Student gains personal growth from studying abroad
September 29, 2014
Mealins at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
STARKVILLE, Miss. – How many people can say they’ve been to two continents, six countries, and 27 cities in one summer?
Emily Mealins, a junior double majoring in civil engineering and Spanish, was able to do just that and more during her summer abroad in Alcala de Henares, Spain.
“I think, sometimes, we don’t realize that we’re just over here in our Starkville bubble, and we think there’s nothing else outside of here,” the Columbiana, Alabama native said, “but there are so many people and so many different things you can learn and see.”
Mealins was one of 15 Bagley College students that received a Chevron Corp. scholarship to participate in an eight-week, faculty-led study abroad program. She made the most of her study abroad experience by spending every weekend of her summer venturing out to new sights with several Mississippi State University students whom she did not previously know.
“I was just really by myself, and with these new friends we were all figuring it out together. None of us had preconceived notions of each other or what to expect,” Mealins said. “I was forced to go out of my comfort zone and go try new things.”
The opportunity for Mealins to study abroad led her as far as Morocco, Africa, where she rode a camel for the first time. She spoke excitedly of places she was able to visit, places that she had grown up learning about.
“In London, you hear of Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, and to actually see that was really cool,” Mealins said.
Mealins met many international students at the university she attended in Alcala de Henares. Some of these students were from Taiwan, Korea, Germany, France, and England. Mealins said she was able to learn about other parts of the world just by sitting in class and discussing each country’s social norms.
Although she had many high points while studying abroad, Mealins did experience a couple of bumps in the road. She said one fearful moment came when her wallet was stolen, and with it her passport, cash, credit card, and driver’s license along with several other important items. Through this experience, however, she learned to handle situations independently.
“If I were over here, I would call my mom and ask her what to do, but I had to figure it out and make it happen, because I was my only advocate,” Mealins said. “I couldn’t have my mom go up to the U.S. Embassy and help me out.”
Through her experiences, Mealins said she became more confident in who she is and her decisions, which she said will help her in her future career. She experienced growth in areas of her life that she did not anticipate.
“I think I really gained an appreciation for history and art while I was over there, so that was kind of neat to see that transformation in myself,” Mealins said. “I saw the statue of David by Michelangelo when I was in Florence, Italy, and I started crying. It was just breathtaking.”
As a recipient of the Chevron scholarship, Mealins was able to alleviate some of the program’s cost. However, for her, the meaning of this scholarship extended past the dollar amount. It was a reminder of her grandfather, a former Chevron employee who passed away last spring.
“At his funeral, I met a bunch of his coworkers. One of his best friends, Jerry Jackson, I got to thank him personally for the scholarship, which was really cool,” Mealins said. “It kind of was like PawPaw gave me this experience a little bit. He funded it through Chevron.”
Over the past five years, Chevron has donated more than $330,000 to support study abroad in the Bagley College, including $150,000 over the next three years. Though this continued financial support, the BCoE joins the Shackouls Honor College as one of only two colleges at Mississippi State to offer scholarships for the 2014 study abroad participants.
Mealins said study abroad is a worthwhile experience for those who want to broaden their horizons.
“If you’re open to new experiences then you need to do it,” Mealins said. “Just get out there and see the world because it’s so big.
For more information about study abroad in the Bagley College of Engineering, visit www.bagley.msstate.edu/programs/study-abroad/
By: Jen Nguyen