As most students are wrapping up their fall semester in Austin, some of our Scholars are reflecting on their semester abroad. This fall, three seniors had the opportunity to spend their time exploring and studying in other countries.  

Elizabeth Sebastian, a Social Work major from Alabama, has been in Florence, Italy. When she is not enjoying lectures on Italian art or the great museums of Florence, she has been able to take little adventures around the city.  

“On top of that, in Florence, I’ve been to the Palazzo Medici, Santa Maria Novella, Santa Trinita, Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica, the Bargello Museum, San Lorenzo, and the Palazzo Vecchio,” Elizabeth says. “I have seen incredible art and architecture, Roman ruins, stunning churches, and markets that are distinctly Italian. I go every chance that I get. There you can buy produce, lunch or a snack, meat, jewelry, clothing, bedding, electronics, shoes, and pretty much anything you could need.”  

Some of Elizabeth’s adventures have taken her outside the city. During her Food Culture class, they went to the beach town of Piombino to experience Italian seafood and even take a dip in the cold, clear water. To the left, you can see her on trips to Milan and Venice.  

 

 

Another senior, Marshall Comeaux, spent his semester abroad in Madrid, Spain at Universidad Pontificia Comillas. Marshall is a Business and Finance major in the Plan II program. Despite having three classes and working on his thesis remotely, he has been able to visit numerous countries on the weekends and hopes to see several more. His adventures have taken him to Portugal, Greece, Italy, and Denmark.  

When staying in unfamiliar places, it is great to make new friends. But the distance didn’t stop Marshall from keeping in touch with old friends as well.  

“I had many of my friends fly in from around Europe (Arif from Copenhagen and Melissa from Paris) and America (Lucious and my other roommates) come to visit me in Madrid for a week. We were able to see the Prado and Reina Sofia, eat tapas, see Retiro Park and the Royal Palace, and enjoy the beautiful weather of Madrid in the fall.” 

 

Our third senior currently studying abroad is Melissa Porras Paniagua. Melissa is majoring in Business Honors, Marketing, and French Studies and studying abroad in Paris, France. Like our other Scholars, she has used some of her free time to travel throughout Europe and meet up with familiar faces. To the right, she is pictured with Marshall, when the two of them visited Copenhagen.