Junior Anna Davis may be wrapping up the school year at the University of Arkansas, but she will not be returning to her hometown of Dallas, TX once finals are over. Instead, she will be packing her bags and setting her sights on Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Anna will be a part of a Journalism International Study abroad program, where she will be creating a documentary using photos, videos, and interviews of locals collected while in the country. She explains why she chose such an unconventional study abroad program.
“Bolivia isn’t typically a place people go when they study abroad which is a reason why I chose it,” Anna said. “I figured that I will travel all over Europe at some point in my life so why not go somewhere that I wouldn’t typically go? And the fact I am there solely to document it is fantastic!”
Anna is most nervous about learning the cultural norms in such an unfamiliar country. For instance, it is customary in the culture to bring a small gift of appreciation whenever you visit them. Even so, she is excited about the learning experience and has always has aspirations of studying abroad.
After her summer abroad, Anna will be returning to a very busy senior year. On top of being a member of Advertising Club and Zeta Tau Alpha, she will begin office as the president of both PRSSA and Greek Life Facilitators. She expresses the importance of getting involved on campus and the impact that is has had on her college experience.
“Everyone should be involved in some sort of organization on campus because you make awesome connections and friends that you don’t get the opportunity to make in a classroom,” Anna said. ” You also learn valuable skills like leadership, communication, organization, just to name a few, that you probably wouldn’t otherwise learn if it wasn’t for being involved.”
In her minimal free time, Anna enjoys training for half marathons and pursuing her passions: writing and photography.