Triton Globetrotters: Students share stories from semester abroad

UMSL Daily

Carly Vogel is one of 37 UMSL students who studied abroad this spring. “I chose to study abroad to give myself the opportunity to grow on my own, become more independent and discover more of the world and the different cultures that exist,” she said. “It is a fantastic opportunity that I did not want to let pass me by.” (Photo courtesy of Carly Vogel)
Changed perceptions. It’s a common theme among University of Missouri–St. Louis students who study abroad. For the international travelers, viewpoints shift not just of the world and other cultures but also of their own capabilities.
Nearly 40 students studied abroad during the spring semester, and UMSL Daily recently caught up with three of these Tritons to discuss their experiences.
Impactful lessons
Brendan McCoy (at left) took his mom and brother to visit The Temple Bar in Dublin. The stop was just one of McCoy’s many excursions while studying in Limerick, Ireland. (Photo courtesy of Brendan McCoy)
Hesitancy nearly caused Brendan McCoy to miss out on the “best adventure of [his] life.”
The senior electrical engineering major and Pierre Laclede Honors College student had known for a while that he wanted to study abroad – particularly in England or Ireland. He debated the idea for so long, though, that he nearly missed the opportunity.
“One of the only reasons I took the jump was because of a friend of mine who studied abroad before I did,” McCoy said. “She made me realize it was an opportunity I would never get again and to put fear aside and chase my dreams.”
The leap paid off as he returned from the University of Limerick in Ireland, with an affinity for adventure and a comfort with total independence.
“I became an all-around more mature and better person from my experience,” McCoy said. “When traveling across the world, maturity becomes ...

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