ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

Meet Eliza

Hometown: Rock Hill, S.C.
Graduated: Spring 2023
Major/Minor: English concentrating in Creative Writing

Things I enjoy doing…

• Dancing to live music
• Reading & writing poetry
• Going to dinner with my friends

Why did I want to be a Site Director?

During my ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø experience, I studied abroad a couple of times and I realized the positive impact I gained from being outside my comfort zone and immersed in different cultures. As a Site Director, I look forward to working with students navigating the transition from high school to college.

Things I did in college to prepare myself for the Site Director position:

• ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø 40 tour guide.
• Orientation Intern for three years.
• Students 4 Support member.
• Bonner Leader Program volunteering over 300 hours.
• Site leader for the Alternative Break Program focusing on global sustainability.

Specific study abroad experiences I have had:

Zakynthos, Greece (Alternative Break – 2022 & 2023)

iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø London Site Director: 2023, 2024

What I am most excited about regarding iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø 2025:

I am most excited to be part of such a significant transition period in my student’s lives. In a way, it almost feels like I have the opportunity to tell my younger self all the things I wish I knew or needed to hear. It’s incredible how much growth and change can happen in a short period of time, and I’m excited to be along for it all!

Favorite memory as a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø student:

I was a part of the SPECTRA program as an incoming student, and we spent many of our nights playing Manhunt in the Cistern. Still to this day, when my friends and I are bored, we meet on-campus to play Manhunt. I have too many favorite memories, but this one stands out because of the pure joy and laughs we shared; no phone or television in sight, just good people and our beautiful campus.

 

Meet Ava

Hometown: Lutherville, Maryland
Graduated: 2023
Major/Minor: Communications/Sociology

Things I enjoy doing…

I love walking my dog (Lia) around ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and Hampton Park, going to the beach, going out to eat with my friends, and traveling!

Why did I want to be a Site Director?

I wanted to be a Site Director as soon as I got to campus as a freshman after returning from London. I felt I learned and grew so much while abroad and wanted to go back!

Things I did in college to prepare myself for the Site Director position:

I was a student in the 2019 iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø London program, was a Peer Academic Coach (PAC), and graduated from the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø May 2023.

Specific study abroad experiences I have had:

iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø London cohort in 2019

iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Dublin Site Director: 2023, 2024

What I am most excited about regarding iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø 2025:

I am most excited to explore Madrid with iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø 2025 and be there to see all the growth within the cohort – both abroad and when we return to the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø campus.

Favorite memory as a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø student:

I loved studying abroad and all four years of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø so much. Graduation is a fond memory as I was able to reflect on my time at the College with my friends and family.

 

Meet Morgan

Hometown: Taylors, SC 
Year graduated: 2025 
Major/Minor: English (WRP); Minor in History 

Things I enjoy doing…  

• Cuddling with my cats! 
• Playing video games 
• Exploring 
• Reading 

Why did I want to be a Site Director? 
I want to help first-semester students find their reason to stay at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø; my study abroad to London in Summer 2024 was one of my reasons! I hope to assist students with this once-in-a-lifetime experience and watch them grow over their first semester. 
 
Things I did in college to prepare myself for the Site Director position: 

• Writing Lab Consultant in the CSL (3 years) 
• Orientation Intern (2 years)
• Center Stage Board involvement (2 years)  

Specific study abroad experiences I have had: 

• London – Summer 2024 (Underground History) 

What I am most excited about regarding iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø 2025: 
I am so excited to meet and work with our cohort! I love History, so I’m especially excited to share my interests in Archaeology with iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø students in Rome. 
 
Favorite memory as a CofC student: 
My favorite memory from my time at CofC is the first production I was involved in as part of Center Stage, CofC’s student theatre group. It was the first time I felt at home at the College, and the community I found through it was one of the major reasons I stayed!

Meet Lizzie

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Year graduated: Spring 2024

Major/Minor:  Major in Communications Minor in Marketing

Things I enjoy doing…

• Traveling
• Being outside:) (walks, hikes, going to the beach, anything! )
• Going to concerts
• Playing guitar
• Quality time with friends and family

Why did I want to be a Site Director?

• I was fortunate to study abroad in the Spring semester of my junior year and absolutely fell in love with travel and the idea of exploring the world. I also wanted to be a Site Director because I enjoy working with students and helping  them  accomplish their goals. I cannot wait to step into this leadership role and guide these students as they explore and dive into the adventure of a lifetime!

Things I did in college to prepare myself for the Site Director position:

• Studied abroad Spring semester of Junior year
• Peer Academic Coach (PAC)  School year of 2023
• Orientation Intern Summer of 2023

Specific study abroad experiences I have had:

• Getting to see the northern lights in Iceland.
• Camping in the Sahara Dessert.
• Getting to live in Valencia, Spain for 5 months
• iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø London Site Director: 2024

What I am most excited about regarding iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø 2025:

• I am most excited to return to London and explore more of the city along with the students of iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø 2025! I am excited to see how  these students will grow and flourish throughout our time together.

Favorite memory as a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø student:

• My favorite memory has got to be graduation weekend. It was a beautiful weekend filled with family, friends and celebration. The perfect wrap up to the past 4 years at this incredible school.

Meet Isabella

Hometown: Murrells Inlet, SC 
Year graduated: 2O24 
Major/Minor: Philosophy with a concentration in Politics, 
Philosophy, and Law; Minor in Spanish 
 
Things I enjoy doing… 

• Photography  
• Traveling  
• Trying new coffee shops  
• Spending time with my family and friends

Why did I want to be a Site Director? 
I wanted to be a Site Director because I love working with first-year students and watching them grow. It is incredibly rewarding to see them reach their goals and milestones as they continue throughout their college journey. I also wanted to share my love for all things CofC and help guide them as they take their first steps into college life. Having the chance to begin their journey abroad gives them a unique opportunity to soar to new heights, building confidence and experiences they’ll carry with them forever.  

Things I did in college to prepare myself for the Site Director position: 

• Studied abroad in Trujillo, Spain, in 2023 
• Senior Customer Service Representative with the Office of New Student Programs from 2023-2024 
• Orientation Intern from 2022-2024 
• Bridge Program Mentor in 2023 
• Teaching Assistant in 2023 
• Peer Educator from 2021-2023 and served as a Team Leader  
• Resident Assistant from 2021-2022 
   

Specific study abroad experiences I have had: 
I studied abroad in Trujillo for a semester in the spring of 2023. I also had the pleasure of going on school trips to Cáceres, Córdoba, Granada, Sevilla, Toledo, and Madrid.  
I had the pleasure of traveling with fellow classmates to Lisbon, Nice, and Monaco.  
 
What I am most excited about regarding iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø 2025: 
I am beyond excited for iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø 2025! I can’t wait to travel back to Spain and Madrid, now having the opportunity to dive even deeper into the culture and experiences. This semester is going to be unforgettable for our iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø students, and it’s a pleasure to contribute to an experience our students will cherish forever! 

Favorite memory as a CofC student: 
It is hard to pick just one favorite memory from my time at CofC, so I’m sharing two. Studying abroad and exploring new countries shaped me in ways I never imagined, and walking across the Cistern at graduation was the perfect full-circle moment. Both were dreams come true and milestones that marked not only academic success but personal growth and fulfillment.  

Meet Madeline

Hometown: Clover, S.C.

Year graduated: 2024

Major/Minor: B.A. English Writing, Rhetoric, & Publication. Minors in Creative Writing, Literature & Film

Things I enjoy doing…
Reading and long walks

Why did I want to be a Site Director?
My time studying abroad taught me a lot about myself, my values, and my own capabilities. I wanted to be a site director to help future CofC students develop the same confidence in a fun environment. And, most obviously, I love travel!

Things I did in college to prepare myself for the Site Director position:
I was a Peer Facilitator my senior year of college and served as facilitator for the FYE trip to Italy where we travelled to Sienna, Spoleto, and Orvieto.

Specific study abroad experiences I have had:
I studied abroad in Spoleto, Italy my junior of college during the Maymester.

iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Rome Site Director: 2024

What I am most excited about regarding iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø 2025:
I am most excited to get to know the students and explore a new location!

Favorite memory as a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø student:
As a student, my most favorite memories are loading up on cinnamon toast crunch in plastic cups from the dining hall and heading to the library with my friends for late night study sessions that almost always resulted in late night gabbing sessions. I feel my best friendships developed between the bookcases!

Meet Erin

Hometown: Greenwood, S.C.
Year graduated: Spring 2023
Major/Minor:  Double major in History and Religious Studies with a minor in Classics.

Things I enjoy doing…

• Crafting and creating art
• Thrifting and antiquing
• Traveling
• Gardening

Why did I want to be a Site Director?

I wanted to become a Site Director because I love working with students and traveling! I have always loved traveling and exploring new cultures, and through my position as a Peer Facilitator, I discovered how much I enjoyed working closely with students—being a Site Director is an amazing combination of both.

Things I did in college to prepare myself for the Site Director position:

• Studied abroad my freshman year in Lugano, Switzerland, through the H.S.S Fellows program in the Spring of 2020.
• Studied abroad in London, England, in 2022
• Worked as a Peer Facilitator from 2021 – 2023
• Served as a Peer Facilitator Team Leader 2022 – 2023
• iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Rome Site Director: 2023, 2024

What I am most excited about regarding iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø 2025:

Besides getting to know the student cohort, I am beyond excited to watch the many ways the students grow from and immerse themselves in this experience!

Favorite memory as a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø student:

Many of my favorite memories as a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø student come from my experiences studying abroad!

One of my favorite memories is from a weekend trip to Denmark I took while on my London study abroad – I went to Aarhus (the second largest city in Denmark) and had the best cheesy bread I’ve ever had in my life. I explored the Old Town area of the city and explored a cathedral that had been there since the 13th century!

Your Site Director is available to help you navigate your iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø experience:

• working with the partner institution to facilitate your transition from high school to college and a new country.
• encouraging and advising participants so that they complete the requirements of the iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø program and are officially admitted to the College.
• scheduling one-on-one and group meetings with students to help with the transition process and suggest additional resources for specific concerns/issues (eg., writing lab, online academic resources, etc.).
• getting updates from iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø professors on the academic progress of participants and conducting a mid-term assessment of each participant’s academic standing.
• providing opportunities for iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø participants to meet students from outside their group.
• keeping participants informed about the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø academic partners, and study-abroad locations.
• acting as a sounding board for participants and suggests options whenever possible.
• enrolling in a required class with iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø participants. Site directors model classroom behavior and observe the academic performance of participants in their group.
• laying out the guidelines and requirements of the iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø program and being available to help participants successfully complete those requirements.
• organizing events that help participants develop a better understanding of the traditions, customs and norms of the country, city and community in which they live.
• planning scheduled visits for ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø faculty and administrators who help pave the way for a smooth transition to the College.
• acting as an emergency contact for iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø participants.
• helping students use resources offered by iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø partner institutions and the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø.
• mentoring and guiding participants so that they develop the proper balance between academic, campus and personal life.

Your Site Director is not responsible for any of the following tasks or requests:

• performing maintenance or security functions in the residence halls of iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø partner institutions.
• living on the same floor as iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø participants or act as a residential advisor. (iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø partner institutions have professional staff available and on call.)
• helping with homework assignments or projects.
• making administrative decisions such as grades, living situations, admission to the College, etc. (These are handled by the iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø administrative team and partner programs.)
• cooking or shopping for food for iºÚÁϳԹÏÍø participants who are in locations that don’t offer a meal plan.