Lisa France credits her three study abroad experiences in Germany, including a year there as a junior in 1994–95, for increasing her understanding of herself and her place in the world. She’s continued to rely upon the language skills she gained in her time abroad throughout her professional life.

Lisa graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1996 with a degree in German studies, later receiving her graduate degree from the University of Chicago. She now focuses on healthcare research as Research Manager of Client Services for Maritz Research in Minneapolis.

Lisa believes her family’s involvement with international adoption first piqued her interest in other cultures.  “We started adopting when I was 11, and when I first met my new brother and sister from South Korea, the whole world opened up,” she said. “When I had the opportunity to go to Germany, I believe my family experience helped me understand myself in a global context, which made it that much easier to live abroad.”

She took advantage of her first study abroad experience as a senior in high school, spending a year in Germany as a Congress Bundestag scholarship recipient. After returning to Minnesota, she found herself yearning to continue learning about German culture and increasing her language skills, but financial resources proved to be a challenge. Her wish luckily became a reality after she received International Relations at Home and Abroad Scholarship.

In her second year abroad, she made better use of her time and took advantage of all of the coursework she couldn’t take at the University of Minnesota. When she wasn’t studying, Lisa seized the opportunity to travel to the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Austria, and the Czech Republic. She also made some lasting friendships during her program. She counts a South Korean as one of her best friends and continues to exchange international visits with a native of Switzerland. She also still sees a friend from Germany she met while living in the dorms there. “Michael and I became fast friends and every time I’m in Germany, we hang out,” she said.  “He came to visit me last summer.” 

After graduating in 1996, Lisa spent yet another year in Germany in pursuit of a Master’s degree. However, she was looking for more in a sociology department than was offered at the German university she attended, so she returned to the United States. She used her language skills to analyze old German newspapers for anti-Semitic content while conducting research with the University of Minnesota’s sociology department, and she eventually attended graduate school at the University of Chicago. The German language skills Lisa honed while abroad have come in handy in her professional life.  “The interesting thing is that I was able to use my German to conduct survey research and in-depth interviews in two of my four jobs since getting my MA,” she said.

Lisa acknowledges the personal and professional benefits she gained abroad and strongly believes that everyone can benefit from studying abroad. “You will never learn more about yourself than when you’re in a foreign country, navigating everyday life and encountering people you might never have met otherwise,” she said.  “I truly believe that everyone should spend at least six months abroad, observing and absorbing the local culture, language, and educational system firsthand.”