Jacqueline Nevarez, a senior business major, will be traveling to South Korea for a trip to study international business at a top South Korean University, Yonsei University, which is ranked number five by U.S. News Rankings.

Nevarez chose South Korea because she has always had a fascination with Asian cultures, and studying in South Korea will help her learn more and develop her Korean language skills.

“I went to Hong Kong and Thailand six years ago,” Nevarez said. “I kept falling in love, and I was like, I just want to go to all the Asian countries because each country has its different culture. My major is in international business, so it helps me a lot to get that under my resume.”

The international business major requires Nevarez to take six credits of foreign languages because the course revolves around globalized business.

“I’m taking those [credits] in Korea,” Nevarez said. “That’s the best place to learn. I’ll also be taking international management and [a] money banking and finance course. I can transfer [the credits] here and use it here for my future career.”

For Nevarez’s study abroad, the West Texas A&M University’s study abroad office was very helpful in organizing the trip, as well as the financial aid office and the Universities Study Abroad Consortium (USAC), which provide affordable study abroad trips for students.

“I got a [shared] house,” Nevarez said. “The program is very helpful. They send me recommendations of all the companies that work with [Yonsei] University. With the study abroad program, they have a third party which is USAC; that’s who I am going through. They helped me with applying for my visa, making sure I have health insurance, and applying to the University.”

Nevarez was offered the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which allows students with financial needs to travel abroad. Alongside the Gilman scholarship, the study abroad and financial aid offices also provided scholarship assistance.

“I had honestly never heard of the Gilman scholarship,” Nevarez said. “You have to write three or four essays depending on everything you applied for. My budget is between 17 and 20 thousand dollars. I can’t afford that out of pocket. I only work part-time; I’m a single mom, so it’s hard. So I was like, well, I’ll just apply for everything that I need and I ended up getting it.”

Nevarez is keen to start her academic journey at Yonsei University, but she is also interested in exploring South Korea as well.

“I want to go to Jeju Island; it is very beautiful,” Nevarez said. “I want to go there and do all the tours, go to the temples [and] the Seoul tower.”

Nevarez wants others to know that the study abroad office is happy to help, and will guide you along the way.

“The study abroad office is there to help you,” Nevarez said. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to afford it and they made me be able to afford it. They helped so much with everything.”

If you are interested in studying abroad, there are many opportunities available and you can contact the study abroad office for more information on the programs offered.