Learning Beyond Borders
June 02, 2026
Ready to Roar In Action: Student Stories
At LSU, career readiness happens everywhere. In this series, students reflect on how their campus involvement connects to the Ready to Roar career proficiencies and helps prepare them for life after graduation.
Deciding to live overseas for three months through a study abroad internship program was a big choice. The program placed me in Dublin, Ireland, where I had to make new friends and work in a different cultural setting. I explored Ireland, the UK, and Spain. I networked with professionals and expanded my engineering knowledge.
Through these experiences, I became more aware of both Irish culture and my own personal strengths, building my confidence and communication skills by stepping outside my comfort zone.
Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone
Through the internship, I worked closely with my boss. I gave weekly summaries of my work and helped her run networking events.
At these events, I spoke with engineers from multiple disciplines who shared how their careers evolved, which helped me better understand the different paths within engineering.
Living in Dublin, I started to adapt to the Irish workplace etiquette and travel like a local. I began learning just as much outside the office as I did inside it.
This immersive summer became the perfect testing ground for two Ready to Roar competencies: self-awareness and global learning.
Discovering Who I Am
The journey into self-awareness began the moment I landed at the Dublin airport. Surrounded by unfamiliar faces, I was faced with an immediate choice: keep to myself or branch out. I had always considered myself an introvert, but I knew that leaning into the uncomfortable was the only way to truly take advantage of this time abroad.
By actively choosing to keep an open mind, I discovered it was surprisingly easy to connect with others. This initial mindset shift was the crucial stepping stone that allowed me to thrive once I started working.
I was able to work alongside my boss, receiving feedback that helped me improve my projects. Not only did it become easier to talk to my colleagues, but it also empowered me to fully engage with the engineering professionals I was meeting.
These opportunities taught me about common challenges engineers face throughout their careers. I learned how to network and communicate who I am professionally. It also helped shape how I saw my future in the industry and where I want to go professionally.
Developing a Global Mindset
Self-awareness helped me navigate my own internal landscape, and practicing global learning opened my eyes to the broader systems around me. Exploring not just Ireland, but also the UK and Spain, exposed me to a variety of cultural differences and varying points of view.
My time abroad taught me to actively seek out a range of perspectives to better understand complex issues.
Whether I was adapting to different workplace dynamics in Dublin or observing how the European space sector is structured, I began to see firsthand how interconnected global systems operate.
I learned that to be truly effective, you had to stay aware of your own biases and understand how local decisions could have a wider societal impact.
Returning Home With Purpose
As a student, this study abroad helped shape who I am for my future success. I learned that aerospace was truly the path I wanted to take and what I needed to do to pursue that path successfully.
It also taught me that being a successful engineer required more than just mastering the technical skills in a classroom; it required the ability to collaborate with others, embrace different perspectives to achieve the best outcomes, and be able to articulate myself for interviews or presentations.
By embracing both self-awareness and global learning, I returned home not just as a more confident individual, but as a more adaptable student prepared to take the next steps toward my career goals.
About the LSU Career Center
Our team is committed to ensuring every student has ample opportunities to gain experience, grow their network, and communicate their aptitude for a chosen career long before graduation. We believe LSU students are unparalleled in their potential to step into leadership, solve problems, and elevate the workforce for the benefit of all.
Ready to Roar Career Proficiencies
At LSU, you’ll gain the knowledge and experience to succeed in any field. With a blend of professional experiences, academic pursuits, and involvement opportunities both on and off campus, you'll graduate Ready to Roar.