Published on March 15, 2024
Last summer, Morgan Davi, a University of Missouri Honors College advisor, along with other Mizzou advisors and staff, went on the experience of a lifetime: they took Mizzou to Italy.
The group visited Mizzou’s campus partner, CEA CAPA, at their Rome and Florence campuses. Advisors observed classrooms, classes, student housing and teaching demonstrations, all with the goal of exchanging cultural insight and experiences. The opportunity was meant to give advisors who had never been abroad the chance to observe what a study abroad experience is like for students. The goal was to have advisors then take the experience back to Mizzou and talk about it with students in a meaningful way.
“I had a wonderful time and made really great relationships with people who I work with, campus partners who showed us around and then some Italian folks who work with our students,” said Davi.
Davi’s time in Italy opened their eyes to the experiences of a student population often forgotten when it comes to studying abroad — those who come home.
“As advisors, we put a lot of work into aiding students who are planning to go on a study abroad experience or who are already studying abroad, which is obviously very important,” Davi said. “But when folks get back, at least for me, there was a change. Students have this massive experience and oftentimes return with a different mindset. This experience really showed me the importance of understanding that change and meeting students where they are.”
Davi’s time in Rome and Florence also forged fun new memories. Davi mentioned wanting to visit a small Italian town, Luca, to an Italian campus partner, and through happenstance, the partner was from the same small town.
“He thought we were kidding with him. He was very pleased, but was like, ‘Why would you go to Luca?’” Davi said. “He had a lot of really interesting things to say about his hometown. As somebody who’s also from a small town, it was really cool to see those connections there. His opinions on his high school are not that dissimilar to mine, even though his high school is in a castle.”
Davi hopes to use their own experience as an Honors student, and an advisor abroad, to help Honors students.
“I was an Honors student at one point, but I didn’t graduate with the Honors Certificate,” said Davi. “So that’s kind of what I like to think I do; I help students who are in a similar situation as I was, who got into the Honors College for good reason, who deserve to be here, but who maybe need a bit of extra support.”
Davi’s experience in Italy has given them a new lens to look through at cultural exchange, too. They said being immersed in a culture different to your own can be an uncomfortable experience, especially as a student.
“A big part of being abroad is relating to cultural competency and awareness, and having a bit of grace,” Davi said. “Those three things really take you a long way when you’re somewhere that you’re not used to — or really anywhere.”