As a college student, entering the adult workforce can seem scary. I know everyone is different, but let me tell you a little about my journey and how SAI helped shaped my future.

SAI Staff

I graduated from Lasell College with a bachelor’s degree in fashion communication. I have always loved fashion, but somewhere along the way I found another passion. My junior year I studied at Florence University of the Arts with SAI and the trickle effect began. I had never imagined myself to fall in love with travel and the subject of cultures as much as I did, but it didn’t happen all at once. When I returned home, I knew I still wanted to be connected with SAI and the study abroad world, so I became an SAI ambassador to develop connections between students and help them develop their own outcome with their study abroad experience. In the meantime, I was still involved with my fashion studies and extracurricular activities and even had an internship at a startup fashion company. However, my tie with SAI was too strong to ignore so after applying for the summer internship program in Northern California I was pleased to pack my bags once more with the SAI luggage tag and go on a new adventure.

Peacetown event on Wednesdays

I learned just as much at this internship as I did with four months in Florence. As an east coast girl, I was awakened by the California way of life. I rode a bike into work, which was a little different than taking the T into Boston. With each stride of the way, I was reminded about my time abroad and was amazed at the connections I could make between them both. For instance, embracing a different culture. I know I was just traveling across country, but let me tell you Sebastopol offers a different kind of diversity that you think you would need a passport to travel here. A place of strong community practices and an easy-going nature. SAI is constantly teaching me to keep an open mind and reminds me that the best way to learn is to put yourself in a new environment.

Daily Bike Trail

Through the course of my internship, I was able to work with multiple SAI departments including the admissions, business, university relations and social media teams. I worked closely on student engagement and was able to see just how much goes into making a student’s experience abroad as best as possible. It was great to be a part of it all and make an impact on current and future SAI students. I have made special connections with everyone in the office and I am proud to have joined the SAI family. I will now be pursuing my graduate degree in global communication at The American University of Paris. Thank you, SAI, for giving me the spark I needed to continue my endeavors of learning about cultural diversity. I know I am not done learning and will continue to use what you taught me when entering a new environment.

Best Wishes,

Sophia