Global Learning Alumni
Welcome to the Global Learning alumni homepage! Here you can access all the latest information on our alumni, the benefits of our programs, and how to stay connected with our other global learners.
Key Alumni Statistics
Students and graduates who participate in global learning activities report high levels of personal, academic, and professional growth. Here are some key facts and figures reported by our alumni, and others around the world, who have participated in global learning activities.
A 2023 Canadian Bureau for International Education survey found that Global Learning has impacted UCalgary Alumni in the following ways:
- ½ of our alumni were inspired to pursue an international career after participating in a global learning experience.
- 1/3 of our alumni have completed a program that developed their skills in another language.
- 8/10 alumni feel that they gained resiliency skills while studying abroad.
- 7/10 alumni feel that their global education has increased their leadership skills.
- 95% of our alumni feel that learning abroad helped them to develop personally and/or professionally.
- 86% of our alumni feel that their experiences abroad helped them to develop their knowledge of global issues.
- 90% of our alumni feel that their international program helped them to develop their confidence.
According to IES Abroad (2015), 90% of students who participate in a global learning experience get into their first or second choice graduate or professional school. Our programs have helped our alumni to deepen their understanding of their subject of study, given them valuable field skills, enriched their viewpoints, and challenged them to grow in their academic perspective. It has been reported that participating in a global learning experienced has also helped students to decide on a thesis topic, raise their grades, and increase their knowledge of any languages they have been studying.
Other advantages to studying abroad include:
- Discovery or deepening of their academic passion and direction (CBIE, 2016).
- A higher GPA – especially nearing the completion of their program. (Rubin & Sutton, 2004).
- A greater likelihood of graduating on time (UC San Diego, 2011).
Alumni, from around the world, who have completed study abroad programs experience a variety of advantages throughout their career. From landing your first interview to leadership and advancement, global education will help your career grow in the following ways:
- nearly 90% of study abroad alumni found their first job within six months of graduation, as compared to only 49% of respondents in a recent survey of the general college graduate population who had found work within a year of finishing school (IES, 2012).
- 85% noted that participating in study abroad helped them to work in a broader range of sectors than they had prior thought that they would work in (AIFS, 2018);
- 84% felt that studying abroad helped them build valuable job skills such as foreign language skills, cultural training, tolerance for ambiguity, adaptability, communication, and more” (IES, 2012; AIFS, 2018).
- More than 65% of students surveyed found a career-related position within a timeframe that met or exceeded their expectations” (IES, 2012).
- 50% felt the overseas experience helped them get their first jobs (IES, 2012).
Having a globalized education also comes with a variety of professional advantages across a variety of industries. "Across companies, the industries most seeking international experience are:
- Energy (71%),
- Travel, Leisure and Hospitality (64%),
- Electronics and High Technology (64%),
- Consulting and Professional Services (63%),
- Fast Moving Commercial Goods FMCG (63%)." (QS Global Employer Survey, 2011)
Further, "More than 31 million unique job postings in 2019 included a mention of the key soft [essential] and global skills associated with study abroad." (NAFSA, 2020).
Upon return from their global learning experience, so many of our students cannot wait to tell us… and all their friends and family about how study abroad changed their life! We hear so many great stories about how they gained resilience, grew to be more independent, accepted more responsibility, learned to problem solve and made so many friends from all over the world!
Research shows that students who participate in an international learning experience gain access to a wider variety of social experiences which grows their social capital and ability to move between different social and cultural groups (Gelan, 2017). There are a wide variety of recent studies that show distinct personal growth areas for alumni of study abroad programming.
The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), has found that Canadian students who participated in an education abroad opportunity had greater growth in the following areas than they would have if they had only studies in Canada: “knowledge of host countr[ies], cultural awareness and understanding, openness to difference, knowledge of world events, self-confidence, and awareness of own identity” (CBIE, 2016).
The International Education of Students Organization also found that participating in an international experience has been show to lead to a 96% increase in self-confidence among participants surveyed (International Education of Students, 1999 as cited in Study International, 2023).
Kristen and Danielle Galloway
Kristen: Bachelor of Arts, International Relations (2016)
Danielle: Bachelor of Arts, Development Studies (2016)
Study Abroad Programs: Group Study Program in Puebla, Mexico (2013), Group Study Program in Seville, Spain (2015)
Co-Owners/Brand and Web Designers of The Madrid Collective, Spain
Studying abroad changed the trajectory of our lives as it opened up new doors that we hadn't known were possible before taking part in these programs. Through our experiences in Cholula and Seville, we gained Spanish language foundations which later became an essential skill when we both moved to Madrid in 2017 to teach English. We also developed problem solving skills which played a huge role in our decision to start learning branding and web design and apply for work visas in Spain that would allow us to start our own business called The Madrid Collective.
The advice we would give to students looking into studying abroad is to remember that your university experience is a very short period in your life and by studying abroad you could unlock doors that you don't even know exist yet. It will give you a very unique experience to see the world, learn a new language and culture, and have the support of the university behind you while doing it. Look into funding available and if possible try to plan out when to study abroad in advance so you can do the appropriate research and feel well prepared financially.
Our global learning experiences have helped us grow personally by pushing ourselves to get out of our comfort zones and make connections with people all over the world. At the start of our university experience, studying abroad wasn't even something that we considered until switching our degree paths and becoming more interested in other cultures and places. From an academic perspective studying abroad helped us put into practice the Spanish language foundations we learned from our university courses, and expanded our knowledge of the Spanish speaking world. Professionally, studying abroad has led us to moving to Spain to teach English, and starting our own brand and web design business in Madrid. We never imagined after graduating university we would end up moving to Spain to start a business, but studying abroad helped open those doors and showed us what was possible when you take risks and follow your intuition.
Want to make an Impact?
It would not be possible for UCalgary International to offer so many high-impact learning experiences without the support from our public, private, and alumni donors. If you would like to donate to the UC Global Study Abroad fund, you can do so anytime by following clicking on the awards fund link below.
Nicole Bowal, 2023
Andrea Heckbert
Bachelor of Commerce - Finance, 2012 & Bachelor of Arts - Psychology (2012); Master in Business Administration - Harvard Business School (2017)
Study Abroad Programs: Exchange Program at Universita Bocconi, Italy (2010); Group Study Program at Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain (2012)
Vice President, International Operations for Lululemon, United Kingdom
I apply the cultural and international business context absorbed during my exchanges on an almost daily basis - as my company considers expansion and growth across Europe, it has been invaluable to understand European business and the cultural nuances of some of the main countries, both the ones I studied in but also other countries as a result of other students I met. I was able to grow in so many ways as a result of my programs. Personally, I became more self-sufficient, and a more knowledgeable global citizen. I also met some amazing friends I still have to this day. Academically, I enhanced my business and psychology education by enriching some of the concepts I was learning with international relevance, and some supplementary non-North American points of view. Professionally these programs gave me valuable international experience which has helped lay the foundation for the global career I always wanted.
"You will grow as a person and become a better citizen of the world, as well as learn about your own resourcefulness and adaptability... I have never met anyone who regretted their time on exchange."
Karen Ngo
Bachelor of Commerce (Co-op), General Management (2020)
Study Abroad Program(s): Experiencing Japanese Business Group Study Program, Japan (2017); Exchange program at the Singapore Management University, Singapore (2019)
Communications Manager at Microsoft
Going abroad helped me to develop highly thematic skills that are important in today’s globalized economy. Going abroad also means gaining independence and dealing with a lot of unfamiliarity on your own so you're going to need to adapt constantly. These skills certainly helped me to earn and advance in my current role.
To learn more about Karen's experiences, check out her blog: KKarenism
Josiah Sinanan
Bachelor of Arts - International Relations (2017)
Study Abroad Program: Exchange at Sciences Po, France (2015)
Reporter and Producer at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - News
My time abroad is a key moment in my personal and professional development. While in France, I feel I truly solidified my confidence for utilizing French as a second language (something I’d be studying most of my life, even within my degree), but it also opened my eyes to the world of international diplomacy and politics in a way that was truly standout. The courses available to me were specific to being on location and I could not have replicated them otherwise. It’s given me a direct advantage in my career and how I understand the world around me. My perspective on the world shifted during my time abroad and quenched many curiosities and dreams I had early on in my education.
Today, I have been able to assist colleagues at Radio-Canada in French language content, I have a lengthened reach into French culture and I have a broader understanding of international politics in a way that helps inform my storytelling and reporting that I believe does make me standout within my current context. I have also developed a boldness and leadership that I didn’t have prior to my experience abroad which has given me confidence in self-travel, strengthened my ability to work in a team and an enhanced sense of social skills that travelling and being placed in a foreign environment allowed me to develop.
"Dive into your studies and observe and contemplate the many ways there are to learn and apply knowledge. Put yourself out there and get to know yourself while you’re abroad. Chances are you’ll face some things you maybe thought you were running away from, but it’s a great time to get to the bottom of them and apply change in your life."
Carol Fenton
Bachelor of Health Sciences - Health and Society (2009); Master of Science - Population and Public Health (2017); Doctor of Medicine, FRCPC - Public Health and Preventive Medicine, (2018)
Study Abroad Program: O'Brien Bachelor of Health Science Summer Research Studentships in Tanzania, 2006, 2007, 2008
Medical Health Officer, British Columbia Interior Health Authority
The issues that I studied in Tanzania (impacts of colonialism, poverty, food security) are global in nature and apply to much of my work here in Canada as well. On my program, I learned a lot of skills and built an amazing social network, I honed my interests and passions, and I discovered mentors that supported me.
"Seize every opportunity that excites you! They will lead to others."
Matthew Root
Masters of Geography (2023)
Study Abroad Program: Smart Cities of Asia Group Study Program (2019)
Glenbow Arts Institute, Senior Project Manager
My study abroad experience was invaluable in my professional development. I frequently use the field note gathering techniques I learned on this program in my current job.
This field school experience forever changed the way I see myself and my professional trajectory. It formed the basis for my graduate thesis, as well as helping me make connections with faculty, including my thesis supervisor.
"Push yourself! Being open to new experiences and studying abroad can open doors you didn't know existed."
Scott Vu
Bachelor of Arts (Co-op) - International Relations (2017)
Study Abroad Program: Exchange at the University of the West Indies (St. Augustine), Trinidad & Tobago, (2016-2017)
Foreign Service Officer - Second Secretary at the Embassy of Canada in Mexico City, Mexico
One of the asset qualifications when applying to become a Foreign Service Officer is experience studying or working abroad. Undoubtedly, my time as a full-year exchange student in Trinidad & Tobago directly helped me prepare for a life in the Canadian Foreign Service by giving me the opportunity to live a relatively prolonged period in an unfamiliar country, build meaningful cross-cultural relationships, and develop important aptitudes such as adaptability and flexibility. I have just moved from my posting at the High Commission of Canada in India, and have previously worked at the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom. Representing Canada in different countries abroad has required me to apply my education in International Relations everyday -- both inside and outside of the office. From supporting and informing the implementation of Canada's goals and interests abroad via official work, to engaging in spontaneous conversation with a curious local on geopolitical happenings in the region over a cup of chai on the roadside.
"Studying abroad is an investment in oneself. Spend a full year abroad if you are able to! Consider countries that do not immediately come to mind, or that are less popular. You may be surprised!"
View more alumni profiles
Of course we have so many amazing alumni that we could not fit them all onto one page! You can read more about our incredible alumni who have received significant scholarships, grants, and bursaries to participate in these programs. Check out more alumni profiles by clicking on the link below.
Learn More
Here at Global Learning, we believe in making your journey with us lifelong. Below are a few ways for you to expand your experience and grow with us.