Education Abroad Peer Ambassadors help ignite journeys abroad

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 5, 2025) – For many students, studying abroad can seem as overwhelming as it is exciting. For these students, the best people to ask for help are often those who have recently navigated the process. That’s where Education Abroad Peer Ambassadors (EAPAs) come in — a group of 15 student leaders from various colleges and programs using their international experience to guide others through their journey of studying abroad.

EAPAs at the University of Kentucky help students navigate their concerns, from the financial to the academic to the cultural, when it comes to studying abroad.

“I just want students to know that it’s possible,” said Morgan Sicard, a senior EAPA majoring in philosophy and political science and minoring in law and justice and international studies. “I know for me, it seemed dauting at first. There was an academic element, a financial element, but as soon as I sat down and started talking with people, I realized not only how possible this all was but how transformative it would be. And that certainly proved true.”

After participating in the Semester at Sea program, Sicard found her calling in international law. Once her program concluded, she knew she wanted to help her fellow students take that same leap because she understood its impact.

“The whole experience pushed me to be more outgoing,” she said. “Semester at Sea forced me to be out of my comfort zone and to be more independent. That’s really helped me in this role, too, as an EAPA.”

EAPAs come from a broad range of academic and personal experiences, which helps them connect with all students who stop by UK Education Abroad offices for help with their own education abroad experience.

“I know for me, as a first-generation student, studying abroad just didn’t seem like it was for me,” said Thomas Metheny, a senior majoring in theatre. “But getting to go on ‘Explore First: Careers, Cultures and Connections’ was life changing. It’s exciting to be able to help people in a similar position to me.”

In addition to participating in Explore First, Metheney also spent a semester abroad in Japan. The cultural differences between Japan and the U.S. made a profound impact on him, and he now uses that knowledge to help students interested in studying abroad navigate those cultural differences.

“I try to help students understand that, yes, there will be cultural differences, but it’s okay,” he said. “I try to talk to them about leaning into those differences and thinking critically about it all. Doing that while abroad and then when I returned to campus here at UK, has made a profound impact on who I am and what I want to do in the future.”

On a daily basis, EAPAs host First Steps sessions, which serve as an introduction to education abroad and are required for students to start their study abroad journey. They also serve as a point of contact in UK Education Abroad offices on the third floor of Bradley Hall, assisting any students who may come in with questions, visit classes across campus to inform students about education abroad opportunities and assist in marketing and communications efforts.

For Catherine Anuszkiewicz, a senior majoring in integrated strategic communication, serving as an EAPA is the perfect opportunity to hone career skills and to talk with fellow students about her own transformational experience.

“I had just studied abroad, and it was the best experience," Anuszkiewicz said. "So talking about that experience and helping other people have that too was a no-brainer.”

Anuszkiewicz participated in a faculty-directed program in London on strategic communication in a global setting.

“I’ve always wanted to study abroad,” she said. “I had just changed my major, and the first thing I said to my advisor after doing that was that I wanted to study abroad. On the program, I experienced a different kind of independence and confidence. Here I am, traveling outside the U.S. without my family, and I’m thriving.”

For many, the program is mutually beneficial. Ambassadors develop leadership, communication and intercultural skills that strengthen their résumés and deepen their own global perspectives.

“I know if I want to achieve my goals of going to law school and practicing law, I’ll need to get used to speaking in front of people,” Sicard said. “I get to give presentations to students each week, and I feel like I’m honing these crucial skills that will serve me well in the future.”

If she could have done anything differently before her own program, Sicard says she would have spoken to an EAPA.

“Now, as an EAPA, I don’t know what I was thinking not taking advantage of them myself before my own program,” she said. “I’m sure they would have told me to pack less.”

Education Abroad Peer Ambassadors will be at the upcoming Education Abroad Fall Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 10. Faculty interested in scheduling an ambassador to talk with their class about education abroad can learn more and schedule a time online.