Tuesdays Abroad: ‘The Best Thing I Could Have Ever Done’

By Ryan Clark
CHS Communication Director

Kennedy Kochan never thought she’d spend Spring Break on Lake Como with her girlfriends. 

But, while participating in an Education Abroad program as she studied here in the College of Health Sciences, she was able to do just that. 

“I have always loved traveling, and studying abroad was always something I wanted to do,” said the 21-year-old Pittsburgh, Pa., native, who graduated this year with a degree in Human Health Sciences on the pre-Physician Assistant Studies track. 

Kennedy participated in an education abroad independent from her regular classes, traveling to Copenhagen, Denmark, for her entire spring semester during her junior year, and each class had to be separately approved. She said she personally saw how much students get out of learning overseas.

“I learned so much about myself while being independent in another country for four months, which I would not have done if I stayed at UK all four years,” she said. “I went to 11 countries and 16 different cities! My classes also taught me about the Scandinavian culture, as well as healthcare systems, which is information I will carry with me and apply when I am a PA.”

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.   

And what was Kennedy’s best memory of this excursion? A surprise trip to Italy. 

“Renting a boat on Lake Como with my girlfriends for spring break!” she said. 

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

“With a class or without, you will forever thank yourself for doing it,” she said. “It was the best thing I could have ever done for myself.”