahoo.com My name is Rachael Rhine. I studied abroad in Tokyo, Japan. My major is Japanese. I chose to do this program, to study abroad, because I think it is imperative in the global age the world is entering that people learn to understand each other's similarities and differences. This helps to foster understanding and tolerance, both of which are indispensable to foreign policy in the world today. In the course of this experience, not only did I grow up, learn a lot about myself and life, but I also gained an entirely new respect for the students that come to the university of Montana (or any other foreign university) and a new perspective on life and relationships. And the rewards of this type of experience hugely outweigh the difficulties that you will experience while living and studying abroad. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I would not trade it for anything in the world.
	Noelle Richards Providence University, Taiwan, noelle_richards@hotmail.com My name is Noelle Richards and I totally stepped out of my comfort zone and studied in Taiwan. I had originally decide to go to Taiwan for language studying, and believe me got a fair share of that with four hours of language classes a day on top of other classes. But I wound up coming away from my experience enriched in so many other ways. I had met Taiwanese that were patient with my slow Chinese, I made international friendships that I know will last the rest of my life, and I found that I learned more outside the classroom than could ever be covered inside it. Even though I had some extremely hard challenges during my time in Taiwan, I would do it over again a million times because of how it affected my life.
	May Schlotzhauer Kumamoto University, May Schlotzhauer, mazie18@hotmail.com My name is May Schlotzhauer and I studied at Kumamoto University in Kumamoto Japan on the Southern island of Kyushu. My studies abroad provided me with a chance to improve my language skills as well as pursue some personal areas of interest such as Japanese arts/crafts. It is important to take advantage of opportunities to study abroad (should they arise) because Missoula is a sheltered community that cannot provide students with all the world has to offer.
	Alison Vold Spain, Alison Vold, Universidad de Murcia and Universidade de Vigo, alisonvold@hotmail.com My name is Alison Vold. I spent the last year studying in both Murica and Vigo Spain. It was the most amazing year. I learned more then I ever could have just sitting in a classroom. Studying abroad not only was a great academic opportunity but also great excuse to travel. I met some of the most wonderful people and saw lots of beautiful cities and new cultures.
	Todd W.
	Cora Crecelius Cora Crecelius, Universite de la Reunion, Reunion Island, virgulamos@hotmail.com My name is Cora Crecelius and I spent five months on La Reunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean. The landscape, culture, and overall experience was amazing. I learned so much in my time studying and traveling abroad that I now can't imagine my life without it. I hesitate to say how much I learned about myself and the world, for fear of souding cheesy, but it's absolutely true. The chance to study abroad is a potentially life-changing experience.
	Megan Purdy University of Wales, Aberystwyth, meggiep15@hotmail.com It is almost impossible to put my experience abroad into words. It was magnificent, life-changing. It shook me to the core and because of it I've changed so much for the better. It forced me to find myself.