London, Amsterdam, France, Barcelona, and Geneva are just a few places senior business communication major Caroline Izzi explored while she interned and studied abroad in London this summer.

Izzi was involved in a program with Richmond, the American International University in London, where she completed two classes over the course of six weeks, followed by a six-week internship.

In the spring of 2017, Izzi worked in the Study Abroad office at Stevenson. She always knew she wanted to study abroad, but once she talked to Rebecca Pisano, associate dean for International and Off-Campus Study, she discovered a program in London she could not ignore.

Izzi said she chose London because there are more internship opportunities for credit there compared to other countries. She also mentioned that London was a great location because the city was a short and inexpensive metro or plane ride to other cities and countries in Europe.

She had a choice of courses and could also select the field of interest for her internship. Her courses included a study of museums and galleries of London, and a class in digital marketing. Izzi’s internship was in luxury travel, an area of interest about which she has always been curious.

The course on museums and galleries involved traveling to many renowned exhibitions in London including the British Museum and the National Gallery. Her marketing course was a refresher, but an enjoyable one, she said.

Izzi’s internship at a luxury travel company called Original Travel offered the Stevenson student a chance to write hotel descriptions, edit blog posts, update the company website, and sit in on client meetings. Working in luxury travel, she gained a new perspective on the world and its wide variety of cultures. Izzi obtained a total of 12 academic credits from the two courses and the internship.

While Izzi was in London, she stayed in a single bed dormitory room at the university. She attended classes during the first half of the day each week and, following her classes, she was able to do as she pleased. For Izzi, this meant going out and exploring the city with her new friends.

The weekends were her travel days, which is why she was able to visit so many countries during her time abroad. She made sure to visit the iconic tourist locations including the Eiffel Tower and Buckingham Palace, but she also saw places that aren’t as famous, given she had 12 weeks abroad.

Izzi is clear and enthusiastic about her experience. “Students study abroad because most people regret not traveling while they are young and have the time and flexibility,” she said.

She hopes to visit her “second home” again in the future, but for now she will cherish the memories of her experience.