Global Ambassador Program

Adrian Ogunbunmi

Major: Biology, College of Natural Sciences

Studying at: Monterrey Institute of Technology in Mexico City, Mexico

I am a third-year biology major from McKinney, Texas. I am grateful for the opportunity to go abroad for many reasons, but I am mainly hoping to acquire another language fully. I have been self-studying Spanish for a year and a half now and to be able to experience the culture of that language through the landmarks, the food, and the people (I plan to stay with a Spanish-speaking family) is a blessing. It will definitely be a challenge to navigate through the streets of Mexico City, but facing challenges is the only way to grow!

Anura Grewal

Major: Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, College of Education

Studying at: IE University in Madrid, Spain

I am a third-year health promotion and behavioral sciences major at UT. I am from Houston, Texas and I am so excited to study abroad in Spain in the spring! I have always loved the Spanish culture and want to learn to speak Spanish fluently, which is what drew me to Madrid. I found a program that aligns with my major and now am super excited to experience all the food and arts in this city!

Areej Ather

Major: Biology, Textile and Apparel, College of Natural Sciences

Studying at: Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea

I’m a sophomore, double majoring in textiles and apparel and biology. I’m originally from Pakistan but I moved to Los Angeles in 2019 to continue high school and now I’m living in Austin. I decided to take part in study abroad for a different experience as you get to live in a new culture and learn a different language, which really excites me. I’m thrilled to start a new journey and have a memorable time this semester.

Bhaavya Rastogi

Major: Finance, McCombs School of Business and Asian Studies, College of Liberal Arts

Studying at: Chinese University of Hong Kong in Shatin, Hong Kong

I’m a junior from Sugar Land, Texas, majoring in finance and Asian studies. I’m excited to spend a semester abroad at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where I can combine the study of my two majors as well as learn Chinese languages!

Carly Stoy

Major: Biology, College of Natural Sciences

Studying at: Institute for the International Education of Students in Siena, Italy

I am a junior biology major with a business minor along with a food and society certificate originally from Charleston, South Carolina. All these disparate parts of my degree plan come together perfectly in the IES study abroad program I will be completing this spring in Siena called “Business and Economics of Italian Food and Wine.” I am beyond excited to be immersed in Tuscan life all semester long, learn about all the modern factors impacting producers, and of course, eat everything in sight. I live my life trying to experience all that this world has to offer, therefore studying abroad will be a perfect way to help accomplish this goal. I cannot wait to share my experiences abroad with the UT Austin community and hope that my takeovers may be able to convince at least one other student to take a leap of faith by enrolling in a study abroad program, too!

Carolyn Diaz

Major: International Relations and Global Studies, College of Liberal Arts

Studying at: School for International Training in Amman, Jordan

I’m a first-generation, Mexican-American junior international relations and global studies major from Plano, Texas. This spring, I’m so excited to be studying abroad in Amman, Jordan with the SIT affiliate program! With a concentration in international security and Middle East studies as well as learning Arabic, I decided that SIT’s program on geopolitics, international relations, and the future of the Middle East would be the perfect program for my personal and academic goals. Aside from my academic identity, I love photography, trying new foods, and listening to Coldplay on repeat. I can’t wait to share my experience abroad with other Longhorns through social media and blog posts!

Cassidy Edwards

Major: Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences

Studying at: National University of Singapore in Singapore

I am a third-year biochemistry major from Sugar Land, Texas. While getting out of the South Texas swamps to the beautiful hills of Austin has been a blessing, I now plan to take my travels 10,000 miles farther to the National University of Singapore! I want to explore my Southeast Asian heritage by planting myself at the junction of South, East, and Southeast Asia and taking classes related to Singaporean domestic and foreign relations. I am the most excited about eating roti canai and teh tarik, visiting hawker centers, and watching the mischief of the island’s macaques.

Christian Gonzalez

Major: Mathematics, College of Natural Sciences

Studying at: Victoria University of Wellington in Wellington, New Zealand

I'm a mathematics major and French studies minor pursuing an elements of computing certificate. Along with baking using random Central Market ingredients, I love visiting novelty shops, hunting for new restaurants, perusing my backlog of Discover Weekly playlists, hitting up local movie theaters, and exploring classic video games. As an island nation far in distance yet close in character, New Zealand strikes me as a sound first dip as a (hopefully) budding international traveler. It possesses a bit of everything; tranquil plains to grandiose mountains, friendly personalities, and bustling cities. What I ultimately hope to experience during my time abroad is a fresh start and really great food. Fingers crossed on the latter!

Ellen Clark

Major: Communications and Leadership, Moody College of Communication

Studying at: Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) in Barcelona, Spain

I am a junior studying Communications and Leadership with a minor in Business. I am originally from Grapevine, Texas. I’ll be studying at UPF in Barcelona, Spain. I am excited to immerse myself in a new culture, meet other international and local students, and try amazing new foods during my time abroad!

Emaan Kahn

Major: International Relations and Global Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Biology, College of Natural Sciences

Studying at: National University of Singapore in Singapore

I'm a third-year biology and international relations and global studies double major student from Austin on the pre-med track. I’m super excited to be studying in Singapore this spring! Singapore is a center of culture, medicine, diversity, and of course, amazing food and I can’t wait to explore the city and make friends from all across the world! I hope to gain valuable global perspectives and maybe even pick up some phrases from all four official languages!

Gabriel Hayek

Major: Biology, College of Natural Sciences

Studying at: University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia

I am a (semi) world traveler and I love to be out in nature! I’m a biology major here at UT Austin for the purpose of going into environmental law to protect our planet. I LOVE being out in nature and that’ll probably be what you see the most in my posts. Hook ‘em!

Grace Huang

Major: Linguistics, College of Liberal Arts

Studying at: National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan

I'm a third-year linguistics major, minoring in Chinese, from Houston, Texas. I'm excited to explore Taiwan, learn more about my family's cultural history, and deepen my understanding of language in relation to culture. I am looking forward to learning from the notable language programs at National Taiwan University.

Katherine Link

Major: English and Religious Studies, College of Liberal Arts

Studying at: University of Bristol in Bristol, England

I am a sophomore studying English and religious studies. Studying abroad has always intrigued me, so I decided to suit my fancy and apply. As an English major, England is the perfect destination because of its rich literary history and culture. I am excited to explore and discuss all things English (literally)—whether the topic is museums, architecture, or the best cortado in the area.

Lilliana Rivera

Major: Asian Cultures & Languages and Asian Studies, College of Liberal Arts

Studying at: Seoul National University in Seoul, Korea

I'm a sophomore double majoring in Asian cultures and languages with a focus on Korea, and Asian studies. I was born here in Austin but I was raised in Kyle, Texas (about 45 minutes south of Austin) so I've been close to Austin since I was young. I'm incredibly excited about Seoul, the heart of South Korea! I'm ready for the learning experiences and I'm looking forward to being surrounded by a different culture. I first became interested in Korea back in 2017 when I fell in love with the beautiful language. I'm excited to improve my proficiency in Korean and become more knowledgeable in Korean history and customs.

Myalynn (Mya) Lacy Huynh

Major: Nutritional Sciences, College of Natural Sciences

Studying at: Korea University in Seoul, Korea

I'm from Houston, Texas and I am a major foodie, hence my major in nutrition. This spring, I'll be finishing up my junior year in the UT Austin exchange program to discover more about South Korea and a new lifestyle there! For more of a personal view of this journey, look forward to my content on Instagram under @MovingwithMya, I will be posting soon!

Ruixun Zhang

Major: Economics, International Relations and Global Studies, College of Liberal Arts

Studying at: National University of Singapore in Singapore

I come from China and have studied in the U.S. since high school. I believe that a good cultural understanding is one of the foundations of my major's professional understanding of issues around the globe. I chose the exchange program in Singapore because it represents a window of exchange between Asia and the rest of the world, and I'm excited to find my own cultural connection there!

Samia Arni

Major: Urban Studies and Political Communication, College of Liberal Arts

Studying at: Aarhus University in Aarhus, Denmark

I am a junior urban studies and political communication double major. I was born and raised in the city of Austin and will be spending my spring semester at Aarhus University in Aarhus, Denmark. I am very excited to explore the arts and culture Denmark has to offer and share my experience of living in a new city and country!

Sophia Boyd

Major: Linguistics, College of Liberal Arts

Studying at: University College Dublin in Dublin, Ireland

I’m a linguistics major pursuing an American Sign Language minor from Austin, Texas. I was drawn to University College Dublin not only by its strong academics but also the friendly Irish culture I've heard so much about! I'm excited to take my Irish language class, explore the local arts, and document all of my experiences as a Global Ambassador.

Sourav Banerjee

Major: Computer Science, College of Natural Sciences

Studying at: Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan

I'm a junior studying computer science at UT Austin. I'm studying abroad for a year at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. I chose to study abroad in a place so far away because I wanted to experience a culture and society as far removed from my hometown of Houston while also continuing my studies. What's one of the furthest options that met those qualifications? Tokyo!