The 2026 Global Learning Conference brought students together to explore what it means to become compassionate global leaders through inspiring presentations, networking, and hands-on learning. From healthcare equity to study abroad preparation, attendees gained valuable insights, built meaningful connections, and discovered new ways to make an impact in an increasingly interconnected world.
Starting college is already a big leap—but imagine doing it abroad in Italy. Through the University of California Education Abroad Program Global Start program, two first-year University of California, Davis students traded classrooms for the vibrant streets of Syracuse, gaining independence, cultural insight, and unforgettable experiences along the way. Their journey shows how stepping outside your comfort zone can transform not just your education, but who you become.
Aubrey Vanson, a third-year design major and art history minor, loves all things creative and is deeply passionate about how creative disciplines are essential to her everyday practice. This past summer, Aubrey participated in the study abroad program Design in Japan, working to further explore the ways in which her designs could convey meaning.
Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many. Luckily, there are many valuable experiences offered at UC Davis that allow Aggies to develop new perspectives, both academically and personally. Paola Simi, a current fourth-year majoring in Political Science, can attest to this fact after her recent time abroad.
When it comes to resilience, Andrea Solis Olguin clearly embodies it. As a recent UC Davis graduate with a B.S. in civil engineering and a minor in sustainability in the built environment, Solis carries the weight and strength of various identities: she was a reentry student, an international student, and a transfer student. She is also an engineer, a photographer, a storyteller, and a mosaic of lived experiences.
As the director of Global Professional Programs at UC Davis Global Affairs, Karen Beardsley has spent more than a decade building connections among UC Davis, international professionals and the local community. Helping facilitate and advance career development, education and mentorship across the world is a mission Beardsley has been deeply devoted to.
Kate is a fifth-year double-major in human development and communications. During her second year at UC Davis, she took part in a study abroad program, and her place of choice was none other than the magnificent destination of Madrid, Spain.
Finding the opportunity to immerse herself in Scotland’s culture and landscape, Anya Nygaard, a third-year environmental science and management major and geographic information systems minor, studied abroad this past summer and had an experience like none other. From exploring the vast Scottish Highlands to countless adventures in Edinburgh, she fulfilled her University Writing Program requirement while spending meaningful time with her lively cohort. Through a blend of journalism and environmental studies, Anya refined her research and writing skills during her four-week stay.
Elmira Louie, a Ph.D. candidate and associate instructor in Comparative Literature, strives to build an interconnected world that bridges cultures. Her Ph.D. dissertation, tentatively titled “Resisting the Periphery: Global South Borderlands in Turkish and Persian Literature,” looks at cultures, languages and people on the periphery in Turkish and Persian novels. The global nature of Elmira’s research has enabled her to seek out global experiences and ethical sources for a well-rounded project.
An engaging exhibition, which brings together visual journals belonging to students who participated in the UC Davis design study-abroad program, opens on Jan. 21 at the UC Davis Design Museum.
“Visual Journals: 2010-2024” is a partnership between the UC Davis departments of design and global affairs. The installation runs through April 25.
