Katie Irwin, director of study abroad and special programs at Berklee’s campus in Valencia, Spain, offers a window into the power of studying abroad and the unique experience of living and studying in Valencia.
As director of study abroad and special programs at Berklee Valencia, I have the pleasure of working with 150 undergraduate students each semester who decide to take a leap of faith and study abroad in Spain. Some of my favorite moments are during orientation when I get to meet all the new students and hear about why they chose to study abroad. Many can’t pinpoint the exact reason but they knew they needed to do it. Others were looking forward to a smaller community and taking a breath and a break away from Boston. And for others this was a life-long dream that they had always wanted to do since high school. Regardless of what their reasons are, I can almost guarantee that what they thought their experience was going to be and what they thought would get out of it, was very different than the actual experience.
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Rory Lyon McFadden, Berklee’s international education coordinator and recent alum, introduces her work with the Berklee International Student Advisory Board.
With an international student population that represents over 100 different countries and forty percent of Berklee’s student body, the need for a student-led advisory board advocating for international student support and success was well past due.
When Roberto Arruda came to me with the idea to create an international student advisory board, we hit the ground running immediately, thus designing the “BISAB” or Berklee International Student Advisory Board. While I was able to base some of the board descriptions and goals around those of other universities with similar programs, I also had to incorporate the unique challenges that international students at Berklee face—working in the music industry as non-citizens. Interest in the board spread quickly. By the beginning of the fall 2023 semester, the board was finalized with 11 members, all of whom represent different countries, cultures, backgrounds, and musical styles.
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Share a message of congratulations in the comment section below to celebrate the incredible achievements of Berklee College of Music’s class of 2022.
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Share a message of congratulations in the comments section below to celebrate Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s class of 2021.
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Learn more about Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s commencement.
