Taylor Rains worked at the Global Education Office in 2014-2015 as the engineering peer ambassador. She participated in two different study abroad programs. The first was the engineering-specific program called the Rising Sophomore Abroad Program to Milan, Italy, several places in Germany, and Riva San Vitale, Switzerland. Then later as a junior, Taylor participated in a direct-enroll program at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia to study Industrial Engineering (UNSW is now a Virginia Tech Bilateral Exchange partner; the program is open only to Mining & Minerals Engineering students).
After graduating from Virginia Tech in 2015, Taylor started work with Nielsen’s Emerging Leaders Program, a two-year rotational program with four 6-month rotations. Currently, Taylor is on her last rotation in Oxford, England. She credits her study abroad experience for giving her the confidence she needed to eventually live abroad. “From the moment I went on that first two-week trip after my freshman year, I knew traveling was going to be a central theme for the rest of my life.” Living abroad has allowed Taylor to travel almost every weekend. She currently has plans to visit Scotland, France, Morocco, Spain, Switzerland, and Southeast Asia.
Study abroad also gave Taylor valuable and long-lasting friendships. “I have so many friends that I met studying abroad living all over the globe, which has made travel so much easier. It’s always great to have a friendly face when you visit a new city, and even better when they can be your translator, too!”
During her time at GEO, Taylor loved talking with students and convincing them to step out of their comfort zone with their study abroad experiences. She also loved working with the other PAs. “It was so fun getting to work in an environment where everyone loved travel as much as I did.”
Taylor’s tips
Do something that scares you a little bit. It won’t be without challenges, but you will gain so much from solving problems and meeting new people.
Always ask yourself if you can take it one step further to get out of your comfort zone. If you’re looking at a short program, consider a semester-long one. If you are going with a group of Virginia Tech students, try to find a way to go learn on your own.
