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ANNE’S COLLEGE ABROAD
Students take their education overseas with the Barrie B. and Ralph R. Gonzalez International Travel Study Scholarship.
By Joshua Duke
Students at Anne’s College broaden their knowledge in classrooms, but sometimes they have an opportunity to broaden their classrooms through study abroad experiences. Students in Human Development and Family Science spent five weeks in Valencia, Spain, while a group of Sport Psychology students traveled to the European Federation of Sport Psychology Conference (FEPSAC) to present and learn from experts. The group of eight Sport Psychology graduate students had the opportunity to travel to Innsbruck, Austria, last summer thanks to the generous support of the Barrie B. and Ralph R. Gonzalez International Travel Study Scholarship.
The Barrie B. and Ralph R. Gonzalez International Travel Study Scholarship helps Anne’s College provide students with unique educational experiences through cultural immersion as a means of enhancing their future careers. The Gonzalez scholarship has supported both undergraduate and graduate students who participate in faculty-approved international programs since 2016. To date, 15 students have studied internationally thanks to the Barrie B. and Ralph R. Gonzalez International Travel Study Scholarship.
“The benefits of international travel opportunities and education are immense,” said Jordan Smith, a doctoral candidate in Sport Psychology. “First, they allow you to meet and connect with people from diverse backgrounds that you might never encounter otherwise. Second, for many of us, these experiences would be financially out of reach without grants like this, which provide the support needed to travel without financial stress. Lastly, such opportunities help expand your research horizons and build valuable networks, both of which can significantly boost your career.”
ANNE’S COLLEGE IN AUSTRIA
Smith was one of eight students who traveled to Europe and attended FEPSAC, which took place in beautiful Innsbruck, Austria. Smith said that she had never heard of the city until it became the host city for FEPSAC, but she immediately fell in love upon arrival. “The breathtaking mountains, so picturesque they seemed like they belonged in a painting, left me in awe,” she said.
Experiencing that natural beauty was something truly unforgettable, and I’m incredibly grateful for it.
Tyler Greene, a fellow Sport Psychology Ph.D. student, appreciated not just the change in scenery, but the change in perspective traveling abroad provided her. “Any time you interact with people from a different background than your own you are bound to grow your own knowledge,” she said. “I had the opportunity to not only learn about sport psychology from the conference, but I learned about various historical elements of places like Germany and Austria while visiting. I learned about cultural values and was able to witness these values in action, some of which I would not have understood otherwise.”
Greene will also remember FEPSAC as her first time presenting at a large-scale conference. “It was great to see how people were able to take my research and consider applying it to the various settings in which they work around the world,” Greene said. “People asked interesting questions that demonstrated to me that they were engaging with what I was sharing and considering how they can put it to use, so that was really rewarding for me!”
FEPSAC is a highly regarded conference in the world of sport psychology, bringing together some of the best minds in the field. Anne’s College had a great showing, with five students presenting in a symposium and three students presenting research posters. “Having the opportunity to share my work on that stage filled me with pride and boosted my confidence,” said Smith. “It’s a moment that truly reinforces my passion for what I do!”
VAMOS A VALENCIA
The 11 students who traveled to Valencia, Spain, continued their education in human development and family science in a unique setting that complemented their coursework. Students took two required classes, CHD4537 Parenting and FAD4265 Family Diversity, and Dr. Ming Cui who led the program took advantage of the international experience to drive home important lessons in the classes.
Cui and students observed children of various ages from several summer programs at Gulliver Park, famous for its massive play structures depicting the titular character of Gulliver’s Travels. At Plaza de la Reina, Cui and students studied the interactions and differences between local and tourist parents while enjoying the charming heart of old town Valencia.
“The goal of the program is to give students in our major the opportunity of an immersive experience in a different culture while learning how, from an ecological perspective, families rooted in different cultural backgrounds shape their family ties and interactions,” said Cui.
With classes taking place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, many students took the opportunity to see other parts of Spain and Europe. Some students took advantage of the FSU Valencia Center’s organized trips to Barcelona, while others visited cultural capitals like London, Paris, Rome, and Morocco.
The program is only in its third year but continues to grow year after year. Dr. Lenore McWey will lead the program in Summer 2025.
For more information about the program, visit bit.ly/HDFS-Valencia-2025 ∎
