Traveling far and wide
Contact: Kathleen Refior
For many students, Western Michigan University is their third place, their home away from home. For Lauren LaLonde, her third place is traveling, exploring new areas around the world. LaLonde – a senior studying political science, Spanish and Latin American Studies at WMU– has studied abroad five times during her college career.
“My decision to study abroad was made very early on in my educational career, as it was something that I knew I wanted to do since I was in high school,” said LaLonde. “I had my first overseas trip when I was 15, and my affinity for travel continued to grow from there.”
Traveling to places such as Ireland, Spain, Costa Rica, Cuba and New Zealand, LaLonde has had her fair share of experiences. Her last two study abroad programs took up her entire junior year, where she spent the fall in Havana, Cuba at the Universidad de la Habana, and the spring in Dunedin, New Zealand at the University of Otago. While in New Zealand, she studied political science with a focus on international relations and the Maori culture/language. Her knowledge and understanding of the international relations between smaller nations and the United States is something she applies to her studies and her own relationships on campus.
“I can’t help but tell everyone I know about my experience there, because it truly changed the way I look at the world, politics, Spanish, and made me reevaluate a lot of my perceptions, goals, and the way I interact with people on a daily basis,” said LaLonde.
Knowing she has wanted to make studying abroad a priority during college, LaLonde pushed herself to get in applications to programs, scholarships, research and more, but it was the support from WMU that truly helped her become immersive in her travels. The class taught by her professors and the wide range of study abroad programs offered allowed LaLonde to get the most out of her college experience.
“I have been lucky to have the opportunity to take a class with many of the professors in the Spanish department, as well as a handful in the political science department. The variety of classes that are offered at the College of Arts and Sciences really helped me to gain knowledge in areas that I may not have otherwise.”
Although LaLonde is done studying abroad – for now – the wealth of experience she has gained from her travels will continue for years to come. Her passion for learning and immersing herself in sometimes uncomfortable scenarios impacts her life every day.
“I want to encourage students to go somewhere that makes them uncomfortable, or that is more unique. Those locations and programs have the most interesting stories to tell, and will impact you in a life-altering way,” said LaLonde.