By Bayleigh Koch OMAHA, Neb. – For Dr. Whitney Gent, teaching isn’t limited to the classroom. Sometimes the best lessons happen thousands of miles away.
Gent, an associate professor of rhetoric and civic engagement in UNO’s School of Communication, leads Persuasion and Social Influence, a summer study abroad course in Florence, Italy. For her, the value of being there goes far beyond textbooks.
“Being in another culture helps us see and learn things we couldn’t otherwise,” Gent said. “Studying abroad helps students step outside their communities and experience what life in Italy really feels like.”
After years of pandemic restrictions, UNO’s study abroad programs are back, giving students the chance to earn credits while gaining new perspectives.
Assistant Director of Global Learning Emily Kruger said the office works to make global experiences accessible.
“We have programs from 10 days to a full year,” Kruger said. “Our goal is to help students find something that fits their goals, budget and comfort level. We support them before, during and after they go abroad.”
For senior communication student Makena Colson, that support made her first trip outside the U.S. possible.
“It’s amazing to learn in another country,” Colson said. “You experience things differently, inside and outside the classroom.”
Colson said traveling abroad challenged her to think more deeply about culture and communication.
“Studying abroad gives you perspective,” she said. “It helps you understand where others are coming from, not just through an American lens.”
Gent said that’s the heart of the program — learning to understand, not just observe.
“We live in a polarized society,” she said. “Studying abroad shows that people live and value things differently. That understanding helps us communicate across differences.”
As UNO expands its international programs, Gent said she’s seen students grow more confident — not just as scholars but as global citizens.
“It brings me joy to watch my students learn through immersion,” she said. “They learn persuasion, but also life.”
For students like Colson, those lessons and memories are lasting.
“Your world opens up,” she said. “You realize how much more there is to learn once you step outside the classroom.”
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