Finding My Home at the University of Arkansas

by Samantha Giudice

As someone who had studied abroad in Taiwan during my junior year of high school, I knew that I wanted to continue to pursue my interest in Asia during my college education. I was able to continue this pursuit this past year when I spent my junior year studying in Seoul, South Korea, at Yonsei University. While at Yonsei, I was able to really focus on my interest in East Asia and took classes ranging in subjects from a survey of modern Korean history to theories of democracy. I even had the chance to attend a K-Pop dance course taught by an actual K-pop idol which was very fun! While there I made friends with other international students and Korean students alike. The people I met abroad really made the experience, and I know I’ve made lifelong friends. While leaving Korea was bittersweet, I was excited to come back home to my family and my university.

When I was in high school, the University of Arkansas was not my top choice. While I ended up choosing the U of A for its proximity to home, which made it more cost-effective, I never thought I would develop the love for the university that I have. I spent the first semester of my first year at Walton College as an international business major, and while the faculty was kind, and the classes were interesting, I knew the content wasn’t what I wanted to study for four years. While I was still feeling myself out that semester, I heard of the international and global studies (INST) major at Fulbright (College of Arts & Sciences). The faculty of the INST major were so readily accepting of me, and I knew that was the place I wanted to be. It was sometime in my first semester that I came to the realization that if I was going to pay for my education, I might as well make full use of it. Before this, I had been very scared to go to my professor’s office hours or approach them in any matter, but after this, I was able to make the most of my time at the U of A. I was able to build a connection to the U of A by giving the U of A a chance to connect with me. The international studies major has truly given me a home away from home at the U of A. After my time abroad, I value my education at the U of A even more. The faculty at the U of A  truly leave space for discussion in courses, and the ability to openly engage with my cohorts is priceless to me. The quality of education I receive from the U of A keeps me firmly tethered to this wonderful institution.

This quality of education would not be possible if it weren’t for the faculty within the U of A. The faculty that I have been lucky enough to interact with have opened the door to my passions. Through the opportunity of being able to take a wide array of multi-disciplinary courses, I have been able to get a feel for myself, and the faculty that I have worked with have only added to that. I know that no matter what, I have faculty members that will readily provide me support and advice, and that is invaluable to me. The support I have received on campus is unparalleled. There is always someone willing to help, and that is what makes the U of A great. Additionally, the staff members available are truly amazing. Within my departments, I have been able to work with academics at the forefront of their field. Being exposed to that kind of research so early on in my undergraduate career not only prepared me to succeed at the U of A, but it has prepared me to succeed in my future graduate career as well. I could not recommend the U of A enough to prospective students.

Most of all, the U of A has given me ample support and opportunities to succeed not only in my undergraduate career but in my future as well. The U of A enabled me to study abroad uninhibited by cost and will also allow me to graduate debt free. As someone who is looking at pursuing a further level of academia, the lack of monetary stress in my undergraduate career has truly allowed me to look toward the future. I can confidently say that I would not have been able to dream as big as I do without the support and backing of the U of A. Outside of the direct U of A, my experience both on the Fayetteville campus as well as my experience abroad, would not have been possible without the support of the Arkansas Alumni Association. The scholarship provided to me by the association is just one part of the support they have given me. While the monetary support made it possible to study abroad, the encouragement I received from the association is what helped push me to study abroad. I remember weeks before leaving having a talk with Patti (Sanders, associate director of alumni scholarships) for almost an hour about what I was going to do abroad, and I remember her telling me to contact her at any time if I felt homesick or just wanted to talk. Even though I was thousands of miles away from home, it is this kind of support from the association that made me feel like I was only feet away from campus.

Samantha Giudice is an Arkansas Alumni Association endowed scholar from Bethel Heights. After spending 11 months studying abroad in South Korea, Giudice has returned to campus for her senior year. She is the new communications intern for the Arkansas Alumni Association.