BYU leads the nation in student study abroad participation, according to the latest Open Doors report by the Institute of International Education.
During summer 2024, BYU students spread across the world from the streets of Tokyo to the landscapes of southern Africa.
Through the programs offered by the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, these students deepened their academic knowledge but also gained cultural experiences.
Check out the journeys and global learning opportunities these BYU students experienced firsthand.
Art in Japan study abroad
Rylee Nelson, a BYU senior studying fine arts, found her time in Japan to be the perfect end to her undergraduate college experience.
“I think it was a really good way to just kind of do what I want without (the) pressure of a regular class schedule,” Nelson said. “There was a lot more time to work on the art that I wanted to make.”
Nelson's daily routine involved grabbing breakfast from 7-Eleven, making plans for the day — such as visiting the Tokyo Tower, exploring a five-story art store or stopping by a museum — and finding different places to eat.
“We always found different places to eat lunch and dinner and got to try lots of different things,” she said.
Evenings included movie nights with her roommates, who Nelson said became her close friends despite only knowing each other on the study abroad.
Nelson appreciated the flexibility of her classes, which were held only three days a week.
“The freedom to create art that I wanted while I was there was really helpful to spark creativity,” she said.
Although the language barrier posed some challenges, she found support among her peers.
“There were definitely times where I wished that I had studied up a little bit more on Japanese just for day-to-day conversations like ordering food or asking for directions,” Nelson said. “It was really great to have that atmosphere of fellow BYU students to lean on if you needed it.”
One standout experience was a visit to a Buddhist temple on a rainy day.
“It was just so beautiful,” she said. “Something about that day just kind of stood out to me because it was so peaceful. I felt comfortable in that space with people I knew but still in somewhere new and I was learning about this culture. It just felt really eye-opening.”
As she nears graduation, Nelson said she plans to apply to graduate schools during the fall and hopes to pursue a career in a creative field, such as floral design or a curator’s assistant role.
Europe Public Health study abroad
Sydney Giles, a senior majoring in exercise and wellness at BYU, completed a study abroad program where she traveled across several European countries, including London, Amsterdam, Geneva and Paris.
“I was literally so happy I did it. It for sure lived up to the hype,” she said.
Though the program's focus on public health fell outside of her major, Giles thought it would be a valuable experience. During the program, Giles was able to take two classes, earning six credits — one class counting towards her major and the other as an elective.
“We studied different chronic conditions, like heart disease and obesity, and saw how these issues vary across countries,” she said.
According to Giles, everything throughout the program was tied back to public health issues, whether they were physical or mental.
“In the Netherlands, biking is so prevalent that bikers even get the right of way over pedestrians. We also had the chance to go on bike rides as part of our physical health studies,” she said.
Special aspects of the program, Giles said, were the daily devotionals and attending Church services on Sundays. Giles also valued the group meals and reflections on daily learnings with her study abroad group.
“They did a good job of tying in gospel principles to public health,” she said. “When we had devotionals about mental health, they were very spiritually based which was great.”
Reflecting on her experience, Giles said she learned valuable information which she hopes to take with her throughout her schooling and future career.
“It’s really rewarding to see the small changes in health and how they affect people’s lives long-term,” she said.
As she approaches graduation in April 2025, Giles said she is considering a career in occupational therapy.
African Expedition study abroad
BYU junior Elise Evans is studying political science and participated in a study abroad program to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. The program focused on plant and wildlife sciences.
According to Evans, students in the program prepared for their time abroad by writing a paper about something related to the places they would visit and then presenting on their papers.
“I wrote about a desert rain frog. I just chose it because I hadn't heard of it before and it fell out of my comfort zone and it was just a funny little creature,” she said.
Evans said the program included four days of safari drives, which required early mornings getting up around 5:30 a.m.
“We’d visit national parks, gardens, hiking, saw some waterfalls and historical landmarks,” she said.
Evans said she also appreciated the cultural experiences she had, such as encountering people who spoke different languages.
“We came across a lot of people who speak with click languages, which was just exciting and really foreign and beautiful,” she said.
Evans said one very memorable moment to her was getting to see Victoria Falls on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
“I am not big on waterfalls because I kind of feel like if you've seen one you've seen them all but Victoria Falls, it's bigger than Niagara Falls and by a lot and it's one of the seven natural wonders of the world and pictures don't do it justice,” she said. “You come up to the edge and theres water spraying everywhere and its misty and you get drenched.”
Throughout her trip, Evans said she found herself noticing things and tying them back to political science in her mind. The biggest thing was that, by coincidence, South Africa was having their elections the day before Evans group left.
“It was a big election this year because they're trying to figure out if switching parties on a national level is gonna be more dangerous than sticking with what they already know,” she said.
Although Evans didn't experience much of the election process, she had the opportunity to engage with indigenous tribes and locals throughout the trip, asking them questions about their lives and cultures.
“Understanding the world from different perspectives is crucial for understanding ourselves and our place in it,” Evans said.
Evans highly recommends studying abroad for its ability to broaden one’s worldview and provide valuable learning experiences.
Students interested in participating in upcoming study abroad programs can find more information through the Kennedy Center's website.