New Starts in Syracuse: Katie Beals and Julia Holmes Begin their Aggie Experience in Italy
by Katelyn Grande, Global Affairs Writing Intern
The University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) Global Start Program offered at UC Davis is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for incoming Aggies to begin their university experience abroad. This past program cycle took place in Syracuse, Italy, during the 2025 fall quarter. Studying abroad in a place as culturally rich as Italy offers students opportunities to expand their knowledge and global experience in meaningful ways. First-year students Katie Beals and Julia Holmes were part of the cohort that went abroad and reflected on the insights it provided.
From High School at Home to College Abroad
The transition from high school to college life is no easy feat and can be intimidating at first, particularly when it takes place abroad. As first-year students, Katie and Julia had to make this transition under unique–albeit exciting–circumstances. Although hesitant at first, they ultimately embarked on their journeys with great enthusiasm. Regarding their decision to enroll in the program, they both recall making it at the same time as finalizing their commitment to UC Davis.
Katie shared:
“I was still deciding between colleges, and I received an email from UC Davis about going abroad for the first quarter. Somehow that really grabbed my attention, and I impulsively took a chance!”
Julia shared a similar experience, explaining that she decided to participate in Global Start when committing to UC Davis and that “the application process was not difficult at all.”
The Program Experience
The Global Start program is structured to give students a glimpse of what the UC system has to offer, while also providing meaningful opportunities to engage with the surrounding culture. Katie and Julia, majoring in Animal Science and Human Biology, respectively, took various general education (GE) courses during the quarter abroad. In particular, an interesting GE offered through this program was called “Sicily Identity,” and Julia recalls her experience with the course:
“It was interesting to see how food, culture, and religion coexisted, dominated, or evolved. The class was unique because we were not only learning about the subject but living in it and viewing it in real life.”
Katie on a weekend trip to Taromina
In addition to the interesting courses offered, the program’s overall grading system was a feature students came to appreciate. Notably, Julia shared that she “felt more relaxed as a student” given the fluidity of the academic grading structure. Katie also reflected on how the grading system aligned with what she appreciated most about the Italian lifestyle:
“I think experiencing the Italian lifestyle was a good reminder for me to slow down and enjoy life. Italy felt like one big breath. It taught me that it’s not only okay to relax, but sometimes it’s actually more productive in the long run. As they say in Sicily: ‘Dolce far niente.’ (‘Sweet to do nothing’).”
Also worth noting is the way students were able to further engage with Italian culture through occasional weekend outings provided by Global Start. Such outings included museum and site visits to churches, mosques, and even a recently unearthed Jewish bathhouse.
Finding Independence and Making Memories
Traveling alone requires one to quickly become independent in navigating everyday tasks in a new setting. As Katie and Julia mentioned, such activities ranged from the typical grocery shopping trip to navigating public transport, and took plenty of time to grow familiar with. However, the two first-year students found that developing a routine became easier as time progressed, and that finding their footing was made easier with the help of other cohort members in the same boat.
Due to the size of the study abroad cohort, at just about 30 students, peer connections and meaningful friendships were formed quickly in the classroom and beyond. With a blend of lively classroom discussions and city ventures together, students embraced a study abroad experience like no other. The quarter abroad not only helped Aggies grow as students but, more importantly, as well-rounded individuals embarking on a new stage in life.
Takeaways from Time Abroad
Julia with the dog of a tour guide who kindly showed students around the island and into her home and farm to pick olives and play with her pets.
After returning to Davis for the winter quarter, Katie and Julia look back and appreciate all that Syracuse had to offer them. Their experience has prompted them to consider venturing abroad again in the coming quarters, with Taiwan and Spain piquing their interest.
Reflecting upon their time in Italy, Katie and Julia recall similar life lessons. One takeaway they shared was that traveling alone was an unparalleled experience they wouldn’t have come to appreciate had they not stepped outside their comfort zones. Perhaps most importantly, they remarked that the experience allowed them to grow on multiple fronts, become more open-minded, and learn about themselves in ways they otherwise wouldn’t have.
Given that Katie and Julia were fortunate enough to begin their college experience with a program as unique as UCEAP’s Global Start, the rest of their time at Davis is sure to be just as valuable and enriching.
