I have been writing all of these blog posts, and I realized I never properly introduced myself. My name is Alyson Harter, and I have been working in the International Business Programs office since January 2026. But my IBP journey started a little before that. During Spring Break 2025, I participated in the short-term faculty directed program to Paris and London with Dr. Ragan. I had such an amazing time there and it made a big impact on my life moving forward. So, when there was an offer to work in the IBP office as a graduate assistant, I jumped at the opportunity. I am so grateful to have received the role, and I look forward to meeting the next GA! But first, I wanted to share about my experience from studying abroad to working in the office. 

How it Started

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I started looking for study abroad opportunities over the summer of my junior year, and I was saving up my paychecks just in case I decided to participate in one. When I came across the program that was travelling to Paris and London, it gave me a feeling of excitement. I could visit two of the most iconic cities in the world AND receive college credit for it? It seemed too good to be true, so I had to at least start my application for it. It was not until the study abroad fair that I was able to talk to Dr. Ragan more about the program and get the final convincing I needed to finish my application. The program even came at a good time for me to start taking graduate courses for my Accelerated MBA program!

Throughout this process, there were a few difficulties with registering for my class since I was a transfer student that was in the in-between stages of being admitted to the College of Business and also being accepted into the accelerated program. But luckily, Mary Tomerlin, the IBP Director, was very helpful during this time and always communicated promptly to my questions. After all the back-and-forth emails, it all worked out before the next semester started! I am very grateful for the support from her and my advisers for all they have done for me in my academic journey. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the Spring 2025 semester started, I was a full-time student and part-time worker, with very little room in my schedule. But Dr. Ragan made sure that our weekly meetings before the program were at a time of day that accommodated every student in the class. This must have been difficult to do, especially with a larger group than usual that year with 18 students. Despite the large group, I did not know anyone in the class, and there were a few pairs of people that already knew each other. I was a little worried about making friends and knowing who to hang out with while we were abroad, but our in-person meetings were designed to create a little more bond and familiarity among the group. We all had personal bios shared with the class, group projects, and pre-formed groups of students that were interested in the same free time activities.  

But ultimately, what bonded the group the most was the shared experience of getting to our destination. We had a few flight delays and a couple of schedule changes, but that did not stop us from making the most of our time. Coming from such a small town in Missouri, I thought I might never get the chance to leave the country, so I was grateful for every second I got to spend abroad. There was a mix of different personalities and backgrounds among the students in this program, so I was grateful to be able to connect with different people at different times. It gave me a few more people to wave at in the hallways when we got back. I even left the experience with close friends that I still talk to and see often today! I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything, and it gave me a lifetime of stories to tell. Some of my favorite memories included going to a Sabrina Carpenter concert in Paris, seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle, attending Phantom of the Opera in the West End, and taking a tour of London in a double-decker bus!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How it’s Going

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Entering the next semester, I was a senior in Entertainment Management and taking a few graduate courses early. This means I was already on the hunt for a potential graduate assistant position that I could apply for that would set me up for the next year of my MBA. I had reached out to a few departments, but the International Business Programs office was the only one that reached out to me directly. I realized that I was eligible for the position since I had participated in a short-term faculty directed program before. Since only one position was open, I was a little worried I may not get the position, but there were so many things that made it perfect for me. It was able to work around my spring schedule as a student worker, then have a guaranteed spot through the summer until the next spring when I will be graduating. I decided to apply, and the rest is history!

When I started the student worker position in January of this year, I was able to learn from the current GA about all the duties of the job. Shoutout to Hanna because she was so sweet and helpful to me while I was learning everything. I hope to be just as good for the next one in line, and that could be whoever is reading this!

If you want to learn more about studying abroad or working with the International Business Programs office, you can also schedule a meeting with IBP here.