Alumni Outcomes: How Study Abroad Shapes Careers After Graduation

^{Above: College of Charleston students on a study abroad trip to Trujillo, Spain, in 2024.}

In today’s job market, international experience is a résumé differentiator. Alumni who study abroad develop skills that set them apart in competitive hiring pools. 

Employers value adaptable, independent, critical-thinking professionals. Study abroad helps students develop all three through real-world, immersive experiences. The College of Charleston offers a range of international experiences for students.

The highly reputable Open Doors 2025 Report on International Educational Exchange ranked study abroad programs at the College of Charleston: 

• No. 1 for short-term programs 
• No. 2 for overall participation 
• No. 5 for mid-length programs 

After graduation, our study abroad alumni enter elite graduate programs, receive competitive fellowships and launch international careers.  

Maddy Landa ’24 recently received the Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for the graduate program in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice at Queen’s University Belfast.  

And, after completing a Fulbright teaching assistantship in Algiers, Algeria, Jack Watson ’24 received a full scholarship to the American University in Cairo’s (AUC) Center for Arabic Study Abroad program, a competitive immersion program for advanced Arabic. 

“Some of the most important parts of my education during my time at CofC were when I was abroad,” says Watson. “I was able to take what I was learning in my classes, then go into the world to see the impact.” 

Study Abroad Alumni Outcomes 

• Higher starting salaries 
• Higher employment rates 
• Graduate study at leading global universities 
• International teaching and work experience 
• Fulbright awards and international fellowships 
• Adaptability and problem-solving abilities 
• Advanced language proficiency 
• Cross-cultural communication skills 

Career Skills Gained Through Study Abroad 

Alumni consistently credit study abroad with developing the professional skills that have helped them succeed after graduation. 

Skill Developed Abroad	Career Benefit
Cross-cultural communication	Work effectively with diverse teams
Adaptability	Navigate change and uncertainty
Independent problem-solving	Make decisions confidently
Language proficiency	Access international opportunities
Cultural awareness	Build stronger professional relationships
Confidence in unfamiliar environments	Thrive in new workplaces and communities

Real-World Application 

The skills Watson and Landa developed through study abroad became the foundation for their competitive international work after graduation. 

While attending the College, Landa, a political science and international studies major with minors in Spanish and women’s and gender studies, participated in a Maymester program to Greece and a semester-long CofC-led program to Trujillo, Spain.  

The experience in rural Spain was especially formative. Limited phone access and full immersion in the culture helped her master Spanish and built confidence in unfamiliar environments. 

“It definitely got me used to being in a place, and you have no idea what’s going to happen next, but you just have to kind of roll with the punches,” she says. “You have to adapt.” 

After graduating, she taught English in Madrid through both the North American Language and Culture Assistants Program and the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.  

In those roles, she had to adjust lessons, communication styles and classroom expectations in real time depending on student needs and cultural context. 

She traces that adaptability directly back to her study abroad experience in Spain. 

“The faculty did a uniquely good job at informing us of Spanish culture and helping us make connections with the people in the town,” Landa says, adding that they also introduced students to Spain’s political history and provided context for navigating conversations in a more conservative environment. 

That cultural grounding carried into her teaching practice.  

“I think that’s kind of what I’ve done the most as a teacher, really trying to get students to question global systems and understand other people,” she says. “I’ve seen such value in understanding other perspectives and other cultures, and I’ve learned so much from them.” 

Now preparing for graduate study at Queen’s University Belfast, Landa says her focus on communication, relationships and navigating differences has continued to grow. 

How Study Abroad Can Help Alumni Earn Fulbright Awards 

When considering the value of study abroad, Fulbright opportunities highlight how these experiences can lead to competitive international fellowships. 

Many alumni pursue Fulbright opportunities after graduation, building on academic, professional and international experiences. 

Landa and Watson say their international experiences greatly strengthened their applications and prepared them for the realities of living and working abroad. 

Watson, who majored in international studies and French and Francophone studies, embarked on several abroad experiences while at the College.  

After an internship with the State Department in Switzerland, he participated in an International Scholars summer study abroad program to Greece. During his junior year, he went to La Rochelle, France, with a College-led program in the fall semester and an exchange program in Cairo, Egypt, at the AUC spring semester. 

After graduation, he taught English in France for a year while applying for a Fulbright teaching assistantship in Algeria.  

“When I was interviewing for this Fulbright position after graduation, I talked about my time in Egypt, what that meant for me, the challenges and how I would use what I learned there while in Algeria,” Watson says.  

“I finished by speaking a little Egyptian Arabic,” he adds. “That gave them a bit of a laugh because Algerian and Egyptian are so different, but I think things like that go so far. They show you’re engaging with the culture. You’re trying to learn the language, and that means so much to future employers as well.” 

Beyond his Fulbright experience, Watson says studying abroad built many skills he utilizes in other professional settings. 

“When I’m applying for jobs and fellowships, I have that experience of saying, ‘I’ve been out of the country. I know how to do it. I’m able to live by myself and thrive,’” he says. “That means a lot to people.” 

What Fulbright offers alumni

Importantly, alumni note that Fulbright applications are often strengthened by undergraduate study abroad experiences, which help demonstrate readiness for independent global work after graduation. 

Why Study Abroad Matters After Graduation 

Alumni outcomes demonstrate how study abroad impacts career preparation and professional skill-building. 

Students return with: 

• Stronger competitiveness for fellowships and graduate programs 
• Demonstrated experience living and working internationally 
• Applied language and communication skills 
• Proven adaptability in unfamiliar environments 
• Networking connections abroad 
• Real-world cross-cultural competency 

For students, that translates into expanded opportunities.  

For parents, it represents a tangible return on investment in the form of skills that directly impact employability after graduation. Students who study abroad tend to have higher starting salaries and employment rates. 

Where Study Abroad Can Take You 

Study abroad offered a career starting point for alumni like Landa and Watson. It shaped how they think, communicate and navigate a world that increasingly values global fluency.  

It also provided something that continues to distinguish them early in their careers: the ability to step into unfamiliar systems and succeed. 

At the College of Charleston, study abroad is a key form of experiential learning that builds long-term career readiness and helps graduates stand out to employers.