I’m Buddy Wilson, and I had the opportunity to spend the Spring semester studying at the University of Botswana in the capital city of Gaborone. Living in Gabs, I experienced local culture, food, and perspectives that I likely would not have considered otherwise. Things moved more slowly there and, to me, felt more simple. Definitely in a good way. That was one of the biggest differences coming from the US. I once went to meet with a professor and tried to start asking academic questions after just a few short pleasantries. She interrupted: “Stop, relax, let’s chat. You Americans are always so quick to get to business.” I found that refreshing.

As an Environmental Science student, I took classes focusing on issues of sustainable development and natural resources locally and globally. My classmates and professors were nearly all from Southern Africa, but the topics were mostly the same as what I’m used to. However, the discussions and perspectives were not. It was awesome to learn about similar issues in such a different way.

Outside of my studies, I got to know a candidate for Botswana’s parliament, and I attended several campaign events and social functions around her village. She taught me a lot about the country’s culture and politics, and I’m rooting for her as the October election approaches. My GLI theme is Culture and Politics, so I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. My understanding of local and global challenges was much improved, and I have a greater appreciation for the nuance of Botswana’s political and environmental issues.

I also got to travel to a few other places in southern Africa, including Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, and Cape Town, South Africa. The wildlife and landscapes are unforgettable, and I encourage everyone to travel to the region at some point. Speaking of things I’d encourage people to do, join the Global Leadership Initiative and spend a semester abroad!

My name is Alyssa Mendez and I am a student majoring in Social Work here at the University of Montana (U of M). Every summer, I return back to Helena, MT to help out at my family’s restaurant, El Vaquero Taqueria. It is only my parents working and running the place from 4 a.m. till 4 p.m. with opening hours beginning from 11 a.m. till 2 p.m.. After receiving news that I had to choose my Beyond the Classroom (BTC) Experience to take in the 2024 summer semester for the Global Leadership Initiative (GLI), I got to work finding an internship or experience that is flexible with my work hours while in the same area as Helena.

I have chosen “Culture and Politics” as my theme for GLI because I found it to be a great way to improve my skills in the Social Work major when the profession aims to work with people of all lifestyles, backgrounds, identities, social challenges, and public health. For my BTC Experience, I took an online learning/internship course through the UM Global Career Accelerator. This online program aims to provide students opportunities to choose one out of four tracks, Digital Marketing, Coding of Web, Data Analytics, and Coding for Data, they want to study in and engage in real-life experiences such as projects for companies (Uber, Netflix, airbnb, Zillow, DoorDash, Shopify, etc.) while taking the online learning courses of their chosen track to improve their skills in the digital world. 

Ever since the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, the cost of necessities have gone up to the point communities struggle with maintaining lifestyles in not only Missoula, but across the state of Montana. Housing costs are rising, quantities of food are going down in supermarkets as prices go up, Montanans fear losing access to water due to pricing debates over the source, and there have been more unhoused residents than ever before. To address these challenges, GLI requires their students to come up with a Global Challenge that connects to their theme. So, I chose to address financial barriers within politics as my Global Challenge and studied ways of breaking these barriers through the Digital Marketing track in order to improve accessibility to basic needs as it correlates to one’s quality life. 

The Global Career Accelerator was truly a life saver and very flexible! All you need is a laptop with a camera and internet. The program was very helpful in getting students situated in the course with assistance from coaches, video meetings scheduled only twice a week, and learning modules that are required to be completed online. For the Digital Marketing course, the experience is broken in two parts; the first part is teaching students the basics of digital marketing, such as understanding customer personas, discounts, how to set up a website, and following brandbooks while the second part focuses on social media, creating campaigns, reading sales statistics, and budgeting.

I am grateful for this overall experience for providing me not only the time and flexibility to manage work and help my family out, but for the in-depth teachings of Digital Marketing I can apply towards Social Work. I would highly recommend anyone to take this online experience if they are searching for flexibility for their work and school.

My name is Aine Fannon and I studied in at University College Cork during the spring semester. Leaving the white winter of my home in Vermont I was greeted with the green grass and mild temperatures of Ireland. Immediately, Cork proved itself to be a welcoming and accessible city. I was able to take the train from Dublin and easily get to my accommodations in Cork.

Checking into my room I realized that I was truly in a new place and was going to be there for a while. The tiny room with my bed, bathroom, desk and closet squeezed in was overshadowed by the floor to ceiling window that overlooked the Lough. That first day I was just happy to be done moving around and to be able to see more of the city without having to leave my room. By the end of my time there I had spend countless hours at the Lough, watching the swans or sunset or enjoying a piece of cake that a friend and I had brought from a restaurant in the city center. Before I could enjoy that though I felt in desperate need of a call to my parents, a good cry, and then a really long nap.

At UCC I was able to take classes that focused on my theme of Global and Public Health. I took a class that compared the health systems of Ireland, France, and the United States. This class allowed for me to not only learn about the Irish and French health systems but to learn about my own health system through an outsiders perspective. In this class there was me (a US student) a French student and the Irish students. I felt incredibly lucky to be able to have all of the countries represented as we were able to talk about the practical experience of the health system and challenges that may not be known otherwise.

In addition to exploring Cork City, I often spent weekends seeing other parts of of Ireland or other cities in Europe. I think that this gave me a lot of confidence as I was truly on my own for the first time. This travel always required planning with friends around what to see, where to stay, and the best way to get there. One of my favorite memories was in a pub in Kildimo Village, outside of Limerick, where a local band played “Wild Montana Skies”. I feel so much more comfortable doing new things by myself, a skill that has long evaded me. While there were some lonely times and bouts of homesickness, I came out of this experience a stronger, more independent person.

Hi there, my name is Aidan Rasmussen and I’m a Management Information Systems major here at the University of Montana. My study abroad experience in Ireland, as part of the Global Leadership Initiative (GLI) at the University of Montana, provided a valuable opportunity to delve into the relationship between technology and society in a new cultural context. With a focus on “Technology and Society,” I spent my semester at University College Cork, where I engaged in both academic and extracurricular activities that deepened my understanding of how technology can be leveraged to improve lives.

It was very hard at first to adapt to the culture and customs of Cork, especially after a very long Atlantic flight. Luckily UCC has an awesome way of integrating new study abroad students with others. Through their hosted parties, trips, and events, it was quick to make friends and adapt to the local environment.

At UCC, I joined the Consulting Society and the Economics Society, where I participated in research projects examining the impact of Irish policies on local communities. A key focus was on how major technology companies, such as Apple, Facebook, and Google, have established a significant presence in Ireland, influencing the economy and contributing to infrastructure projects, particularly in housing. Cork, like many cities, is facing a housing crisis, and these tech giants are playing a crucial role in addressing this challenge. This experience provided me with firsthand insight into how technology and policy can intersect to create positive societal outcomes.

In addition to my academic pursuits, I took time to explore Ireland’s rich history. Visiting landmarks like Blarney Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, and the Rock of Cashel gave me a deeper appreciation for how Ireland’s past continues to shape its present. These historical experiences enriched my understanding of the cultural context within which modern technological advancements are being implemented.

Cultural engagement was another significant aspect of my time in Ireland. The Irish people’s warmth and openness made it easy to connect and engage in meaningful conversations any and every topic. Through these interactions, I gained a deeper understanding of how the Irish perceive and utilize technology, particularly in relation to economic and social challenges. Besides these topics, it was evident how welcoming the locals, especially in Cork, are.

Although, I was advised in order to experience the full culture, I would have to eat a full Irish breakfast. Black pudding is not my favorite, but I can say I did experience the full Irish culture.

My involvement in the Consulting and Economics societies also contributed to my leadership development. Leading research teams in joint collaboration and working with peers from diverse backgrounds reinforced the importance of adaptability, effective communication, and cultural sensitivity—skills that I feel are essential. This experience has not only enhanced my academic and professional capabilities but also prepared me to take on future challenges in the field of technology and society.

The hardest part, which soon became the easiest, was first bridging the gap between different cultures in order to move towards a common goal. Especially since I worked with some individuals where English was not their native language. This led to misunderstandings and some hilarious moments, but a good attitude and positive demeanor was essential to climbing that wall.

In reflection, my study abroad experience in Ireland was profoundly impactful. The insights I gained into the intersection of technology and society, along with the rich cultural and historical context of Ireland, have significantly shaped my perspective. The friendships I made and the sights I saw will stay with me forever.

Hello my name is Ella, and with the generosity of the Global Leadership Initiative I was able to follow my dreams of creating a Literary Field Guide! What the heck is a Literary Field Guide ? You might ask, well let me tell you about it.

After a year of visiting The Moon-Randolph Homestead, I compiled a list of historical and culturally significant plants to highlight in my Field Guide, which is just like any other field guide, but rather than having a soul focus on the taxonomic descriptions of each plant, its main goal was to highlight the connections between people, place, and plants, using poetry as a tool for emotional expression. A Literary Field Guide is a collection of poems for various different plant species on the Homestead. It also includes a brief history of the location, and how that may shape the plants living on the landscape now.

Yarrow, like soft music in your lungs, a scent that lingers on long after its gone.

Many of the plants have histories on the land longer than the city of Missoula does, like Yarrow, Bitterroot, and Yellowbells. They carve out stories from time through their relationships with other beings living on the land. With that being said there are various plants that are new to the land, brought with colonialism, and settled just as we did. It was a challenge to tell these stories, and explore my own relationship with the plants. I am white, of settler decent, and it was most important to me that I was uplifting indigenous histories and not appropriating culture.

I spent the fall and spring semester of 2023-2024 visiting The Homestead learning all that I could about the cite, past caretakers, and the land before colonization. I pruned, harvested and sat with plants, I listened to them interact with one another. I watched a Magpie stumble beneath the 100 year-old orchard drunk off plum. I made friends with a chicken who came to greet me at my car everyday, and I enjoyed so many meaningful conversations with Katie, one of the current caretakers.

This project was so meaningful to me and I owe so many thanks to all of the lovely human and non-human beings that made this Field Guide possible.

My name is Rosie Sterk and I study Finance and Economics here at UM. My GLI theme is Culture and Politics and for my Beyond the Classroom Experience over the summer of 2024 I created my own project around networking. I decided to explore this topic more because I feel like people emphasize the importance of networking a lot, especially in the world of business, but there is very little direction on why or how to do it. Over the three months of summer I started small with people that I knew, family, friends, professors and slowly I was able to expand my network as my immediate network was able to connect me with people in their network. I learned how to send introductory emails and how willing people often are to share their experiences and journey. I learned the importance of sending followup emails and to professionally connect with them via LinkedIn after. And I learned that these conversations are often more more impactful in person – being based back home in Scotland meant that I was able to experience networking with people over coffee and lunch as well as over Zoom with people in America or around the world.

The timing of this project was perfect. Hearing a wide variety of perspectives, and from people in different stages of their professional careers was great. Across the board people highlighted the importance of not getting too comfortable, to make sure you are always learning and to trust those who believe in you. Networking requires time and effort to make and retain connections, but each person I spoke to said that at least once in their careers, knowing the right person helped them on their way to getting a job.

Hi! My name is Maya Franscella and I’m a Communications major here at the University of Montana. Over the summer of 2024 I completed an Internship at the Irish Georgian Society in Dublin Ireland. It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. I chose this internship because my global theme is culture and politics and I focus on intercultural communications with my major. An internship with an organization that focuses on conservation, education, and restoration of their countries culture was the perfect fit for me. When I first arrived in Ireland I did experience serious culture shock. The amount of doubt a person goes through when experiencing culture shock is really scary. There were moments when I didn’t know if I would ever adjust to the country I was in. But with time and experience I felt more and more comfortable with my environment and I gained confidence with help from my friends I met along the way and a stable work routine. During my time at work I learned a lot about my own work style as well as how to adapt to a professional work environment. I was given many projects as well as responsibility during my time at the IGS. I was their archival database analysis as well as their survey designer and I was incharge of the data report at the end of the survey. I had all of those responsibilities at the same time and I didn’t know if I would be able to do a good job doing all of that. But I surprised myself and my coworkers and was able to find a good flow and balance my projects pretty well. It’s given me a lot of confidence in my abilities and what I could offer going forward in a future career. Not to mention, I was able to learn so much about Ireland and the architecture thanks to my coworkers and work environment. It helped me learn and appreciate all I could of Ireland and what it had to offer. Overall I am so grateful for this experience and everyone who helped and supported me through the process.

My name is Ava Heintzelman and I work in Kasper Hanson’s neuroscience research lab at the UofM campus. For my beyond-the-classroom experience, I continued researching, which included genotyping different mice genomes. The goal was to take the various types of mice genomes found and compare them to others to determine if certain expressions lead to certain psychological diseases. What is pictured is my lab station where I run and do the genotyping. Getting ready to genotype mice DNA. Experimenting with the 3A knockout sequencing, excited to see if it will work. a loaded gel with a DNA ladder (far left), each different mice DNA constructs made by me, and wild type (far right). Then I used it with an illuminating device with a wavenumber around 250 to see expression. Trying to test and see if Gin is present. Running the gel is what is pictured next in an 8% solvent, and the last picture is the gel when it has come to completion and imaging is going to take place.

I was extensively grateful for this experience, and I learned that I love science and I am excited to learn and grow more within the field.

Hello! My name is Annabelle Brown, and I am an Environmental Science major. During the spring of 2024, I studied abroad in Wellington, New Zealand. It was amazing! Known for mountains that meet the sea, New Zealand provided me with the opportunity to experience an entirely new landscape while still enjoying many of the outdoor activities I love. With Sustainability as my GLI theme, I was able to explore how human activity is impacting the country’s expansive fluvial systems. Between exploring the island and broadening my education, I experienced an incredible amount of growth during my semester in New Zealand.

Turns out that moving to another country is incredibly hard! I had never lived outside of Montana, and I finally learned what it feels like to be homesick for a place and the people it holds. After struggling through a flight around the world and plenty of visa trouble, I opened the door to my empty room. The walls were stark white, my mattress lay bare on the frame, and nothing felt familiar. Exhausted, I set down my suitcases and wondered if I had made the right choice. After a few weeks and a lot of new experiences and faces, I grew to understand that the next five months would be magic.

The time I spent both alone and building friendships shaped me into a better, more equipped human being. Nothing could have prepared me for the amount of independence I was about to gain as I navigated what felt like a whole new world! Luckily, people were going through very similar situations. My new friends and I bonded as we compared who had the biggest time difference, tried new foods, and wandered around the beautiful city of Wellington.

My favorite part of going abroad was building new relationships. My friends and I traveled throughout the North and South islands of New Zealand every chance we got before visiting Australia and Japan. It was a privilege to see how other nations go about life, and I feel extremely lucky to have found such amazing people from all over the world. As my old systems of support faded away, I learned to ask questions I had always relied on others to figure out. Public transportation, once a very confusing and scary proposition, became an ally. Most importantly, I learned to not only adapt to a new situation, but thrive!

Traveling abroad was one of the scariest things I have ever done. There were tears, many days alone, and an overwhelming amount of new information. It was also undeniably one of the best, most life-changing decisions I have ever made. My white walls were soon filled with pictures, postcards, and a whole lot of love. When I flew away from the musical, beautiful, windy city of Wellington, my heart sank the same way it did when I boarded my flight out of Missoula months prior. What an incredible way to discover that home is everywhere.