Since graduating in 2009, Kara Mullin has traveled all over the world, from Nicaragua, to Iceland, to South Africa, to Panama, and many others.
Kara currently works for a bridge contractor based in Pennsylvania. Her position has allowed her to travel and live in many places in the U.S. and Canada. She is currently living in the San Francisco Bay area.
While a student at Virginia Tech, Kara majored in civil and environmental engineering and worked at the Global Education Office in 2008-2009 as a peer advisor. She studied abroad in Australia at the University of New South Wales (now, a partner institution for students in mining and minerals engineering).
Through study abroad, Kara had the opportunity to meet and interact with students from many different places. “I gained empathy by understanding different viewpoints. Since then, I use every opportunity to travel somewhere new and meet new people.”
Kara loved advising and guiding students who were unsure about studying abroad. “I found it so rewarding to convince a hesitant student that, despite their trepidations, this is a worthwhile thing to do. It was even better when they would return from their program excited about international travel and their experiences,” she said.
Kara shared a photo of a trip she took with fellow peer advisor alum, Taylor Woodman to South Africa (photo below).
Kara’s tips
There is never a perfect time to go abroad, there’s always something that comes up. It can be expensive, the classes might not line up exactly with your schedule, and you may worry about being homesick and missing friends and family. Those things are scary, but the experience is 100% worth it.
Take the leap and see the change! You’ll come out of your experience abroad as a more well-rounded and compassionate person.
