Student Blog: Study abroad scholarship winners reflect on their experiences
April 10, 2025 Written by Ryan Chester, Diego Pacheco, Chloe Kappen and Melissa Wood
The DLLC awards scholarships for winter session 2025 study abroad destinations
Four University of Delaware undergraduates received scholarships from the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures for winter session study abroad trips. Ryan Chester, Diego Pacheco, Chloe Kappen and Melissa Wood. Ryan Chester and Diego Pacheco studied in Morocco, while Chloe Kappen and Melissa Wood spent their winter session in Leipzig, Germany. Chloe won the German Community Scholarship, and Melissa was the recipient of the David and Alison Matsen Scholarship.
Ryan Chester
I am an international relations major and Arabic minor sophomore from Baltimore, Maryland. I decided to travel to Morocco to further my Arabic studies, and I am attending UD on a scholarship as a United States Army cadet, which means that I will commission directly into the army as an officer following graduation. It is difficult to pinpoint a favorite or most memorable moment during a trip in which each day was absolutely stunning and full of new experiences. However, one highlight was visiting a Berber nomad camp in the Sahara Desert where the residents did not speak Arabic, only Berber, and we communicated by playing soccer with the young boys. After the game, they invited us to share tea and biscuits while we chatted with friends from the program.
Diego Pacheco
I'm a junior biological science major and I traveled to Morocco during the winter. I had taken Arabic 105 and enjoyed the class and the professor who introduced me to the study abroad program. I wanted to be as immersed as possible in the Arabic language and culture. My favorite moment in the program was the trip to the Sahara: It opened my eyes to how beautiful the desert can be. While I don't plan to directly use Arabic in my professional career, it's a skill that can help me anywhere.
Chloe Kappen
I am a sophomore majoring in biomedical engineering. I have always wanted to travel to Germany, so this was the perfect opportunity for me to realize that dream.
Traveling through a study abroad program and learning German has been so interesting. I took two semesters of German before the study abroad experience, which prepared me well for the program. As soon as I heard about the German in Engineering program, I sought to add a German certificate to my resume. I did some research and learned that Germany is very focused on biomedical engineering and research. In Leipzig, where I stayed, I was able to visit a biomedical engineering complex and see the engineers at work.
UD's study abroad program impacted my experience as a “Hengineer” very positively. I have been able to meet so many new people and to see so many interesting engineering-related sites while in Leipzig, Germany. My favorite career-related experience in Germany was traveling to the BMW factory, where we observed the manufacturing process. It was so cool to see the assembly line and the BMW employees in action.
My favorite place I visited in Germany was Berlin, a city with a vibrant culture. The highlights of my trip to Berlin were seeing the Berlin Wall and the Holocaust Museum and Monument.
Melissa Wood
I am a senior with a double major in communication and German studies. Studying abroad in Leipzig was truly a life-changing experience for me. I learned so much about German culture and made countless new friendships and fond memories that I'll remember for a long time. One of my favorite excursions was to the Czech Republic. Some of us went sightseeing in Prague for our free weekend, and I can safely say it is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. Another favorite moment was attending an animal costume party that was put on by our school. I honestly didn't think I would stay the entire time, but it ended up being really fun!
