Before her first semester on campus, junior Jade Erickson’s mother urged her to take advantage of University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s ample study abroad opportunities

“When coming to tour Nebraska and learning about all the study abroad programs, she told me, ‘If there’s one thing I want you to do in college, it’s to study abroad,’” Erickson said. “She said, ‘I want you to experience what it’s like to live and study in a different country.’”

Following through on her mom’s advice, the Clifton Builders management major took advantage of the College of Business’s Study Abroad Australia program during the spring pre-session. The program finds Huskers embarking on a journey down under to learn about Asian–Pacific economies and their impact on the global market.

“It was so fascinating — we learned about how Australia’s economy works, what the different rules and regulations are and how it’s working to address environmental risks like climate change,” Erickson said of the two-week program in Sydney.

Throughout their daily lectures, Erickson and her fellow Husker classmates would talk directly with leaders from local Australian business and global companies that helped draw connections to their classwork.

“For me personally, it was really cool having one of the global vice presidents of Salesforce to come talk to us in class because I’d already had experience with Salesforce through the business college’s Center for Sales Excellence,” she said. “It was amazing to talk with them about how they enforce the same ideas that I learned in Lincoln.”

And while Erickson did broaden her professional horizons, the program’s Australian excursions provided plenty of ways for her to broaden her personal ones, too.

“There was a day where we took a boat out on the Great Barrier Reef and got to snorkel around the reef. I’ve just never experienced anything like it in my life — I was crying in my goggles.”

Just as her mom had hoped, the program left a huge impression on Erickson as she returned to Lincoln with a fresh perspective.

“I really get what people mean when they say you have to experience another country firsthand. It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had,” Erickson said.