leksandra Mihailovic, ‘07
Sibenik, Croatia

Aleksandra Mihailovic is a double major in Bio-Chemistry and Italian who spent a semester abroad with the Middlebury Program in Florence, Italy.

After studying and doing research in Italy, I feel it’s important for MHC students to see how science is being done abroad.  There’s a lot of money and funding that’s available in this country, and here at MHC, we have excellent facilities.  But in many places overseas, there isn’t that much funding, and still their scientists are motivated and creative, which is quite humbling to see.  It is important for us students to go abroad for such reminders, to put one’s own life into perspective.

When:  Spring semester of my junior year (Spring 2006).

Why did you choose to study abroad:  Mount Holyoke provides students with this fantastic opportunity to go see and actively engage with the world outside this place, and I knew I’d be mad to let that slip away.  Besides, one of my majors is Italian, and I felt I couldn’t call myself as being fluent in it until I immersed myself in the Italian culture and way of life.

What language did you speak:  Always almost Italian.  I made sure that I did not always spend time with other English-speaking students, but instead tried to meet and interact with the locals as much as possible.

What did you study:  Italian art and culture.

What next:  Endless possibilities, both in terms of jobs and graduate school in the sciences.  I need to decide soon, but I hope that I will be able to go back and work in Europe; I am also eager to explore another country, another continent!