Our Students
Abigail Flores
Abigail Flores is a talented individual with a strong passion for journalism, multimedia, video production and editing. As a Journalism and Media Communications major at CSU, she has been able to hone in on her skills by working on projects for various programs and companies over the years. Abby’s current work includes freelancing for the Colorado Rural Electric Company by editing footage and telling stories. Her additional experience in photography adds more dimension to who she is creatively. She enjoys capturing life everywhere she goes. Beyond her profession, Abby is involved in mentoring first-generation students. She gathers all sorts of media to show the importance of being the first to graduate. She puts dedication towards it because she too will be the first to get a degree within her family and she would like to inspire others around her. In her free time, Abby enjoys traveling because it allows her to see unique settings and capture diverse footage for her vlogs. She went to Italy to experience a different culture and created a video series that shows where she went. Overall, Abby’s main goal in life is to make a difference in how people see - she wants to open others up to all perspectives. |
Ava Roberts
Ciao! My name is Ava Roberts and I am a journalism and media communications student at Colorado State University. I have always had an interest in travel journalism and when this program came through my email, I knew it was an opportunity I could not pass up. I love telling stories through my writings, videos, and photos and this program in Urbino allowed me to use all my skills and create a piece of media I feel proud of. I am very thankful to have had this opportunity to learn more about a topic I feel very passionate about in a place that is full of inspiration. This travel journalism and storytelling course has taught me a lot of life skills that will be beneficial in my everyday life and future career. Our trip to Vieste was amazing, however, our travels there were not smooth sailing. I learned how to navigate the train and bus system and also learned how to problem-solve fast in travel situations. Traveling abroad alone can be scary but in this program, I was able to gain skills that allowed me to feel more comfortable traveling. This program is something that I will forever be grateful for and I have made friends and memories that will last a lifetime. |
Ben Schachterle
Hello! My name is Ben Schachterle and I’m a senior at Colorado State University studying Journalism and Media Communication. I’m majoring in journalism because I love to create things and tell compelling stories.
I found out through this trip what it’s like to be a travel journalist. I learned it’s amazing but also very challenging. Traveling did not always go smoothly, but I now feel like I know how to better handle missing a flight or a train and how to get back on track. I chose to study abroad in Italy because I wanted to expand my perspective and experience a different culture, and this program allowed me to do just that. The Marche region was a wonderful place to visit. I saw so many breathtaking views and amazing art, and the people in all the places we went were so friendly and welcoming. This was truly an experience I won’t soon forget. |
Charlie Jackson My name is Charlie Jackson. I’m a photographer and videographer living in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am also a student at Colorado State University. I enjoy shooting environmental portraits, action photos of vehicles, and landscapes. I have enjoyed photography for almost 5 years now, and have indulged into video in the last couple recent years. |
Chloe Nelson Hi! My name is Chloe Nelson, and I’m a fourth-year Environmental Journalism student at Western Washington University. I chose this major because it’s a combination of two of my favorite things: our planet and writing. Having the ability to talk to people from all around the world and showcase people’s voices who may not be heard otherwise are two of my main goals when it comes to writing articles, and I’m super excited to continue traveling and writing in the future! |
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Donavan Eveslage
At a young age, I always wanted to explore the world. Eventually, I plan to center my career as a journalist, immerse myself and learn a way of life that is different than mine through different cultures throughout the world. This interaction between people of diverse identities and cultures is so enriching that it has left people with everlasting memories and is something I strive to experience in my career. With no preference about where I wanted to go, I jumped at the opportunity to stay in Urbino, Italy. Staying there for over a month and a half, I got to see and experience connections I never thought I would, from the swaying golden rolling hills of farmland of wheat straw to the bustling city streets filled with people and cafes at every corner. As an aspiring journalist, I further developed my photography and writing skills to make a story I am proud of and will remember for the rest of my life. Overall, it isn’t easy to quantify how great this experience was in words. Still, if anyone is hesitant about this opportunity, you should take advantage of it fully. University: Temple University Major: Journalism Hometown: Willow Grove, Pennsylvania |
Emily Caccamo
Hi, my name is Emily Caccamo and I am a rising Senior at Colorado State University with a major in Journalism and Media Communications. Ever since I was little, I heard stories of my mother’s experience studying abroad. Because of this, I always knew that I wanted my own experience abroad as well. Between Covid, a change in majors and transferring colleges, studying abroad was looking less and less likely until my advisor told me about Urbino! I applied right away and was so excited for the journey I was about to embark on. During my time in Urbino, I have not only got to immerse myself in one of the most beautiful cultures of the world but learn so much about myself and my academic passions in the process. I got to enhance my skills in photo and video and combine them with my passion for social media! Additionally, I decided after this program to solo travel Europe, this program gave me the confidence to do this as it taught me the basics of international travel. I will forever be grateful that I got to immerse myself in one of the most beautiful cultures in the world and learn so much about myself in the process! I decided to focus my project on social media posts featuring the wonderful food that the Marche region has to offer as an excuse to enjoy as much Italian food as possible! |
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Marlee Ebert As a recent graduate from Colorado State University with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and Media Communication with a focus in video production, I knew that this study abroad trip would be a once in a lifetime experience for me. Along with expanding my skills and experience in travel journalism, I have learned how to safely travel around Italy. My time in Urbino has allowed me to immerse myself into its rich culture, history, and meet inspiring people along the way. I am now confident in my decision to dedicate a lot of my life and career into travel journalism and see as much of this beautiful world as I can. |
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Ray Broad My name is Ray, and I'm a student at Beloit College double majoring in Psychology and Critical Identity Studies. I work for my school's Communications office, and I have a great love for photography. It was a dream opportunity to go on a trip focused so heavily on photography and media production abroad. I focused primarily on architecture, simply because it's so unlike any architecture I can photograph in the United States, but I took a wide range of photos outside of that as well. Through this experience, I experimented with styles of photography I don't normally use, photographed diverse locations and events, and learned from a wide range of people, including the professors, the other students, and the people of Urbino. As my first study abroad experience, it was the perfect combination of structured while still leaving opportunities for independence. I learned a lot about my own capabilities and limits, which I'm very grateful for. It set me up for a deeper understanding of and interest in global perspectives, and has inspired me to continue my study abroad experience beyond this one program. |
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Sami DeMers Ciao! My name is Sami DeMers, and I am a recent graduate from Colorado State University. I graduated in May with a bachelors in Journalism and Media Communications and a focus in video production. I am going back to CSU in the fall to pursue my masters degree. Studying abroad in Italy is the highlight of my college career. The friends and the experience were life changing. I never had the urge to study abroad because I was always worried about leaving home, but this program was the best thing of the past four years at CSU. |
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