By: Em Acuña
Honors College senior Ella Watt studied abroad at the University of Lausanne (UNIL) in the French-speaking region of Vaud, Switzerland, from February to mid-July 2025. Her study abroad was partially funded by the Honors College International Education Scholarship. Watt joined Appalachian State University and the Honors College in Fall 2022 semester and plans to graduate in May 2026. She is majoring in anthropology and pursuing minors in both communication and French and Francophone studies. She is also pursuing departmental honors in the Department of Anthropology.
The program Watt participated in was a French language and culture program, meaning that all of Watt’s courses were in French, and all but one were focused on language and culture. During this study abroad, Watt dove into immersing herself into the French language and culture. Watt credited her Honors education at App State for giving her the interdisciplinary experience that prepared her for the non-major courses she took abroad. She had this to say,
Jumping into an unknown subject was easier thanks to the seminar experiences from Honors.
Photo features a view of Lake Geneva. Photo submitted.
The UNIL program interested Watt because it was a place where she could continue to utilize and build her French language skills, and she had already traveled to France. The city of Lausanne is right on Lake Geneva and offered Watt plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation, such as hiking, swimming, and more.
Watt was first introduced to this particular program through her involvement with International Appalachian (INTAPP) here at App State.
INTAPP is a student organization that “works to promote study abroad, positive experience for international students, leadership, and internationalization of Appalachian’s campus.” Watt has been involved with INTAPP since Fall semester 2023 and has served in a number of roles including: historian, office manager, honors liaison, and coordinator. One of Watt’s peers in INTAPP recommended this particular French-speaking study-abroad opportunity for her.
Photo features Watt (left) and Agathe Beugnard (right) visiting in Switzerland. While abroad, Watt was able to meet up with Beugnard, a French student who studied abroad at App State Fall semester 2024 and whom Watt met through INTAPP. Photo submitted,
The study abroad program Watt participated in was an international exchange through the ISEP program. As App State’s Office of International Programs explains, “Founded in 1979, ISEP has grown from a small non-profit organization into one of the largest study abroad membership networks in the world.” Watt lived in off-campus housing with other international students while studying abroad. This unique program exposed Watt to a broad group of peers beyond undergraduate and graduate students, all of whom were equally passionate about immersing themselves in the language and culture. UNIL also offered an optional program for study abroad students to be partnered with Swiss students, and Watt took advantage of this “buddy” program. Through this program, Watt was invited to join and was welcomed by the family of her buddy, Erin. This provided her a more intimate experience with the local culture and people.
The Honors College’s international education requirement asks students to broaden their perspectives as they consider global interconnectedness through exploring other cultures, worldviews, and frames of reference. As students fulfill the requirement, they:
- Apply a holistic approach to global engagement that encompasses intellectual, cultural, and social dimensions as they explore, discover, learn, and grow with others.
- Cultivate cultural competence and humility by examining the importance of understanding, respecting, and valuing difference in building inclusive communities and addressing global challenges collaboratively.
- Reflect on their interactions with individuals and communities from cultural backgrounds different from their own and explain how these cross-cultural experiences have supported their individual personal, academic, and/or professional growth.
Watt’s focus on cultural immersion through her study abroad directly impacts her future goals. She discussed how she built up her confidence through the process, since it was a big step and a test of independence. Watt is also considering going abroad for graduate school and she reflected that “[This study abroad experience] showed me that it’s a lot more attainable to do than I thought. I literally packed my life in a suitcase and could have stayed there forever.”
Photo features Watt on one of her hikes in Vallorbe, a town an hour away from Lausanne in the French-speaking region of Vaud, Switzerland. Photo submitted.
As Watt reflected on the hiking trips, fondue tasting, polar plunges, and other experiences abroad, she had this to share with fellow Honors students considering studying abroad:
Trust yourself and try everything at least once…and bring Pepto Bismol with you.
Top photo features Honors College student Ella Watt. Photo submitted.
