Study Abroad Testimonials
If you would like to share your study abroad experiences with the Loyola community, or if you would simply like to reflect on what you learned during your time overseas, the Office for International Programs would like to hear from you. Please send us your study abroad testimonials.
Requirements/Guidelines
- Minimum of 500 words
- Open to all Loyola students who have returned from a non-Rome approved study abroad program
- Students are limited to submitting one testimonial
- By submitting a testimonial, you are thereby granting the Office for International Programs permission to use your piece in Loyola publications and Web pages.
- Submissions will be accepted throughout the year.
- Submissions can be in the form of jpeg. attachments or Word Documents and sent to studyabroad@luc.edu.
All students who meet and agree to the above requirements will receive a gift certificate for $10 to Beck’s bookstore on Sheridan Road, Lake Shore Campus.
Submitting Your Testimonial
Your testimonial may be written as a:
Please comment on one of the following topics as part of your student testimonial. Other topic ideas may be acceptable with prior consultation from the Office for International Programs. The only requirement is that the essay focuses on experiences that occurred within your host country.
- Describe a funny story or cultural misunderstanding that happened to you.
- Explain in detail what your first few days were like abroad. What feelings, emotions, did you experience? Did your surroundings meet your expectations?
- Describe an event of holiday you experienced while abroad that was unique to your host country.
- Sketch what the academic environment was like for you in your country of residence. What were the expectations for students? How were the teaching methods similar or dissimilar from those at Loyola University Chicago?
- Provide a description of your service learning project or your internship site. How were you received? What were you main responsibilities and duties? What was a typical day in your site like?
- If you went abroad to a non- English speaking country, please provide a detail what your struggles and successes with learning a new language.
- Comment on any aspects of your host culture that differed from life in the U.S.
- Comment on your experiences with the perception of Americans abroad. Reflect on any experiences that were particular to you as an American studying in another country. How did people of other nationalities respond to you when they found out you were American? What did you learn about American politics and society from the standpoint of being in another country?
If you select this option, please answer each of the following questions about your study abroad experience.
- What was the most memorable or rewarding part of your time abroad? Please explain.
- What was the most challenging or uncomfortable part about the studying abroad? Please describe.
- Looking back, is there anything that you would have done differently during your first few weeks abroad?
- Do you feel that your experience significantly changed your views of the world, yourself, and your future?
- Now that you are back in the U.S., how to you plan to incorporate what you learned abroad into your studies at Loyola and beyond?
- Please comment on how the things that you learned abroad--culturally, academically and socially--have made you a better, more complete person, or different person.
If you select this option, please address the following areas as part of your profile. Also please submit a recent photo (preferably one of you in your host city). By completing a profile, you thereby grant the Office for International Programs the right to use the profile and the photo on the study abroad web site and in other publications.
- Name
- Program name and location
- Length of program
- Loyola major(s) and minor(s), college or school
- Titles of courses taken abroad
- Favorite course (please describe why)
- Living arrangement abroad (please describe)
- Did you have to learn a new language as part of your program? If so, what was your experience like?
- How often did you talk to your family and friends back in the States?
- Comment on your overall experience. Why did you want to go abroad? What were the most valuable things that you learned?
- What was your favorite site in your host city? In your opinion, what was the best local hangout--one that shouldn’t be missed?
- What was your favorite memory from being abroad?
- What advice would you give to future students on your program?
- What are your plans for the future (i.e. life after Loyola)?
Student can submit the testimonials as word attachments by emailing Kelly Heath at kheath2@luc.edu