Tuesdays Abroad: ‘Always a Dream of Mine’

By Ryan Clark
CHS Communication Director

Emmanuel Dhemby Moussabou always dreamt of representing his University to study abroad.

So, with the help of the College of Health Sciences, he did just that.

A recent graduate of the Clinical Leadership and Management major, Moussabou was able to travel to Paris, France, with the HHS470 class — International Experiences in Health Sciences. It proved to be a life-changing experience.

“It was experiential learning and immersion in another country’s culture and lifestyle,” said the 23-year-old native of Tchibanga, in the Nyanga Province of Gabon, central Africa.

Moussabou, who won a scholarship to study overseas, was also one of UK’s 2024 Sullivan Award winners for exhibiting New York Southern Society’s first president “Algernon Sydney Sullivan’s ideals of heart, mind and conduct as evince a spirit of love for and helpfulness to other men and women.” Moussabou said students get so much out of learning overseas.

“If you have the opportunity and means to do it, you absolutely should,” he said. “You will make new friends, try new foods, learn a whole lot about other people and about yourself. Ultimately, you'll be better off for it.”

This month, the College of Health Sciences is featuring stories from students or faculty members who have had educational experiences overseas. We’re calling it Tuesdays Abroad — and we’re using this space to show just how influential these voyages can be.

Over the past year, the College has put an increased focus on Education Abroad, launching a CHS Global Initiatives website and emphasizing the benefits that an experience to a foreign country can add to one’s overall college experience. Studies show that students who participate reduce their time to degree, earn a higher GPA at degree, and are more likely to graduate in both four and six years.  

Of the many memories Moussabou was able to create, he said one stands out — and it isn’t from France. See — just because you’re in France, doesn’t mean you have to stay there.

“My best memory was traveling to Belgium with my classmates and attending a concert,” he said.

And what advice does she have for other students thinking of an education abroad experience?

“If you ever go to Brussels, stop at la Gare de Midi,” he said. “They have the best waffles in the country. Thank me later!”