UMW Center for International Education

https://www.umw.edu/news/2026/05/06/university-of-mary-washington-class-of-2026-senior-spotlights-part-1-of-2/

Class of 2026 Senior spotlights showing off Education Abroad alumni and International student experiences! CIE is honored to have been part of these students' journeys!

University of Mary Washington Class of 2026 Senior Spotlights: Part 1 of 2 byAs the Class of 2026 prepares to soar from the University of Mary Washington, we turn the spotlight on graduating seniors. These Eagles have spent their college years finding what matters most, rising to challenges and lighting the way for others. Before they take flight, meet some of the seniors....

The school year has come to a close and graduation is this Saturday! To wrap up, our final is highlighting Carly Radgowski! She is another of CIE’s peer advisors and graduating senior! She studied abroad in Aix-en-Provence and Paris, France.🇫🇷💋
(Fun fact her apartment in Paris overlooked Notre Dame!)

She shares, “I loved exploring Paris and making amazing lifelong friends! I would recommend traveling as much as you’re able to because I learned so much!”
Carly shares her goals for the future, “I want to find an international career after graduating! I’d love to be able to combine my Conservation Biology and French majors!”

Thank you Carly for sharing your advice and best of luck for the future!
Congratulations to everyone for comepleting this school year, and shout out to all the graduating seniors! You shall be missed!💙🤍

It is the best day of the week again! Today we’re highlighting another graduating senior and CIE peer advisor, William Gawtry! He did an EUSA internship abroad in Dublin.🇮🇪

William shares, “I went to the Guinness factory in Dublin, and got to see how they made it, which was insanely cool! I'd also say to remember: study abroad is what you make of it. Don't be afraid of a challenge or something that may be scary! Try it, what's the harm?”✨
“Studying abroad helped me realize that traveling is something I want to continue doing, but also remembering to take breaks and know when my body needs a second. I am taking a break from school and plan to work some part-time jobs until I feel ready and secure enough to do either graduate school or take on a full-time position somewhere.”

Thank you so much William for sharing your story, and wish you all the best in the future!💚🤍🧡

Back again! And who do we have here? It’s Charlotte Niblett! She is also a graduating senior majoring in history with a focus in ancient history. She studied abroad for two semesters in Reading, UK 🇬🇧 and then in Tokyo, Japan!🇯🇵

She shares, “Fukuoka (Japan) is a hidden gem and has great nightlife! I really recommend people check it out! When studying abroad in London, I highly recommend using it as a home base in order to explore mainland Europe!”
On the benefits of studying abroad, she says, “It was great for my academic resume as I was able to take classes that I did not have access to at UMW and it’s a bonus to be well travelled and able to speak multiple languages.”

Charlotte is planning to continue her studies and is going abroad again in the summer! Thank you for sharing your experiences!💙✨

Have you studied abroad recently? Join our CIE team as a volunteer peer advisor!✨💙
You've navigated the applications, the culture shock and everything in between. Now turn your experience into expertise and aid fellow students as they prepare their own study abroad journeys!🌍
As a peer advisor you'll meet with students exploring their study abroad options, answer questions, and support CIE staff with programming and outreach events. Scheduling is very flexible and built around your course load.
Start as a volunteer and build up to a paid position! Apply through the link!
https://international.umw.edu/cie/about/peeradvisors/pa-application-form/

It's Thursday once again! This week's is not so much of a throwback though, since Aiden Emery is currently studying abroad in New Zealand! 🇳🇿 He is currently at the University of Otago, and here at UMW he is studying business.

It looks like he is having loads of fun and going on lots of adventures! Good luck Aiden in finishing your studies! ✨🐨

As this semester starts wrapping up, we are bringing back Throwback Thursday’s to highlight some of our students' study abroad experiences!✨
Our first is Dave Patton, a senior and one of our very own peer advisors! He studied abroad in the Spring of 2024 in Bilbao, Spain.

Dave shares, “Visiting Lekeitio felt especially meaningful because it gave me a deeper connection to my Basque heritage. It was such a special experience finally meeting my relatives in person, especially since we had only been in contact virtually since COVID. Being able to spend time together, share meals, and learn more about my family’s culture and traditions made the visit incredibly meaningful and something I will always remember. It impacted me knowing that I can step out of my comfort zone and do fine. Traveling to a new place, navigating a different culture, and meeting relatives I had only known online pushed me in ways I wasn’t used to, but it also showed me that I’m capable of adapting and thriving in unfamiliar situations. That confidence is something I’ll carry with me moving forward!”

After UMW Dave aims to work in elections! Thank you Dave for sharing your story!💙🤍

This year's Mary Wash Day has come to an end!🎉
Because of your generosity, a new record of around $1,700 was raised for the Study Abroad Assistance Fund, which will help students achieve their study abroad goals!
Here at CIE we are beyond grateful for your support and kindness!
Thank you for another amazing Mary Wash Day!✨💙

Mary Wash Day is finally here!
Today marks our ninth annual day of giving. From now until noon tomorrow, we encourage our community to support Mary Washington and the Center for International Education with small donations. Use the link below to donate to CIE and help us aid students in their goals for international education! 🗺💙
https://givingday.umw.edu/amb/cie

UMW Students, it's time to map out your summer and make Spain your classroom!

Travel with UMW faculty and boost your studies by earning valuable credits in Honors, BTC/GDP gen eds, language, Spanish for healthcare and business, all while exploring Spain's vibrant culture.