I wrote down one goal before leaving for this experience of a lifetime; it was “step outside of my comfort zone, grow professionally and personally.” I can say without a doubt that this goal was exceeded more than I could have imagined. I was able to grow my confidence, independence, and adaptability throughout my week there. Although we spent time in a big group, we were able to have free time which allowed us to explore the city alone. Sightseeing was my favorite by far; seeing the river, old history, and smelling the fresh air.

We had company visits with Deloitte, ABB, On, Laderach, Tenity, and two startups Treeless and MyNerva. These visits were full of knowledge about the financial world and how these employees got to where they are. Within Zurich, they are all about work life balance. They want people to have a life outside of work and enjoy it with their families. One day when we had free time, the group of girls I was with took a train to Interlaken. We had a difficult time navigating the train system and had to ask for help when buying tickets and there was a language barrier but being able to point at things on the screen helped tremendously.

I learned from the culture in Zurich that Switzerland overall is very timely, they are always early to things. This helped my accountability because we had a set time every morning to meet in the lobby. The citizens are very too themselves and quiet, at our farewell dinner we got asked to quiet down because Americans are loud compared to Europeans.

A myth I would bust about education abroad is that it's scary. At first, I was scared and had culture shock but by the end of the program I didn’t want to leave. Going with a large group helped the ease of anxiousness because we all didn’t know what to expect.

I am a student from a lower income family because my parents are divorced, and my mom is the sole provider for my sister and me. She has been my inspiration with everything. When I told her about this program, she was so excited but we both talked about having a hard time affording it. This scholarship was able to help me with that burden of worrying.

The one moment I will always remember was being at the top of Zurich overlooking the city lights just after the sun had set. It was the most beautiful and breathtaking view I ever saw. It made me sit back and reflect on my time and how far I had come personally.

I would recommend this program to anybody who wants to get the most out of their college education. I will forever cherish the experiences and connections I made with the people on the program. I can’t wait for what the future holds for me, studying abroad has opened my mind more than I can know.

Name: Sara Danison
Status: Junior
Major: Finance
Hometown: Manistee, Michigan
Program: Accounting and Finance Topics in Zurich, Switzerland