Studying abroad provides Shippensburg University students with educational, professional and personal fulfillment through cultural immersion and memories that last a lifetime. With financial support available from the SU Foundation, along with advising and placements offered through the Global Education Center, Ship students like Dominic Vizza and Olivia Frey had the chance to spend the Fall/Winter 2025 semester experiencing life abroad.
Vizza, a sophomore majoring in finance with a concentration in personal financial planning, received the Raider Success Scholarship, which allowed him to spend the semester at Temple University’s Rome campus. What Vizza cherished the most about the study abroad program was the arranged housing in the heart of Rome, in the residential district of Prati. “I was able to immerse myself in an authentic Italian lifestyle and fully embrace the rich culture,” Vizza shared.
He had the privilege of taking weekend trips across Europe, where he enjoyed Oktoberfest in Munich, the Christmas markets in Vienna and had the honor of attending a Mass with the pope at the Vatican, but his favorite memory was riding camels and ATVs through the Moroccan desert. “Racing through the stunning dunes and riding a camel was undoubtedly one of the highlights of my life,” Vizza said.
Frey, a business management major with an international business concentration, studied abroad at the Universidad de Belgrano in Buenos Aires through WorldStrides and was funded by the Herr Study Abroad Scholarship. She shared how her professors opened her eyes to cultural norms and different political perspectives. “One notable person from my time abroad was one of my professors, Melania Stucchi. She contributed heavily to the shaping of my educational experience in Buenos Aires,” said Frey.
The highlight of Frey’s experience abroad was a weekend excursion through the Delta Tigre, a river delta north of Buenos Aires that is known for its waterways and riverside towns. During her stay along the Delta Tigre, Frey stayed with a community running a zero-waste emission project. She enjoyed empanadas from scratch and had a “sobremesa” (a post-dinner conversation that is known to last for hours) with the project leader while on the porch listening to nature. “Moments like those, where I was given the privilege to connect with Argentines and have meaningful conversations, were easily my favorite part of my semester abroad.”
Both Vizza and Frey shared how studying abroad provided invaluable classroom learning, real-world experiences along with language and cultural immersion. Most of all, they formed connections and made memories that will forever shape their academic, professional and personal paths long after they’ve returned home.
To learn more about study abroad opportunities, visit here.
