A CAPA Alumni Interview: Edgar Trujillo

Meet Edgar Trujillo, a Sociology major from US Davis who studied abroad in London during spring 2016. Below, he talks about how his internship led him to his current job in higher education, how he stayed active abroad, and how his experience led to positive changes in his confidence and ability to be independent.

CW: Tell us a bit about yourself.
EDGAR TRUJILLO: I grew up in the Monterey Bay of California and received my Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from UC Davis in 2016. Currently, I work for UC Davis as a Program Coordinator for the UC Davis Center for Human Services. I strive every day to provide human service professionals the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to best serve their communities by coordinating the administration of our skill-building workshops. Besides my work, I love to take long drives and hike the breathtaking wonders of California’s National Parks.

In my senior year of college, I came to the realization that if I ever wanted to travel across the globe, I would have to do it with haste. As a young person, I enjoy pursuing situations that provide me a more cohesive understanding of the world, and living for three months in the UK sounded like the perfect opportunity for me.

A CAPA Alumna Interview: Victoria Ruggiero

Meet Victoria Ruggiero, a communication and international business major who studied abroad in London in the summer of 2016. Below, she talks about her love of staying active outdoors, how her internship experience led her to want a job in the international sector, and why she loved living in Camden Town and thinks you would, too.

CAPA WORLD: Tell us a bit about yourself.
VICTORIA RUGGIERO: My name is Victoria Ruggiero; I am from Long Island, New York. I am graduating in May of this year from The State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego with a degree in Communication and International Business. At school, I am a part of the Ski and Snowboarding Club, as well as the Outdoor Club. I really enjoy anything outdoors; I love to hike, bike, swim, snowboard, and soak in the sun. I have an intense passion for traveling to various destinations and exploring new places. This past summer, I had the privilege of studying abroad in London with the CAPA program. Studying and interning in London was the best experience of my entire life. I was able to experience an entirely new culture which allowed me to learn so much about myself, and the world around me.

Words by Emily McGeary, a CAPA alumna who studied abroad in London during Fall 2014, and now works in the study abroad industry.

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After I studied abroad with CAPA London in the fall of 2014, I knew my future career needed to have an international focus. Being in London opened my mind to people and places that were unfamiliar. Suddenly, the broader world became concrete to me and I wanted to continue thinking globally and incorporating cultures outside my own in my daily life back in the United States.

Education has always been important to me. Before studying abroad, my goal had been to work in education administration. I wanted to stay in the university environment and work with college students. I had hoped to be an academic advisor or admissions recruiter, but after I studied abroad, I decided I wanted to help college students see another part of the world like I had the opportunity to do. 

This dream didn’t come to fruition right away. In fact, it would be a long process before I was hired in a full-time position with an international focus. It was something I had to work toward and I needed time to determine the balance between where my skills would be most useful and what kind of positions I was passionate about.

Words by Rose Linehan, a history and education major from Mount Saint Mary College who studied abroad in Florence during summer term 2016. 

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Before going abroad, getting lost in a foreign city sounded like one of the most terrifying things to me. I thought about it a lot and hoped that I would never find myself in such a situation while studying abroad. The second night I arrived in Florence, my friends and I decided to go out and find the CAPA center. We were told it was simple to get to: go straight for five blocks; make a right after three blocks and you should arrive. Well, that was so wrong! We wound up getting lost for over an hour and a half. We were in a random city we knew little to nothing about, we were starting to get hungry, and our feet were killing us. Although this may sound like a nightmare, it was one of the best things that could have happened to us.

Words by Lindsey Spirk, a communications major alumna from the University of Pittsburgh who studied abroad with CAPA Sydney during spring semester 2015.

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My name is Lindsey. I studied abroad in Sydney, Australia my spring semester junior year of college in 2015. Since then, I have graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and am now working with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Studying abroad in Sydney, Australia was undoubtedly one of the best and most fulfilling experiences of my life thus far. From exploring four out of the six states in the beautiful country, to taking selfies with kangaroos, to trying alligator pizza, to seeing a show in the famous Sydney Opera House, to skydiving across the ocean, to interning with a professional sports team, my time in Australia is an experience I will never, ever forget.

Going into college, I had a few goals set for myself that I wanted to accomplish in my four years at the University of Pittsburgh. I wanted to make sure I took full advantage of my time and resources. I knew those four years would help set the stage for me for the rest of my life. Studying abroad was high on my “to do” list. I was so excited to go on this adventure that I remember being in the study abroad office nearly once a week since I was a freshman. I started to learn a lot more about studying abroad and all that was available for me to maximize my time.

Words by Emily Kearns, a CAPA Florence study abroad alumna. Emily will be writing a column called "Remembering Florence" on CAPA World the first Friday of every month.

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I’m officially a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, and I still have a hard time believing those words as they come out of my mouth. Out of all the great times from my undergraduate career, the ones that took place in Florence are those that are the most memorable to me, but the fun times spent abroad are not without lessons learned. The times spent in the amazing city of Florence contributed greatly to my success during the final year of my undergraduate career.

Here’s how:

1. IT GAVE ME CONFIDENCE. Whether it was finding my way around the city by myself, ordering food in Italian, or simply speaking up and talking to new people, I was sometimes placed in uncomfortable situations while in Florence. When I realized that I was able to successfully perform certain tasks that I previously thought I couldn’t, I began to develop a greater sense of self-confidence. By the end of the semester, I felt that I had the ability to do anything, and this newly instilled confidence has led me to accomplish great things this past year. I was able to step out of my comfort zone more, try out new activities and meet new people, and more assertively share my thoughts and feelings, all of which led to some of the best moments of my senior year.

CAPA Dublin Study Abroad Alum Interview: Greg Mumford

Meet Greg, a CAPA Dublin study abroad alum who actually went on the program just after he graduated to gain internship experience which ended up landing him a great job for when he returned to the States. Below, Greg tells us about that internship, shares a few travel tips and talks about his interactions with local Dubliners who left an impression on him and made him feel welcome in their city.

CAPA WORLD: Tell us a bit about yourself.
GREG MUMFORD: Hi. My name is Greg Mumford and I am from Barrington, NJ. I spent summer 2015 abroad in Dublin, Ireland through the CAPA program at Clemson University. While at Clemson, I majored in Management with an emphasis in Information Systems (MIS). As a matter of fact, I actually did the CAPA program immediately after my graduation from Clemson in May of 2015. My hobbies include playing guitar, soccer, travelling, and meeting new people.

CAPA Study Abroad Alumna Interview: Nicole Papazian

Meet Nicole Papazian who studied abroad in London during Spring semester 2015. A psychology major, Nicole took on an internship at the Royal Free Children's Hospital School in London where she worked with children who struggled with mental challenges and a variety of disabilities. Below, she talks about what she learned from this experience, tells us about how her favorite class abroad improved her writing skills and shares the story of a local in Barcelona who left an impression on her during her Spring break travels. 

CAPA WORLD: Tell us a bit about yourself.
NICOLE PAPAZIAN: I studied abroad from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, during the spring semester of my junior year in college. I am a psychology major and sociology minor with a particular interest in education. I enjoy traveling, cooking different foods, exercising, and watching movies.

Dee Liang is a CAPA Florence alumna and graduate of CU Boulder in Colorado, sharing her world as a study abroad alumna in bi-weekly CAPA World posts.

In today's column, Dee talks about hostel life closer to home in Denver, Colorado. 

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Before my backpacking trip this summer, I had read an article about a hostel opening up in downtown Denver. Without hesitation, I looked into it and contacted the owner. We agreed to meet after my trip, so after six weeks of hostel hopping in Europe, I was thrilled to check out Hostel Fish. Since July, I’ve been spending some time working there.

Upon walking up the stairs of the historic Airedale building of lower downtown Denver, I was appalled that I had always overlooked this structure right in the heart of the city. From the outside, it’s a brick building, fitting into the red facade of many of the buildings found in the area. The interior is revamped to reflect the modern progression of Denver, and parts of the original brick, wallpaper, and lathe are preserved to pay homage to the place. It’s awesome.

Photo: Airedale building

CAPA Study Abroad Alumna Interview: Francesca Smeriglio

Meet Francesca, a CAPA study abroad alumna who spent summer 2015 in London and enjoyed side trips to Paris and Amsterdam. Her love of photography and her class field trips took her on adventures through the streets of the city. Below, she talks about how important it was to her to document every moment. She also shares some tips for eating on a budget and tells us about two places in the city that became meaningful spots for her in which to enjoy her time and reflect on her experiences.  

CAPA WORLD: Tell us a bit about yourself.
FRANCESCA SMERIGLIO: Hello!! I’m Francesca from Chicago, Illinois, studying Communications at Purdue University, which is located in the lovely West Lafayette, Indiana. I studied abroad in London during the summer of 2015 making it by far the best summer of my entire life. Something I learned I really loved while abroad is photography and that is something I continue to do after returning home. If you ever want to be inspired by your surroundings, head to the green spaces of London – I promise you won’t be disappointed.