Skills
Learn about my NACE Skills developed through my ISP experiences!
Communication Skills
UF in Madrid- Business, Language & Culture
Two years ago, I studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, through the Warrington College of Business. Before going abroad, I was nervous about speaking Spanish there. It had been almost three years since I had last taken a Spanish class, and I was worried that I would be judged if my grammar and pronunciation were not perfect. Because of that, I set a goal for myself to improve my Spanish and push past my fear of speaking by fully immersing myself in the language while I was abroad.
While in Madrid, I studied at Universidad de Antonio Nebrija, where I took a B2-level Spanish language class. This class not only helped me review grammatical concepts but also went much more in-depth on Spanish linguistic nuances than any Spanish class I had taken before, which pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me learn more in three months than I had in years.
I also constantly challenged myself to speak with locals. Whether it was at the register of a grocery store, in an Uber, or communicating with the landlady who owned our apartment, I made an effort to speak and write in Spanish as much as possible every day. For example, in my culture class we even had to watch an Almodóvar film entirely in Spanish without any English subtitles.
These experiences taught me to be much more confident in my Spanish speaking and writing abilities. By the end of the trip, I was no longer nervous about making mistakes, and when I returned to the U.S., I regularly spoke with Spanish-speaking customers at my job.
Leadership
Study Abroad Peer Advisor
In January 2025, I became a Study Abroad Peer Advisor at the University of Florida. After my own study abroad experience in Madrid completely shifted my perspective on culture and global opportunities, I wanted to help other students access similar experiences. However, many students felt overwhelmed by the logistics of studying abroad or unsure if it was financially or academically possible for them.
In this role, my responsibility was to guide students and their families through the study abroad process and make global opportunities feel more accessible by providing clear information, support, and encouragement.
To accomplish this, I led information sessions and delivered presentations to student organizations across campus to educate students about different programs and destinations. I also hosted weekly office hours where I met with students one-on-one to answer questions and help them navigate applications, scholarships, and program selection. In addition, I regularly tabled at campus events, including the Study Abroad Fair, the university’s largest event dedicated to international programs, where I engaged with hundreds of students and shared my personal experience to make studying abroad feel more approachable.
Through these efforts, I helped more than 50 students take steps toward pursuing study abroad opportunities. Seeing students gain confidence in their ability to study internationally was incredibly meaningful and reinforced my belief in the power of global experiences to expand perspectives and open new opportunities.
Career and Self Development
UF in Berlin- Global Immersion Experience
As part of my Global Immersion Experience course, my team and I worked on a consulting project for PlantClub, a Berlin-based company that specializes in interior biophilic design for office spaces. Throughout the semester, we analyzed their current business model and developed strategies to help the company expand from a B2B model into the B2C market in Berlin through improved social media marketing and e-commerce initiatives. At the end of the project, we traveled to Berlin to present our recommendations directly to the company.
Our responsibility was not only to deliver a well-researched consulting strategy, but also to engage professionally within an international business environment. This required understanding Berlin’s workplace culture and adapting our communication and presentation style to align with local expectations.
While preparing for the trip and presentation, I made an effort to learn more about German business culture, particularly the importance of punctuality, formality, and professionalism. In Berlin, I adjusted my approach by arriving early to meetings, preparing structured and data-driven explanations for our recommendations, and maintaining a more formal tone during discussions with the client. I also paid attention to how our client communicated feedback and questions, which helped our team adapt our responses and ensure our ideas were presented clearly and respectfully.
This experience strengthened my global and cultural engagement by showing me how important cultural awareness is when working in international business environments. Presenting our work in Berlin pushed me to think beyond my own cultural assumptions and adapt to different professional norms. It also reinforced the value of approaching global collaboration with curiosity, respect, and flexibility, skills that I will carry forward when working with international teams and clients in the future.
Global & Cultural Engagement
Selma Green Talk- Global Activity
One of the most memorable global campus events I attended at the University of Florida was a talk titled “Tove Jansson, The Moomins, and the Legacy of Imagination,” presented by Selma Green, director of the Moomin Museum in Tampere, Finland. I was particularly drawn to this event because I had already developed a personal interest in Finnish culture. I grew up watching the Moomin cartoons, and in 2024 I began studying the Finnish language, which sparked a deeper curiosity about the cultural roots behind the stories I loved as a child.
As someone interested in developing a stronger global mindset, I approached the event with the goal of learning more about how storytelling reflects cultural identity and historical experiences. I wanted to better understand how creative works like the Moomins connect to broader social and cultural contexts in Finland.
During the talk, I actively engaged with the historical and cultural perspectives shared by the speaker, particularly her discussion of how Tove Jansson used imagination as a response to trauma during and after World War II. Rather than viewing the Moomins simply as childhood characters, I focused on understanding how themes of safety, kindness, and belonging reflected the emotional needs of Finnish society during a time of uncertainty. By connecting the discussion to my own experience studying Finnish language and culture, I was able to approach the event with curiosity and openness to new perspectives.
This experience deepened my appreciation for how storytelling can reflect cultural values and historical realities. Learning about the role the Moomins played in postwar Finnish culture helped me see them not just as nostalgic characters, but as meaningful expressions shaped by real history and lived experience. The event strengthened my global and cultural engagement by encouraging me to continue exploring international perspectives through language, storytelling, and cultural events on campus. It also reinforced my belief that connecting personal interests with global learning can lead to a deeper understanding of people, history, and culture.
