Study Abroad Student Testimonials

Major: International Affairs & Modern Languages - Chinese (2010)

Study Abroad: China LBAT (2008) & Semeser exchange at Renmin University

"It’s important to keep something in mind when you’re learning Chinese: its applications stretch far beyond the classroom. Your experiences may end up helping you get your dream job. In the summer of 2009, I landed an internship at the U.S Embassy in Beijing working in the American Citizen Services section. After graduating from Tech in 2010, I moved to Zhengzhou to teach English at a local university. Living in a Chinese city with virtually no international tourism was an entirely new experience. I’m now working for the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer. My Chinese ability was an advantage in the recruiting process, and in the end proved useful when selecting my first post. This April, I will be moving to Guangzhou to work at the U.S. Consulate General for two years.”

Major: Economics & International Affairs (2009)

Minor: Spanish

Study Abroad: Mexico LBAT (2006)

“The program helped solidify my professional Spanish, but more importantly, it taught me how to see the world through the eyes of the people living and working in Mexico. Since completing the program, I have found that cultural sensitivity is a quality that has set me apart from my classmates and coworkers. After graduating, I accepted positions in Mexico, then China, and currently the Netherlands, and I am certain that I would not have had these incredible opportunities without the experience I gained from LBAT. In our globalizing world, the ability to work with people from different backgrounds is essential, and LBAT taught me how to do just that.”

Major: Business Administration

Study Abroad: France LBAT (2015)

"[The LBAT] is an amazing chance to learn a language among a population of native speakers and get credit in the process. You get the chance to form relationships with the people in your group, as well as with the people that live in the city/cities you visit...I loved getting to live in one place and get to know a city and a culture. I also loved doing the homestay in Nice because I got to form a meaningful relationship with a person I would have never encountered otherwise...it showed me that I definitely want to work abroad at some point in my life."

Major: International Affairs & Modern Languages - Spanish (2010)

Study Abroad: Spain LBAT (2008) & Mexico LBAT (2008)

“[The LBAT] cultivated my passion for Spain and the Spanish language, leading me to move to Spain to teach English...Thanks to my Spanish skills and time spent abroad during the LBAT and my semester abroad for the International Plan, I was able to start my MBA in European and International Business Management at a prestigious Spanish university... The LBAT thoroughly prepared me to handle working in foreign languages and alongside people from all over the world.”

Major: Mechanical Engineering (2008)

Minor: Chinese

Study Abroad: China LBAT (2008)

"Through the Chinese LBAT program, I had the opportunity to explore parts of China I've never been to before, while learning Chinese and immersing myself into the local culture. Following the LBAT program, I used my Chinese language skills to assist Chinese speaking residents when I worked for the DC Mayor's Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs. Currently, I use my language skills on a volunteer basis at local community centers and at polling sites in New York City."

Major: Applied Languages & Intercultural Studies - Russian (2016) and Mechanical Engineering (2013)

Study Abroad: Russia LBAT (2014) & St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University Exchange (2015)

“I gained an incredible sense of independence paired with an insatiable curiosity about the world that has resulted in me traveling regularly to new places in order to experience new cultures...the LBAT and my subsequent study abroad gave me the courage to finally choose what I truly loved as a career as opposed to sticking with something I felt obligated to do just because it was a safe career choice. It showed me that there are career opportunities in language and it showed me how to best use my skills to develop a meaningful and happy career.”

Major: Applied Languages & Intercultural Studies - French (2016)

Study Abroad: France LBAT (2014)

“The most meaningful experience from LBAT was the time I spent with my host family in Nice. Every evening we would all eat dinner together and converse for hours. Not only did this significantly improve my fluency in French, but I was also exposed to French cultural nuances that I would not have been able to encounter otherwise. The LBAT program provided an immersive and encouraging environment that solidified my aspiration to continue studying French literature in graduate school. Shortly after returning from France, I began preparing to apply for PhD programs with the eventual goal of becoming a French professor.”

Major: Industrial Engineering

Minor: German & Industrial Design

Study Abroad: Germany LBAT (2015), TU Munich Exchange (Fall 2015); and Intern at Continental & Seimens AG

"My semester at TUM allowed me to understand the German culture better. I got in touch with so many interesting people through the program, and it also made me realize what I want to do after I graduate. After moving to Nuremberg for my two internships at Continental and Siemens, I have made so many professional relationships that will definitely benefit me in the future."

Major: Applied Languages & Intercultural Studies - Spanish (2013) and Business Administration (2013)

Study Abroad: Mexico LBAT (2010) & Spain LBAT (2010)

"The LBAT was really a turning point for me in my time at Tech and in my career. I was exposed to business for the first time through classes and site tours and eventually changed my major because of this new interest. Studying abroad on the LBAT also allowed me to learn about and experience a different culture in depth through classes, tours around the city, and life with my host family. One summer and I was hooked. After graduating from Tech, I was one of 10 students nationally to be awarded the Fulbright Binational Business grant. With the Fulbright, I worked and studied in Mexico City for a year, reconnected with friends and (host) family from the LBAT, and integrated myself into the culture. The lessons I learned abroad continue to come up in professional conversations and have been invaluable to my career after returning home to the States."

Major: Aerospace Engineering (2015)

Minor: Russian Studies

Study Abroad: Russia Spring Track (2013) & Russia LBAT (2014)

"The experiences I had while on the program(s) still shape my perspectives to this day, years later. Before I first arrived in Moscow in 2013, I had never left the US. However, the LBAT programming and coursework compelled me to study and understand the culture I was constantly surrounded by—far beyond the surface-level differences I would have experienced had I just been visiting. By the time you leave to return home, you feel like a sort of quasi-local: you’ve spent months living with a native family; you have a vivid mental map of the city you live in; you have favorite restaurants, coffee shops, and yes, probably bars; and you’ve experienced a number of festivals, holidays, family traditions, and special events that you’d never even have heard of if you’d stayed in the US. The depth of exposure the LBAT offers by forcing you to exist outside of your American cultural bubble expands your global awareness unlike any other study abroad program Tech offers.”

Major: Mechanical Engineering (2016)

Minor: German

Study Abroad: Germany LBAT (2014) & Intern at BMW AG in Munich (Fall 2015)

"Being in Germany and speaking the language gives you a perspective that most people never have. It is amazing to walk into a city, a restaurant, or a company fully capable of functioning outside of your native tongue. Academically, my time during the LBAT helped me to achieve my goal of having German as a minor. Professionally, my German experience allowed me to receive a position in Munich with BMW, giving me a giant leg up on peers regardless of the industry I choose to pursue as a career."

Major: Applied Languages & Intercultural Studies - Spanish (2013) and Science Technology, & Culture (2013)

Study Abroad: Mexico LBAT (2010), Spain LBAT (2010), and Peru LBAT (2011)

"The LBAT set high expectations that inevitably resulted in my increased language control and deep understanding of cultural values, including my own. The experience of the LBAT programs forced me far outside the boundaries of comfort and consistently challenged my preconceived worldview. Of all my experiences at Georgia Tech, these summers abroad were without a doubt the most influential. (Did I mention they were also incredibly adventurous and fun?). They are undeniably among the best Georgia Tech has to offer.”