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Rece Raju

rraju@elon.edu

Who I am:

• Class: 2025
• Major(s): International Business and Marketing
• Business Fellow
• President & Social Media Coordinator of Elon’s Bollywood Dance Team,
• Alpha Chi Omega

My Experience:

• Future Abroad Experience: Japan and South Korea
• Business Fellows Winter Term to Paris & Dubai 2023
• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Traveling to Budapest, Hungary for a weekend with my friends abroad!”

Ask Me ��������:

• What countries or cities in Europe to travel to
• Public transportation
• Making new friends abroad
• Maintaining health and wellness abroad

Jillian Dolman

jdolman@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2025
• Major(s): Exercise Science and Spanish
• Minor(s): Biology
• Alpha Xi Delta
• Club Volleyball
• Biomechanics Research
• Elon Pre-Health Society

My Experience:

• Argentina, Winter 2023
• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Seeing live Flamenco in Plaza de Espana in Sevilla, taking a street art tour in Buenos Aires, seeing a double rainbow from atop the Eiffel Tower, and cruising the canals of Amsterdam with my best friends. “

Ask Me ��������:

• Living with a host family
• Taking classes in a new language
• Balancing travel and academics
• How to pack efficiently

Anna Grupp

agrupp@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2025
• Major(s): Psychology
• Minor(s): Spanish, Communications
• Kappa Delta
• Sigma Delta Pi
• Elon 1010 Peer Mentor
• Office of History & Geography (Student Assistant)

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “In Rome, my friends and I saw St Peter’s Basilica, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Stairs, and the Pantheon all in one day!”

Ask Me ��������:

• Packing efficiently
• Managing expectations
• Staying energized
• Choosing the right abroad program for you

Michaela Shapiro

mshapiro7@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2026
• Major(s): International and Global Studies: Europe, Environmental and Sustainability Studies
• Minor(s): Geography
• Elon Hillel
• Elon Residence Life

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Meeting people from many different cultures and countries while traveling through Europe.”

Ask Me ��������:

• Solo Travel
• Living with a host family
• Budgeting for travelling
• Learning a new language
• Cultural adjustments

Anya Bratic

abratic@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2026
• Major(s): International & Global Studies, Public Health Studies
• Minor(s): Policy Studies
• Team Lead for the Center for Design Thinking
• Periclean Scholar
• Elon College Fellow
• Alpha Xi Delta
• Class of 2026 Senator in Student Government Association

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Visiting all six republics of former Yugoslavia.”

Ask Me ��������:

• Living with a homestay family
• Internships abroad
• Solo Travel
• Eastern Europe
• Being a heritage student
• SIT programs

Gabby Nagel

gnagel@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2025
• Major(s): Elementary Education
• Minor(s): Environmental Education
• Kappa Delta
• Chabad
• Elon Teaching Fellows
• Undergraduate Research Student Association (URSA)

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Student teaching in Queenstown, NZ!”

Ask Me ��������:

• Teaching abroad
• Maintaining religious traditions while abroad
• Culture shock
• Living with new people
• FOMO

Ashley Josey

ajosey3@elon.edu

Who I am:

• Class: 2025
• Major(s): Communication Design
• Minor(s): Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Truitt Center Multi-faith Intern
• �������� Innovation Fellow
• Communications Fellow
• Kernodle Center Alternative Breaks Coordinator

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “I lived with 17 students from all over the world while studying in Wellington. We had a blast cooking up meals together and exploring the city. It was a beautiful experience of living in an international community, while forming some incredible friendships (often over takeout Indian food).”

Ask Me ��������:

• Solo Travel
• Forming new friendships abroad
• Exploring local cultures
• LGBTQIA+ community abroad

Jack Halpern

jhalpern3@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2025
• Major(s): Business Analytics and Entrepreneurship
• Founder of

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Having the opportunity to travel to eight different cities throughout Greece and exploring the history, culture, and cuisine.”

Ask Me ��������:

• Traveling abroad for the first time
• Short-term and summer programs
• Internships
• Best Restaurants in Charlotte

Kylie Leyda

kleyda@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2025
• Major(s): Computer Science, Public Health
• Minor(s): Engineering Design, Statistics, Data Science
• Elon Women’s Club Volleyball
• Public Health Society

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Pushing myself out of my comfort zone in India when I spent the night at a village health workers home in the village of Padali.”

Ask Me ��������:

• Studying in India or NYC
• How to choose a program
• Adjusting to different cultural practices
• Navigating a language barrier while abroad
• Work/life balance while interning in NYC

Lauren Bedell

lbedell@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2026
• Major(s): Political Science, Policy Studies
• Truitt Center Multifaith Intern
• Racquetball Club
• Elon Alzheimer’s Initiative
• Alpha Phi Omega
• LEAF (Lutherans, Episcopalians, And Friends)

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Traveling to Greece with my International Refugee Law core course! We listened to panel discussions about the inter-workings of NGOs, traced back the steps of people on the move, and were able to visit various solidarity spaces created to support these individuals.”

Ask Me ��������:

• Solo Travel
• Living with a homestay family
• Finding local volunteer opportunities
• Adjusting to new environments and cultures abroad
• Core courses vs. Elective courses with DIS

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abenander@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2027
• Major(s): BFA Acting, Arts Administration
• Minor(s): Dance, Business, Communications
• Renegade Student Productions
• CinElon

My Experience:

• Ghana Performing Arts in Cultural Context, Winter 2024
• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Canopy walk through the rainforest of Kakum National Park suspended 160 feet above ground. “

Ask Me ��������:

• West African Dance at Elon
• Exploring beyond your comfort zone
• Navigating long distance with friends and family

Collette Lynch

clynch27@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2025
• Major(s): Elementary Education
• Kappa Delta
• Admissions (Records Department)

My Experience:

• Copenhagen, Denmark, DIS, Fall 2022
• Washington D.C., Teaching Fellows, Winter 2024
• University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, Spring 2023
• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Bungee jumping in Queenstown, NZ!”

Ask Me ��������:

• Living with new people abroad
• Making the most out of your time abroad
• Being a flexible traveler
• Cooking for the first time

Payton Snead

psnead@elon.edu

Who I am:

• Class: 2025
• Major(s): Exercise Science
• Minor(s): Public Health, Food Studies
• Twisted Measure Acapella
• Team Lead for Moseley Center Front Desk
• Alpha Omicron Pi

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Exploring the national parks of Australia with my Outdoor Education class!”

Ask Me ��������:

• Developing a routine abroad
• Ways to connect with fellow exchange students and locals
• Solo Travel
• Travel throughout Australia

Olivia Rosen

orosen@elon.edu

Who I am:

• Class: 2025
• Major(s): Policy Studies
• Minor(s): Sociology
• West Coast Admissions Ambassador
• Koury Gym Operation Assistant
• Omicron Delta Kappa

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Traveling with my program on our two traveling seminars to places that were more niche and solo traveling to Sardinia.”

Ask Me ��������:

• Living in a city where English isn’t the primary language
• Personal travel budgeting
• Developing a routine abroad
• Solo Travel

Kaitlyn Hannan

khannan@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2025
• Major(s): Cinema and Television Arts
• Minor(s): Creative Writing
• Cinelon Productions
• Elon Student Television
• The President’s Student Leadership Advisory Council

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Renting a boat on Catalina Island!”

Ask Me ��������:

• Finding an internship
• Budgeting your time and money
• Hidden gems in Los Angeles
• Amusement Parks

Noelle Drummonds

ndrummonds@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2027
• Major(s): International Global Studies, Dance Performance & Choreography
• Minor(s): German Studies, Political Science
• German Club
• Sigma Kappa
• Tour Guide for Elon Admissions

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “I lived with a host mom for six weeks where she made me authentic German meals and we watched the UEFA Euro Football cup together! She also had other exchange students living with us from Slovakia, Japan, and France whom I still talk to!”

Ask Me ��������:

• Learning German
• Living with a host family
• Finding your independence
• Solo travel

Jill Waggoner

jwaggoner2@elon.edu

Who I Am:

• Class: 2025
• Major(s): Sociology
• Minor(s): Criminal Justice
• Sociology Club
• Boys and Girls Club Burlington volunteer

My Experience:

• Favorite Elon Global Experience: “Opening up my horizons to new foods, cultures, countries and people while abroad.”

Ask Me ��������:

• Going abroad without knowing anyone in your program
• Traveling in Europe
• Budgeting while abroad
• Navigating language barriers
• Adapting to new cultures and environments