
On April 4th, 2025, the second annual Florida Lessons From Abroad Conference was hosted by the USF Judy Genshaft Honors College and USF World, bringing together students from across the state to build international connections, share their study abroad experiences, and broaden their academic and professional networks. Students from USF, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of North Florida, University of Central Florida, and Stetson University came together to share the impact studying abroad had on their academic and professional careers.
“Your study abroad experience has the capacity to impact your careers, your interests, your personality traits for the rest of your life,” , the chair for the Florida Lessons from Abroad Conference, says, speaking to the students attending the event. “I hope that this conference is an opportunity to help you lead a culturally rich life.”
Student presentations covered numerous topics, from recounting the lessons learned as an American solo traveler in Western Europe to the culture shock of living in a walkable community in Germany to tips about how to combat anxiety when studying abroad for the first time. Jeanette Janvier, a student at USF, explored the key differences between U.S. and Canadian public health systems through a culinary metaphor. Janvier explains that just like a recipe, health care requires a careful balance of components that could be in short supply.

Colin Jeffers, a senior at USF, recounts his experience studying abroad in Germany. During his presentation, he discusses the positive impact of walkable infrastructure and reliable public transportation on community and culture. “This summer I went to a small town in Germany called Osnabruck,” Jeffers says. “The sense of walkability and how that builds community really blew me away...It provided a focal point for the community,” Jeffers says. “It allows them to be able to build community and, even me as a foreigner, was able to go there and a find a sense of community and belonging.” Jeffers went on to compare this experience to the walkability and sense of community he experiences on the USF campus.
Mikayla Alman, a student at USF, shared her experience traveling to Japan to meet with students at schools in Tokyo and Osaka. “While we were at the schools, we shadowed a group of students and got to learn about what their daily life was like,” Alman shares. While there was a language barrier, Alman and the students shared a love of media. “Even though I was in an entirely different culture with an entirely different language, the existence of media that we can find in common really helped us to build these connections with one another,” Alman says. “So, you can learn about values and histories and traditions through media globalization and use that to connect with people. It’s really cool.”

Representatives from USF World and — an affiliate partner of USF for study abroad and the lunch sponsor of the conference—were also in attendance. World Strides offers internships and service programs that exist abroad for those who have already had an initial study abroad experience.
USF Global Learning offers many study abroad programs to fit student needs through USF faculty led programs or through trusted affiliate programs around the world. Students can also explore academic exchange programs and global internships. In addition, USF Global Learning runs programs allowing students to experience global engagement without leaving campus through Virtual Global Exchange, t Global Citizens Project, Peace Corps Prep Program, and the — where students can gain real-world experience.
“Now more than ever it is really important to have more international experiences, to be prepared to engage in a variety of circumstances with a variety of people,” Megan Braunstein says. “Doing intentional reflection will only benefit students as they think about what comes next.”