Hiya! My name is Audrey Payton. I’m a senior Communication Studies major with a minor in Business. I have worked at the Office of Study Abroad & International Student Services for almost three years, and it has been one of my favorite experiences at Southwestern.

Since childhood, studying abroad was something I had always hoped to do during college. During my junior year (Spring 2020), I was lucky enough to find the perfect program to study abroad through, API. My API program, International Business and Humanities, took me to Budapest, Hungary and gave me the opportunity to travel and see other parts of Europe. Even though this trip was cut short due to COVID-19, I was still able to meet some amazing people, jump out of my comfort zone, and adapt and immerse myself in a new, exciting, and incredible culture.

Studying abroad is an awesome opportunity, and I hope I can guide and educate other students through this process. If you believe you’re one of these students, don’t hesitate to reach out or meet with me during virtual advising to ask any questions (no question is ever too small or too large). This process can be intimidating at times, but you will have so much help and support along the way!

Hello! My name is Haley Stuckey. I’m a senior here at SU majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Political Science. I studied abroad in the fall of my sophomore year (2018) with the SU Faculty-led London Program, and haven’t wanted to leave the study abroad world ever since! In addition to taking classes with Professor and Dr. Ross, we got to travel all over the U.K. with our class, as well as various parts of Europe over fall break. It was a lot of studying on trains and planes and buses, but completely worth it. One of my favorite parts about studying in London is that there is so much history in the city. It allows for learning to take place outside of the classroom - in museums, parks, other neighborhoods, etc.  

Studying abroad was one of my biggest priorities going into college, and SAISS showed me every possible option available to me in order to do so! Our office keeps things like majors and classifications in mind when pairing a student with a study abroad term and provider. If you are even slightly interested in studying abroad, I can say from experience that it is beyond worth it. I learned so much not only academically, but about the world and about myself living in London. I know that no matter the place, those experiences will be the same for you, too!

I’ve worked in the Office of Study Abroad & International Student Services for a year now as a Peer Mentor. If you have any questions about anything at all, please feel free to reach out or meet with me during virtual advising. I look forward to helping guide and support you through this process.