Below is the 2018-2019 Peer Advisor team. Peer Advisors live and breathe study abroad, have a wide variety of experiences & backgrounds, and would love to talk to you about your study abroad plans.
- Want to ask one of them about their program or experience abroad? Go for it! That’s the reason their email addresses are listed in their bios.
- * Denotes the student is enrolled in the International Plan
- Think you’ve got what it takes to be a Peer Advisor? We’re currently accepting applications for fall 2019 – apply today!
*Amara Anderson – Literature, Media and Communication; 4th year / Duluth, GA / Serve-Learn-Sustain in Spain; Exchange – University of Sussex (England)
Going abroad on both a faculty-led and exchange program gave me the best of both worlds! I was able to learn about Spanish culture, improve my Spanish speaking and learn about sustainability while also getting to volunteer with an organization that gives me experience for my future career endeavors. I also was able to study in England while earning credits that kept me on pace to graduate. It has always been a dream of mine to travel and learn! If you want to learn more about the International Plan, studying in Spain or England, or even about studying abroad as an LMC major, feel free to reach out! Email me at: aanderson75@gatech.edu
Kelsa Anderson – Electrical Engineering; 3rd year / Bremen, IN / China Summer Program, GT-Lorraine; Exchange: University Carlos Tercero III in Madrid, Spain
I chose to do these programs because they offered classes relevant to my major, so I could still complete my degree in 4 years. They all offered me unique experiences and exciting adventures. I learned so much about myself and other cultures during my time abroad. I really enjoy hiking and playing soccer, and luckily, I got to do plenty of these on each of my study abroad programs. If you have any questions about traveling, learning how to navigate a new city, or need help picking a program, I would love to help! Email me at: kanderson86@gatech.edu
Jessie Berry – Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering; 4th year / Fort Collins, CO / Exchange: University of Cape Town, South Africa
I chose to do an exchange program in South Africa because I wanted to be fully immersed in a new culture. I lived with a host family, and although the classes were in English, I was able to hear and learn Afrikaans and Xhosa. I took engineering and humanities classes that all transferred to my degree. The South African professors were very welcoming and I loved expanding my global perspective by learning from them and other students. The campus is located on the side of a mountain, with views of the City Center, and surrounded by the ocean! Hiking, surfing, safaris, and exploring the city were my favorite things! Questions about my experience? Email me at: jberry42@gatech.edu.
*Christian Brice – Computer Engineering, Japanese Language Studies minor; 4th year / Japan LBAT; Research Apprenticeship/Exchange: Tokyo Tech, Japan
I love photography and videography, often accumulating hundreds of pictures before I even have the time to sort through them all. As a child, I traveled a lot because of my dad’s job and was able to experience a wide variety of cultures. Those experiences are what ignited my passion for exploring cultures across the globe. I’ve spent almost 2 years at various study abroad programs in East Asia including Hong Kong and Japan. My research apprenticeship/academic exchange at Tokyo Tech allowed me to work at a robotics lab for a year and gain invaluable experience in the field. Questions about my experience? Email me at: cbrice6@gatech.edu.
Emily Chang – Biomedical Engineering; 3rd year / Houston, TX / Exchange: University Carlos Tercero III in Madrid, Spain; Global Internship – Czech Republic
Hola! I love traveling, food, and new experiences, which meant studying abroad was perfect for me. Both my study abroad program and global internship were uniquely incredible and have been my best college experiences thus far. As a BME major, it was extremely difficult to find a program where I could take relevant classes, but through creating a 4-year plan I was able to figure out a schedule and still graduate in 4 years. Please reach out to me if you need help finding a program and creating a schedule, or if you just want to talk about the tapas in Spain! Email me at: echang48@gatech.edu.
Mihir Dhoot – Industrial & Systems Engineering & Economics, French minor; 2nd year / Johns Creek, GA / GT-Lorraine (France); Exchange: Warsaw School of Economics, Poland
I’ve always loved traveling, so choosing to study abroad was a relatively easy decision for me; however, I was blown away by how many different options I had. I eventually chose to go to GT-Lorraine to improve my French speaking skills and receive ISYE and ECON class credit during the summer of 2017. I then did an exchange program with the Warsaw School of Economics in Poland during the fall of 2017, where I made an incredible array of new friends and memories and received ECON credit for classes offered in English. Feel free to ask me about pierogis, the Eiffel Tower, or anything else about my experiences abroad! Email me at: mdhoot3@gatech.edu.
Chris Dugan – Mechanical Engineering, German minor; 4th year / Asheville, NC / German LBAT; Exchange: Technical University of Munich; Global Internship – Germany
I spent a full year abroad in Germany from May 2017 – July 2018. Following my study abroad programs I did a 3 month internship at a German coal power plant. I had a blast while abroad, and along the way I picked up a German minor, became fluent in German, earned credit towards my ME degree, and gained valuable work experience! It’s an experience I can truly recommend to any students interested in Germany, and I’m excited to help students at Tech learn more about it :D. Auf geht’s nach Deutschland! Questions about my experience? Email me at: cdugan2015@gatech.edu.
Elin Howard – Materials Science & Engineering; 3rd year / Southeast Asia Summer Program; Exchange: UNSW Sydney
I’m half American, half Norwegian and I grew up mostly in Aberdeen, Scotland. I love whitewater kayaking, backpacking and pretty much anything that will take me into the wilderness. From the bustling streets of Bangkok, to the rural farmland of the Mekong Delta, the SE Asia program was highly immersive, exciting and insightful. During my exchange program, I got to travel all over the country and even went to New Zealand! Through my experiences, I have made many connections and memories that I will cherish beyond my time at Georgia Tech. Questions about my experiences? Email me at elinhoward@gatech.edu.
Nithya Koganti – Industrial Engineering; 3rd year / San Francisco / Oxford Summer Program, GT – Lorraine
I’ve been able to go on two faculty-led programs over the past couple summers: the Oxford Program and Georgia Tech Lorraine. I absolutely love traveling and learning about new cultures. Studying abroad has taught me so much about maneuvering public transportation systems, planning trips, and making long lasting friendships. Outside of class, I love going on hikes, practicing yoga, trying new food and watching Gossip Girl. If you’re interested in studying abroad or want to learn more about my experiences, please reach out to me! Email me at nkoganti@gatech.edu.
*Katriella Lumbantobing – Mechanical Engineering, Energy Systems & Korean minors; 3rd year / St. Louis, MO / Exchange: Yonsei University, Korea; Global Internship – Germany
I went on exchange with Yonsei University as part of my International Plan requirements. Living on my own, in a new country, being forced to meet new people and have new experiences, was an experience incomparable to any other I’ve had in my life. I grew in so many ways from my 5 months abroad and I’m excited to help Tech students have similar life changing experiences! Questions about my experience? Email me at: klumbantobing@gatech.edu.
Alex Merck – International Affairs, French & Economics minor; 4th year / Suwanee, GA / French LBAT – Senegal; Southeast Asia Summer Program
Both of my study abroad experiences were really rewarding, educational, and beneficial to my understanding of the developing world and how other people live. Additionally, I really improved my French during my homestay in Senegal. Traveling in foreign countries and having to navigate everyday tasks in a foreign language allowed me to learn so much and gave me a new sense of confidence and independence. Both of these programs changed my life for the better, and I would be happy to answer any questions! Email me at: alexandramerck@gatech.edu.
Sarah Moore – International Affairs, Social Justice minor, Certificates in European Affairs, Social Psychology, & Spanish; 3rd year / Milton, GA / Spanish LBAT – Peru; Spain: Visit & Live it; EU Summer Program
I have gone on three study abroad programs so far in my time at Tech, during which I got to explore the European Union, gain an in-depth understanding of the culture of Spain, and be fully immersed in the language of Peru. While abroad, I earned credits that went directly towards my major and got invaluable experience learning about the world firsthand. I also got the opportunity to push myself in my language studies by living with host families, forcing me to communicate only in Spanish and practice outside of the classroom. Outside of school, I like to play water polo, learn new languages, pet dogs, and– you guessed it– travel. Questions about my experiences? Email me at smoore86@gatech.edu.
*Ariana Morgan – Business Administration; 3rd year / Evans, GA / Argentina Summer Program in International Affairs & Business; Exchange: Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi – Milan
While abroad, I received the opportunity to learn about soccer’s connection with global politics, while emphasizing the economics of the Latin American Global South. With this knowledge, I plan to earn a Latin American Affairs Certificate. Currently, I am a member of the International Plan, so my study abroad adventures will continue! At the moment I’m abroad at the Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi in Milan, Italy. In the future, I plan on attending the French LBAT in Paris. Questions about my experience? Email me at: amorgan46@gatech.edu.
Serah Mungai – Civil Engineering, French minor, 3rd year / Kennesaw, GA via Nairobi, Kenya / French LBAT – Paris & Nice, CEE in the Netherlands: Sustainable Transportation Abroad
My love to explore and adventure is what motivated me to seek a study abroad experience. I received an opportunity to study French language, business, and culture in France, and was also able to travel to seven other cities in other countries, including Nairobi. My favorite part about my time in France was my homestay in Nice with my French grandmére (grandmother) whom I am still in contact with. During this time, I was completely immersed in French culture and my French improved significantly. I learned plentiful and grew immensely during my abroad experience, and I plan on studying abroad again. I hope that by sharing my experiences, I can motivate and encourage others to study abroad and experience life beyond the United States. Questions about my experience? Email me at: smungai3@gatech.edu.
*Grace Oberst – Industrial Engineering, Global Development minor, 2nd year / Marietta, GA / Japan Summer Program in Sustainable Development
I participated in the pilot version of the faculty-led Japan Summer Program in Sustainable Development and spent 12 weeks at Tokyo Tech studying sustainability using problem-based learning with GA Tech students, as well as Tokyo Tech Students. I’m also passionate about learning foreign languages – so far I’ve studied French, Korean, and Japanese – and I hope to intern globally, especially in Japan. Some of my hobbies include creative writing, playing violin, and hiking. On campus, I’m involved with Erato (literary-arts journal), SWE, and Engineers for a Sustainable World. Questions about my experiences? Email me at: grace_oberst@gatech.edu.
Nastasia Porres – Biomedical Engineering; 2nd year / Jackson, NJ / Barcelona Fall program
I participated in the (first ever) Barcelona Fall Study Abroad program, where I lived and studied at the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona. Apart from classes, I was able to visit 6 different cities in 4 different countries while also becoming very familiar with the Spanish lifestyle and the city of Barcelona. On top of being able to travel around Europe, the best part of my experience was the friendships I made with the other students on the program. At first I thought exploring a new country with people I had never met before was crazy, but by the end I made 30 new best friends that I now get to have fun with at Tech! Now, as a study abroad peer advisor, I hope to help other students have rewarding experiences too! Email me at: nporras3@gatech.edu.
*Timothy Purvis – Mechanical Engineering, French minor; 3rd year / Houston, TX / French LBAT; Exchange: EPFL Lausanne, Switzerland; Global Internship: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
My first international experience at GT was the French LBAT, which I used to finish my French minor. The last was an internship in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where I worked to make agricultural equipment for rural farmers. My interests are in sustainable development, clean energy, and using engineering for humanitarian goals. Outside of class my hobbies include playing golf, participating in on-campus ministries, learning languages, and all the college football that I can pack into a week.” Questions about my experience? Email me at: tpurvis6@gatech.edu.
*Amelia Rousseau – International Affairs; 4th year / Suwanee, GA / China LBAT; Exchange – National University of Singapore
I had the opportunity to study Chinese in China on the China LBAT and do an exchange semester at the National University of Singapore. I truly believe I flourished more abroad than I could have ever expanded my horizons on campus at Tech. I met amazing people from all over the world and gained invaluable communication and social skills. I was able to visit so many places and immerse myself in cultures I had never experienced before. Seeing my international affairs major come to life was an incredible experience and I hope I can share it with all of you interested in studying abroad. Questions about my experience? Email me at: arousseau3@gatech.edu
*Drew Salazar – Computational Media; 4th year / Japanese LBAT; Exchange: Malmö Universitiet – Malmö, Sweden
Konnichiwa! Hej! Hi! I spent the summer of 2017 in southern Japan, in the moderately-sized town of Beppu in the Oita prefecture, studying Japanese language and culture. While in Japan, I studied the local language and culture, traveled the country, and experienced a part of the world unlike any other. A few months after that, I jumped headlong into an exchange program at Malmö Universitiet to study interaction and service design. While in Sweden, I worked with Region Skåne to constructively critique and build upon the region’s pre-existing healthcare service, specifically regarding pregnancy. Moving forward, I am pursuing the International Plan certificate in Japanese language and hope to one day use my accumulated skills to design and develop new and innovative UI and HCI systems for tomorrow’s video games. Questions about my experience? Email me at dsal@gatech.edu.
*Emma Staniforth – Computer Science; 4th year / Chinese LBAT, Barcelona Summer Program; Global Internship: Japan
In my freshman year I never thought I would want to go abroad, it just never really interested me. However, I decided to do the CoC’s summer program in Barcelona because it seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up; relevant coursework, in-state tuition and the safety of a faculty led program. One summer abroad and I was hooked! I had already been considering a Chinese minor so the China LBAT was the natural next step in my international journey. After that I was ready for something a little more independent, so I interned with NTT in Japan doing research in CS. Each program had something very different to offer for me and my career, and each experience has helped me make better use of my next one! I’d love to share that with you, so please don’t hesitate to e-mail me any questions at estaniforth@gatech.edu.
*Blake Tiede – Aerospace Engineering; 4th year / Dunwoody, GA / GT-Lorraine (France); Global Internship – Germany
My semester abroad for the IP I did a Global Internship at Siemens AG in Regensburg, Germany. I had been to Germany before but living in this picturesque city was such an awesome experience. I would recommend global internships to anyone because they add so much experience! My second IP semester abroad was at Georgia Tech Lorraine in Fall 2017. This was interesting because I got to take core Aerospace classes in the wonderful city of Metz, France. This was challenging for me, as this was adding to my continuous time abroad, but was well worth it! I had a great time getting to bond with my peers inside the classes and showing them my IP culture when we were able to visit Germany together. Questions about my experiences? Email me at blaketiede@gatech.edu.
*Johanna Tomkiewicz – Mechanical Engineering; 2nd year / West Chester, PA / Spanish LBAT – Mexico & Peru; Exchange: UC3M, Spain
I’m on the rowing team at Tech and I love water sports. In addition, I’m in the International Plan and working toward a Spanish minor. To fulfill my first study abroad requirement for the IP, I participated in the UC3M Madrid Exchange Program in the Fall of 2017. I had a great time living in Madrid and I had the opportunity to travel to different cities in Spain and in Europe. In the summer of 2018 I will be studying abroad again in Mexico and Peru through two LBAT programs! Questions about my experience? Email me at: jtomkiewicz3@gatech.edu.
*Eric Wang – Industrial Engineering; 3rd year / Johns Creek, GA / AE Limerick Summer Program; Exchange: Tsinghua University (Beijing); Global Internship – Zhengzhou, China
Being an American-Born Chinese person, I saw the International Plan as a great way to reconnect with my roots and heritage while still participating in international experiences. However, nothing could have prepared me for the amazing people I met from all around the world, the sights from cliffs to highlands to ancient ruins to nightlife in the city, the food from a wide array of cultures, and the varied experiences both foreign and familiar. I was able to gain so much more from my international experiences, and would love to help students who are looking into going abroad! Email me at: ewang73@gatech.edu.