Haley's experiences in Rome, Italy

Haley Devoe, ISE Class of 2018

Haley studied abroad at the American University of Rome in the spring of her junior year, through International Studies Abroad (ISA), a third-party program that offers courses through a variety of universities in countries all over the world. ISA assists students with enrollment, housing, orientation, and can even arrange some trips during your stay. Haley talks about her experience here:

“Upon entering Virginia Tech as freshman, I knew that I wanted to study abroad for a semester.  Both of my sisters spent a semester abroad; one in Spain, and the other in Switzerland.  Their experiences convinced me that it was worth the effort to plan (in excruciating detail) in order to have the opportunity to live in another country, be exposed to different arts and architecture, to experience different people and cultures, and continue developing personally in a world that is increasingly global.

Keeping up with the ISE curriculum while also pursuing a business minor, making sure I got internship experience, and still enjoying all the Virginia Tech community has to offer was very challenging and not the most pleasant at times, but with the help of the ISE advisors, I was able to make it happen and appreciate the experience that much more."

“Being an engineering major, few programs allow the transfer of engineering credits from abroad, so I took my required ISE courses the summer before and focused on my business minor at the American University of Rome. The best part about studying at the American University of Rome was the university policy of no classes on Fridays. The attendance policy was strict during the week, but no classes on Fridays opened up the opportunity for me to explore on the weekends. While in Europe, it is so easy to travel throughout the continent that I was able to visit locations in Italy, along with a variety of other countries. Experiences were varied and included museums, churches, castles, modern cities, and outdoor adventures in the mountains or beaches.  Of these trips, some highlights for me were definitely Morocco, Switzerland, and Copenhagen, but I also loved getting to explore places all over Italy and experiencing Rome itself."

"While in Rome, I lived in an apartment with 5 other girls from different U.S. universities and was within walking distance from both the university and the tram, from which short rides could take you to the must-see places in Rome like Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and the Spanish Steps, Via del Corso for shopping lovers, the stadium for any soccer fans, the Colosseum, and even Vatican City.

I would absolutely recommend anyone considering study abroad to take the chance and go through the pain of working your schedule around the experience because it is 100% worth it. All in all, studying abroad will be one of the most exhausting, sometimes uncomfortable, but also amazing and rewarding experiences you will ever have."

If interested in learning more about Haley’s experience, please email Ms. Paula Van Curen (Email), who can provide Haley’s contact information.

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