“As a BFA in Dance here at UWM, studying abroad was something I had longed for dearly ever since arriving in Milwaukee in 2018. For twenty-three days, as a participant of the PSOA Study Abroad program, I was able to bend that longing from a dream into reality by traveling to Brazil. Usually, as is the case with the common broke college student wanting to study abroad, I was first hesitant to commit because of its heavy financial impact. Because of programs like Donald Shea, however, I had the reassurance that paying for such an incredible opportunity isn’t beyond my reach.

My fellow students and I spent our days studying Brazil’s history, training in countless styles of dance as we adventured from Salvador to São Luis to Rio de Janeiro. Each city brought endless layers of culture and beauty, and getting to meet so many wonderful souls along our journey is something I will forever be thankful for. Cheesy, but the truth. All those cheesy, classic quotes of life changing events, they’re ridiculous at times, but true; living in Brazil for a month will impact me for the rest of my life, and the experience is something words just can’t quite capture. All I know is that I’d go back again and again, so getting to experience such an adventure in the first place still resonates with me.”

Congratulations, Alex! CLACS wishes you continued success!