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STUDY ABROAD SMARTER SUMMIT
Study Abroad or Interning? Get the Edge—Free.
Hear international experts on safety, costs, culture shock, mental health, belonging, and so much more. Make the most of studying or interning abroad. Free and on demand.
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REGISTER NOW!
FREE • ONLINE • ON DEMAND
Pre-recorded—watch when it works for you.
Hosted by
Dr. Kristina Wachter
You’re Thinking About Studying Abroad or Taking a Gap Year. Now What?
Which program is right for you?
How much will it really cost?
How do you prepare to feel safe and confident in a place you’ve never lived before?
What if you get there and don't feel like you fit in?
And how do you make sure you come home with more than great photos?
Study Abroad Smarter brings together international experts for candid conversations about the choices, challenges, and opportunities that can shape your experience abroad.
This isn't another packing checklist or collection of generic travel tips.
It’s the practical insight you need to feel curious, capable, prepared, and ready to go.
CHOOSE WELL
How do you know which study abroad experience is right for you?
Learn what to consider when comparing programs so you can make a decision based on your goals, priorities, academics, budget, and the experience you actually want.
PREPARE
FOR THE REALITY
Studying abroad is exciting. It can also be unfamiliar, uncomfortable, surprising—and completely different from what you imagined.
Get practical perspectives on safety, cost, culture shock, academics, emotional readiness, and handling the unexpected.
CONNECT
ACROSS CULTURES
Some of the most meaningful parts of studying abroad happen through the people you meet.
Learn how to pause, ask, listen, adapt, navigate cultural differences, and build genuine relationships with people whose experiences may be very different from your own.
MAKE IT YOUR OWN
Study abroad can shape far more than a semester.
Discover how to get more from your time abroad—personally, academically, culturally, and professionally—and come home with a broader perspective you can carry into whatever comes next.
Get Ready for the Experience You Actually Want to Have.
Come Hear the Inside Scoop.
You don't have to figure this out alone.
During Study Abroad Smarter, you'll hear short, candid conversations with INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS from travel, education, study abroad, program leadership, and cross-cultural communication.
JASON MOORE
Founder / Host
Zero To Travel Podcast
AS SEEN IN:
TIMOTHY LYNN ELLIOTT
Director, International Study Programs
Brigham Young University
SAHARA ROSE
DE VORE
Founder & CEO
The Travel Coach Network
AS SEEN IN:
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SHADMAN BASHIR
Executive Director
Utah Tech University
KURT HARRIS
Director of Learning Abroad
Southern Utah University
JENNIE LLOYD
Chair, Board of Directors
Utah Global Diplomacy
BRAYDEN WARDROP
Co-Founder & President
Fields Education
DELARA HOSSEINI
Interim Director
Utah Global Diplomacy
KASSANDRA CARRASCO GONZALEZ
Custom Program Manager
CEA CAPA Education Abroad
Meet 30 featured speakers sharing global perspectives and practical insights.
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KAORU NISHINAKAGAWA
Founder & Principal Consultant
NeoLeap Consulting
VANESSA MENDOZA HERNÁNDEZ
Program Assistant
Study Abroad DePaul University
ANGIE SCHAFFER
Executive Director
The Fund for Education Abroad
LIU LIU
Cross-Cultural Intelligence Coach
KELLY WILLIS
Spanish Teacher
Williston Northampton School
HEATHER MARKEL
Travel Lifestyle Catalyst
TEDx Speaker & Bestselling Author
Heather Begins
AS SEEN IN
TRISHA TEEPLES
Vice President
Blue Sky Student Association
SETH WEIL
Senior Partnership Director
Chair, Access, Opportunity & Impact Leadership Council
CEA CAPA Education Abroad
TOM DRETLER
CEO & Co-Founder
Shorelight Education
HERNAN TAGLIANI
Founder & CEO
Tagliani Multicultural
MARTHA JOHNSON
Chief Academic Officer & Provost
CEA CAPA Education Abroad
LAMAR SHAMBLEY
Founder & Executive Director
Teens of Color Abroad
And more amazing guests!
A diverse lineup of perspectives from around the world.
More Than “What Should I Pack?”
There are plenty of study abroad checklists.
Passport. Visa. Flights. Housing. Classes. Packing.
Those things matter.
But some of the most important preparation can't be checked off a list.
What will you do when someone's behavior doesn't make sense to you?
How will you respond when your expectations meet a completely different reality?
What happens when you feel homesick, uncomfortable, or out of place?
How do you build relationships with people whose experiences and assumptions are different from your own?
You don't have to know everything before you go.
But knowing how to pause, ask, listen, and adapt can change what you take from the experience.
That's what Study Abroad Smarter is about.
Study Abroad Can Change How You See the World—and Yourself.
But you have an active part in shaping what you take from it.
Come hear the inside scoop from people who know these programs, places, and experiences.
Choose well. Prepare thoughtfully. Go curious. Make it yours.
STUDY ABROAD SMARTER SUMMIT
REGISTER NOW!
FREE • ONLINE • ON DEMAND
Hosted by Dr. Kristina Wachter
