Advising
During the academic year, students can drop into our office in the Student Life Center for in-person advising from 1–4pm, Monday through Thursday. Study Abroad advisors also offer 1:1 advising appointments in person or via Zoom. Study Abroad staff are available to advise by appointment through the summer.
Prior to meeting with a Study Abroad advisor, you are highly encouraged to attend an in-person Study Abroad OverVU session (offered every Monday at 4pm in Study Abroad during the school year). Virtual Study Abroad OverVUs are offered monthly during the summer via Zoom. Alternatively, you can review resources on the Getting Started page before scheduling an advising appointment.
Scroll down to meet our advisors and book an appointment via Handshake. If you can't find a time that works for you or you'd prefer to meet in person, please click the Email link below the advisor's name to request alternate arrangements.
Advising appointments are offered to Vanderbilt undergraduate students only. Others, including parents and family, are requested to email us at studyabroad@vanderbilt.edu.
Study Abroad Staff Advisors
Study Abroad staff advisors provide support and guidance to students on all aspects of the study abroad experience. We advise students on topics including: program selection and application, coursework abroad, identity and travel, study abroad-based Immersion Vanderbilt opportunities, intercultural development, pre-departure preparation, re-entry, and more.
In addition to being knowledgeable about opportunities for international engagement, Study Abroad staff have participated in trainings such as P.R.I.D.E, Green Dot, Disrupting Everyday Bias among others to better support students' experiences.
Study Abroad also offers multiple events throughout each semester for students to learn more about study abroad, including our Study Abroad OverVU introductory sessions. Check out upcoming events here!
Caroline Nikolaus
Advising:
General study abroad questions and Maymesters
Africa: Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa; Asia: India, Indonesia, Nepal, Vietnam; Europe: England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Scotland
Schedule an advising appointment with Caroline
Office drop-in hours: Mondays 1-4pm, Wednesdays 1-4pm
Jillian Madden
Advising:
General study abroad questions and Maymesters
Asia: Japan, Mainland China, South Korea, Taiwan; Europe: Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland; Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, Samoa
Schedule an advising appointment with Jillian
Office drop-in hours: Tuesdays 1-4pm, Thursdays 1-4pm
Shannon Sellers
Advising:
General study abroad questions and Maymesters
Europe: Czech Republic, Serbia, Spain (Madrid and Palma)
CIEE Open Campus (all locations), IHP programs
Schedule an advising appointment with Shannon
Office drop-in hours: Tuesdays 1-4pm, Thursdays 1-4pm
Laura Searle
Advising:
General study abroad questions and Maymesters
Caribbean: Cuba, Dominican Republic; Central America: Mexico; Europe: Spain (Barcelona, Bilbao, Granada, Seville); South America: Argentina, Chile, Colombia
Middle East: Israel, Jordan
Office drop-in hours: Mondays 1-4pm, Wednesdays 1-4pm
Carmeisha Huckleby
Advising:
General study abroad questions and Maymesters
Asia: Hong Kong, Singapore; Europe: Austria
Incoming Exchange, Frederick Douglass Global Internship
Safety and Health Guidance
Vanderbilt’s Global Safety and Health team provides health and safety guidance to all VU travelers, including VU study abroad students. They provide individualized health and safety advice to study abroad students, such as traveling with medication, setting up continued care, utilizing Vanderbilt-issued international insurance, addressing identity-based safety and health concerns, and more.
Global Safety and Health is a resource for students at any point in the study abroad process. To make an appointment to discuss health, safety, and well-being abroad, please reach out to the Global Safety and Health team. General inquiries can also be directed to globalsafety@vanderbilt.edu.
Peer Advisers
Peer Advisers are the student representatives of study abroad on Vanderbilt’s campus. Peer Advisers lead study abroad outreach events around campus and hold office hours in the Study Abroad office to assist prospective students.
Akina Lindley
Akina Lindley is a senior studying Political Science, GSS, and Spanish. Last spring, she studied abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico, through the SIT Mexico: Migration, Borders, and Transnational Communities program. As a first-generation student, Akina looks forward to helping fellow students navigate the various study abroad opportunities that can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially for those who haven't been abroad previously.
Devin Laye
Devin is an undergraduate Senior majoring in Cognitive Studies and Psychology, and minoring in Art History and Cinema & Media Arts. Originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina, Devin studied abroad in Denmark with DIS Copenhagen during the Fall 2023 semester. She believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to embark on a global learning experience, and she’s excited to join the team that helps make that dream a reality for Vanderbilt students. On campus, Devin is involved with the McGill Project, the Women’s Center Ambassadores, and Vanderbilt Video Productions.
Eve Jiang
Evelyn is a senior at Peabody College majoring in Secondary Education and English Literature with a minor in Chinese language. She studied abroad with CET Taiwan in the spring of 2024 and is extremely excited to help students apply to their dream programs. On campus, Evelyn is involved in education research, ESL tutoring, and Vanderbilt’s Photo Society. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors and creating art.
Rayne Swanson
My name is Rayne, and I am a senior studying French and Law, History, and Society. I have had a passion for French and travel since I began studying French 14 years ago! I studied abroad in Paris, France through the Columbia University French immersion program, and can’t wait to share my experience with prospective study abroad students.
Sadie Sherman
Sadie Sherman is a senior in Peabody with a double major in Elementary Education and Child Studies and a minor in HOD. She is from New York City and loves trying new restaurants, long walks, hanging out with friends, puzzles, reality TV and of course, traveling! She spent the fall of her junior year completing her liberal core requirements at the University of Sydney in Australia.
Study Abroad Alumni
Talking to peers who have studied abroad, particularly on programs you are interested in is a great way to gather information. The following study abroad alumni have offered to serve as a resource to prospective students interested in their program. Feel free to connect with them via email!
Australia
Alisha Saluja, '24 IFSA University of South Wales, Spring 2023
Avery Fortier, '24 IFSA University of New South Wales, Spring 2023
Sadie Sherman '25 IFSA University of Sydney, Fall 2023
Austria
Ava Kuntz, '24 IES Vienna: Music, Spring 2024
Ryan Patterson, '25 Vienna: Non-Music Tracks, Spring 2024
Holly Venkitaswaran, '23 Vienna: Music, Spring 2022
Cameroon
Grace Jones, '25 SIT Cameroon Development and Social Change, Spring 2024
Chile
Eli Apple, '24 CASA Santiago, Fall 2022
Maia Czarnecki, '23 CASA Santiago, Spring 2022
Czech Republic
Rishabh Gharekhan, '24 CET Prague, Spring 2023
Mariah Grover, '24 CET Prague, Spring 2023
Kathir Venkat, '24 CET Prague, Spring 2023
Grace Wildermuth, '24 CET Prague, Spring 2024
Denmark
Joel Douglas, '24 DIS Copenhagen, Spring 2023
Maeghan Grady, '24 DIS Copenhagen, Spring 2023
Isabella Hirsch, '23 DIS Copenhagen, Spring 2023
Sarene Mun, '24 DIS Copenhagen, Spring 2023
Truong Nguyen, '25 DIS Copenhagen, Spring 2024
Sophie Stachurski, '23 DIS Copenhagen, Spring 2023
Noah Srulovitz, '24 DIS Copenhagen, Spring 2023
Ryan Zix, '25 DIS Copenhagen, Spring 2024
Shunnar Virani, '25 DIS Copenhagen, Spring 2024
England
Elizabeth Ebhogiaye, '25 HOD Capstone, Spring 2024
Aadil Khan, '24 IFSA London School of Economics, Academic Year 2022-23
Jamina Hsu, '24 CIEE University College London, Spring 2023
Rebekah Kim, '24 CIEE University College London, Spring 2023
Veshal Konnar, '25 HOD Capstone, Spring 2024
Adam Messinger, '24 CIEE University College London, Spring 2023
Eden Roberson, '23 IFSA University of Leeds, Spring 2022
Jack Sturman '27 LSE Summer Program Summer 2024
France
Robert Lowther, '25 Columbia in Paris, Spring 2024
Emma Reidy, '25 American University of Paris, Fall 2022
Fiona Thompson, '25 Georgia Tech Europe, Spring 2023
Ryan Zurcher, '25 Columbia in Paris, Spring 2024
Ireland
Veronica Figueroa, '24 IFSA University College Dublin, Spring 2023
Kate Lanham, '24 CASA Dublin, Spring 2023
Italy
MacKenzie Higgins, '24 CET Florence, Spring 2023
Leydi Alatorre Medina, '23 CET Siena, Spring 2022
Zhihe Zhang, '26 ICCS Rome, Spring 2024
Japan
Tyler Popp, '24 Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (KCJS), Spring 2023
Multi-country
Daniel Ardity, '24 CIEE Open Campus (Paris, Singapore), Spring 2023
Sam Curtis, '24 CIEE Open Campus (Kyoto, Paris), Spring 2023
Justin Luckner, '24 CIEE Open Campus (Monteverde, Rome, Sydney), Spring 2023
Alexander Ward, '24 CIEE Open Campus (London, Madrid, Rome), Spring 2023
New Zealand
Rin Kong, '24 University of Canterbury: New Zealand Earth Systems (Frontiers Abroad), Spring 2023
Travis Ho, '24 IFSA University of Auckland, Spring 2023
Singapore
Zhewen Tao, '25 National University of Singapore, Fall 2023
South Africa
Spencer Harrison, '23 CIEE Open Campus: Cape Town, Spring 2022
Spain
Alison Vaughan, '24 CASA Sevilla, Spring 2023
Anika Mahajan, '24 CASA Sevilla, Spring 2023
Natali Lanfir, '23 CIEE Barcelona: Advanced Liberal Arts, Spring 2022
Julia Lorio, '23 CIEE Barcelona: Advanced Liberal Arts, Spring 2022
Stuart Waller, '23 CIEE Madrid: Engineering & Society, Spring 2022
Eva Hanson, '24 CIEE Madrid: Engineering and Society, Spring 2023
Elise Farley, '24 SLU Madrid, Spring 2023
Audrey Heffernan, '24 SLU Madrid, Spring 2023
Trevor Kasuku, '24 SLU Madrid, Spring 2023
Benjy Kurcz, '24 SLU Madrid, Spring 2023
Maya Levinson, '24 SLU Madrid, Spring 2023
Sophie Peterson, '24 SLU Madrid, Spring 2023
Zack Shatsky, '24 SLU Madrid, Spring 2023
Christina Valentine, '24 SLU Madrid, Spring 2023
Scotland
Anna Mullens, '24 IFSA University of Edinburgh, Spring 2023
Sweden
Christopher Chen, '23 DIS Stockholm, Spring 2022
Switzerland
Zoe Assasie, '24 SIT Switzerland: International Studies & Multilateral Diplomacy, Spring 2023