By Emily Stembridge

Studying abroad has many obvious benefits: learning new cultures, experiencing new things
and building friendships that will last a lifetime. When I embarked on my first, second and third
study abroad programs during my time at Belmont, these benefits were apparent to me. But
what I didn’t know was that studying abroad would not only make me a more well-rounded
person, but also a better public relations student. Here are three stories from my time abroad
that highlight what prepared me to be a better student and successful PR practitioner.

1. Planning- Belmont in England: Month in London 

My first trip abroad was in the summer of 2018. At the time, it was the largest Belmont study
abroad program ever, with well over 80 students and faculty flying across the Atlantic. As study
abroad students quickly learn, you are faced with free time in between all your group activities
and your coursework (yes, you will still have coursework). What you do with this free time is
entirely up to you — which means you have to plan. Planning is one of the most vital steps in the
public relations process, and is just as important to your travels abroad. I used this opportunity
to plan a trip to France.

I quickly recruited two friends to join me, with the understanding that I would provide the entire
schedule for the weekend. It was a hefty task, but spending hours on research, ticket buying,
and itinerary building was all worth it when my friends and I headed back to England following a
successful, memory-filled trip to France.

It feels good to know you’re capable of bringing an idea, or several ideas, to fruition, and it feels
even better when your planning positively impacts someone else, too. I could rest well knowing I
was partially responsible for memories that I, and my friends, will cherish for our entire lives.
This hands-on practice carried over into my public relations Campaigns class the next semester.
In that class, I was part of a group that was tasked with creating an PR Campaign, with a huge
emphasis on planning. My group later won a Nashville PRSA student Parthenon award for our
work. Planning my trip to France gave me real-world experience in planning, and I think it
deserves credit for my success later on in the classroom.

2. Teamwork- Belmont in Italy: Revolutions in Science
The following summer, I had quite a different experience while traveling to Italy. This program
consisted of 16 students and faculty, which meant there was a lot more team involvement, a
tighter schedule and overall a stronger sense of camaraderie. We were put in smaller groups for
our final project, but even the broader group of 16 taught me lessons about teamwork I never
knew I needed to learn. During this trip, we did everything together, similarly to how a PR
agency or department functions. Every PR student knows that we are notorious for doing group
projects in our classes; it’s actually part of why many people choose public relations as a major.
This serves us well because in a PR firm you are almost always working in a team setting to
best serve your clients. As a result, the values of honesty, integrity and hard work are instilled in
us from the very first day of PR intro class.

Being around this group in such unique circumstances highlighted the importance of extending grace to team members and co-workers, but also being firm in yourself and your expectations. For example, the importance of homework and exams were not lost on me, but I also realized that sometimes you just have to stop and
soak up the moment. This trip showed me what excellent teamwork looks like: friendship, grace
and a lot of fun sprinkled in along the way. It set the standard for my future groups in the PR
department, and ultimately made me a better leader across campus and in those groups.

3. Budgeting- Belmont Abroad Exchange: Regent’s University
This spring, I decided to return to London to complete an entire semester abroad. Unfortunately,
that semester was cut short due to COVID-19, but that didn’t stop me from soaking up all the
PR experiences I could during my (almost) three months there. For this trip, budgeting was
essential. In my previous weeks-long or one month long trip, budgeting was of course important,
but much easier to do than during a five month long stay abroad.
I sat down with my parents to plan out (remember lesson one?) a general budget for my time in
London. Writing out a budget for my trip, and then actually sticking to it, was truly an invaluable
life lesson which I know I will use both personally and professionally in the future. Budgeting
involved estimating monthly costs, looking ahead at future expenses and coming up with a
reasonable amount of wiggle-room for emergencies. As public relations Professionals, we have
many opportunities to build and use a budget, and the aspects of estimating costs and planning
for wiggle room go into creating that budget. From campaign launches to purchasing ads and
renting venues, PR pros need to know how to handle money. The necessity of doing this as a
study abroad student prepared me for the day when I am inevitably tasked with creating a
campaign budget for a company or client.

There are two main reasons I was so drawn to Belmont University: Extensive options for
studying abroad and its highly-accredited public relations department. After three trips abroad
and three and a half years studying PR at Belmont, I can definitively say that I made the right
choice. My experience as a student has been significantly enhanced by my decision to pursue
studying abroad, and I now know I will be a better PR practitioner, and person, because of it.

Emily Stembridge is a November 2020 graduate of Belmont University, studying public relations
and corporate communications. A Birmingham native, she has found a passion for writing and
traveling through her time at Belmont. She has sharpened her writing skills through internship
experiences with two Nashville PR agencies, Belmont’s own Tower Creative Communications
and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.