Melissa Perez Sancho

Melissa

Name: Melissa Perez Sancho '23 (she/her)

Email: mpere19@stlawu.edu

Hometown: Alajuela, Costa Rica

Major: Government & African Studies (Combined)

Minor: History

Off-Campus Study Program: Kenya Semester Program Spring 2022

What was your favorite course you took off campus? Critical Issues of Socioeconomic Development in Kenya

Tell us more about your off-campus study experience! Studying in Kenya has been my best semester at St. Lawrence because I learned through the experience. Talking with diverse people, doing research, living with host families and exploring new places gave me the knowledge and perspective that a book or lecture could never give me. Another valuable takeaway from my experience in Kenya is that it helped me define my potential career path.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone studying off-campus or thinking about studying off-campus? Be open and curious. Every opportunity, even for recreation, is an opportunity to learn. Try to stay away from comparisons and judgments between your host community and your place of origin. Just learn to appreciate the differences.

Ask me about! 

  • race/ethnicity
  • culture shock/adaptation
  • studying abroad with high financial need