Expanding Horizons

How studying abroad can change your life

There are some memories easily captured in photos, validated through social media interactions and hung up in frames that dress the walls of your room. And then there are more intimate moments that linger in your heart, travel-worn treasures kept alive through stories shared and the sensations evoked by familiar sounds or smells.

When you venture out of your comfort zone and into the enriching experience of studying abroad, you embark on a whirlwind of challenges and self-discovery while developing a sense of empathy that goes beyond borders.

Meet Naomi Lumban-Gaol, who expects to earn her Bachelor of Science in nursing, with a minor in health care administration, in 2025.

Through the Regis University Interfaith Medical Service Project, Naomi, along with a chosen group of pre-med/pre-health students, traveled to Guatemala in 2022 to assist and shadow health care professionals in a clinic called La Cuidad de La Esperanza. She said the experience was both transformative and rewarding.

"In La Ciudad de La Esperanza, which translates to The City of Hope, I embarked on a medical service project with the indigenous people of Coban,” she said.

“I was able to care for the people's physical nature in measuring their blood sugar levels, in taking both adult and pediatric heart and respiratory rates, in measuring their height, in providing them with medication, in administering eye exams and in cleaning teeth.

“I was able to care for the minds and souls of the people of Coban. We connected in Spanish and listened to their stories and struggles. We prayed and respected their different faiths, tossed a beach ball around with the kids and received lots of hugs, high fives, and besitos [kisses].”

Naomi recalled that she chose Regis “for its stellar nursing program, and I found so many more opportunities like this one to feed my passion for global health care in my future nursing career.”

The Power of International Learning

Research has shown that studying abroad helps:

At Regis University, global learning opportunities are more than just trying new foods or navigating unfamiliar streets; they are a crash course in understanding the world and, more importantly, yourself.

Our faculty are dedicated to guiding students through the study abroad experience. With a wealth of expertise, faculty members provide mentorship and support, ensuring that you derive maximum benefit from your time abroad. The guidance from seasoned educators adds a unique dimension to the study abroad journey, fostering a rich academic and personal development experience.

With three distinct paths that include more than 35 captivating destinations, service-learning opportunities and alternative spring break trips where you fully live out the mission of being in service for and with others, Regis caters to the varied preferences and goals of those aspiring to broaden their horizons.

Learn more about our diverse array of study abroad programs HERE.