Student Bennett Wright often reflects back on his Study Abroad experience in Australia, where he gained a deep appreciation for the work he’s doing in Gateway classes.

“I have a newfound respect for what I’m studying. My career interests were affirmed through the Study Abroad experience,” says Bennett. “I feel solidified in what I’m doing here at Gateway, and I’m motivated to lock in and learn as much as I can. It’s a big world, but it feels smaller and easier to conquer my goals.”

Bennett was excited to expand his college experience through the college’s Study Abroad program the second he heard about it.

“My IT faculty mentioned a Study Abroad opportunity through email, and I thought this might be a really cool opportunity for me as an individual. It was my first trip outside of the United States, so I jumped at this.”

In 2022, Bennett spent two weeks in Wollongong, Australia, a memory he continues to cherish.

“I love looking looking back at it now – all the places I went and the incredible people I met through this experience. It was an awe-inspiring trip and worth every penny,” says Bennett. 

This unique experience taught Bennett a lot of things, from unique cultural assimilation challenges to the similarities of IT work from one part of the world to another.

“Gateway did a wonderful job at setting me up with a great host family. I am very grateful that they went above and beyond to make sure I felt comfortable,” says Bennett. “When I first got there, they gave me a tour of the house, took me grocery shopping and walked around town with me so I could get used to this new setting.”

I figured out my bus route and headed to college the following day, where we would attend college courses. There was an educational opportunity to sit in on a networking class with a professor who explained what his students were learning and talked with us about what we were studying, answering any questions we had. He also showed us his impressive tech setup and more. It was fascinating to me to see how different things are in Australia compared to what I am used to back home, but it was also interesting to see how similar things were to the classes I’m taking back at Gateway.”