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MSU Texas Study Abroad students share about learning experiences

Reanna Gonzalez
02 March 2026
5 min read

One opportunity presented to Midwestern State University students that many describe as life-changing is the chance to study abroad. The MSU Texas Study Abroad program is a two-way door that allows MSU students to travel to other countries to study, as well as allows students from other countries to study here.

Through this program, students gain an opportunity to study in places like London, Spain, Berlin, and France. The process to study abroad is simple, but fast-paced. Fortunately, advisors are available to help students through each step of the process. For those interested in studying abroad but don’t think they can afford it, scholarships and other funding options are available. In fact, most students who study abroad do so with financial assistance.

Dayan Miranda, an MSU Business student who studied abroad in London, said she decided to pursue the opportunity after her older sister, who had never taken the chance to study abroad, encouraged her to go. She said her sister regretted not taking the chance and wouldn’t let her make the same mistake. Miranda is grateful to her sister for that push. The process to join a study abroad program may be less than glamorous, but the trips make it all worthwhile.

Miranda said that she’s traveled to Europe before on a family trip. As they were on their way to Italy, their flight had a layover, and they ended up staying the night in London. This experience was just enough for Miranda to get a taste of London life and decide to go back through the Study Abroad program. She said she was intrigued by the big city aesthetic and the diversity of the place, and she wanted to be fully immersed in it for a while.

In her time there, Miranda said she enjoyed several exciting and immersive adventures. She explained some of these were pre-planned activities by the business department, but there was also free time where she could choose on her own, including a trip to Spain. While she didn’t originally plan on visiting Spain, some of her other plans fell through, and she took the opportunity and is glad she did. She said the flights were cheap, she got to meet people from other countries, and she was able to exercise her bilingual abilities.

“Things will go wrong on your trip, but you just have to wait and see it through,” Miranda said.

As a business student, Miranda said studying in London gave her a perspective on what business looked like outside the U.S., especially being in a country that’s so connected to other parts of the world. She said she’s grateful for the chance she got to go and hopes to return to England one day to explore more of the countryside.

“It just made everything seem like, wow,

MSU Texas student Dayan Miranda enjoyed seeing the sights around London during her Study Abroad experience. Below, a photo by Miranda from Mallorca, the largest of Spain's Balearic Islands and the seventh-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Dayan from Mallorca, the largest of Spain's Balearic Islands and the seventh-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Study Abroad Spain — MSU Texas student Jalecia Thompson enjoyed her Study Abroad trip to Spain. Her she takes a selfie from the Old Fortress walls in Málaga, Spain.

my options are not as limited as I think,” Miranda said.

Jalecia Thompson is an MSU Spanish student who took the opportunity with the Study Abroad program to visit Spain. While Thompson, from Barbados, has traveled to many places, including Italy and France, Spain is somewhere she’s always wanted to visit. When she began looking into schools to attend, one of the factors she considered was the Study Abroad programs each school offered. She ultimately chose MSU because it has one of the more affordable programs, and it offered Spain as an option.

Thompson has a Minor in Spanish, and knew going to Spain would be an opportunity to immerse herself in the language. During her two-month stay in Spain, she was housed by a local family that showed her all the local gems. She expressed that the beauty of the city exceeded her expectations.

“It was like New York, but prettier,” Thompson said.

Thompson takes her studies seriously, and she dedicated much of her time to better understanding the language and culture. She did make time for adventure. Also having a minor in Biology, she was pleased to get to visit the science museum there, as well as appreciate the local architecture and historical locations. She added that she spent a lot of time at the lesser-known beaches, per the suggestion of her host family. She also made spur-of-the-moment trips that proved to be some of her favorites.

“A lot of my trips were spontaneous, which I like because every day was a new adventure,” Thompson said.

Thompson mentioned that she’s stayed in contact with her host family in Spain since returning to MSU and hopes to go back someday to visit them and explore more of the country. She also mentioned that the experience made her want to travel to even more countries, with the next on her list being Greece. Given the impact her experience studying abroad has had on her, she believes everyone who’s even remotely interested should take the chance to study abroad.

“Just get lost to explore the city – just enjoy what’s out there,” Thompson said.

To learn more about Study Abroad opportunities, visit Bridwell Hall, room 107. Here you will be able to set up an appointment to discuss your options.

Both Miranda and Thompson encourage other students interested in or even wondering about studying abroad to take the chance. They believe that even if you’re anxious about it, it’s fully worth pushing yourself to pursue it. Miranda suggested students not stress about planning things precisely – “things are going to go wrong” – but trust that no matter what happens, it will be a life-changing chance to broaden their perspective of the world. Thompson suggests that interested students get a head start on the process to study abroad so it feels less rushed and provides more time to acquire funding.

“What a brave thing to do – going to live on the other side of the world for a few weeks,” Miranda said.