Standing in front of the fountain in Palazzo Taverna near the Rome Center and EIIS

Author: Chloe Bowen | Major: Economics | Semester: Summer 2023

I chose this program because I wanted to further my career by participating in a research experience abroad. I chose the Rome Center because they offered multiple internship placements that I could apply for and choose from. I chose to apply for the internship experience at the European Institute of Innovation for Sustainability. I was accepted and offered an internship position within their Fashion & Sustainability certificate program. My undergraduate honors thesis was centered around third-party certifications for apparel companies, specifically looking at B Corp certification within the apparel industry. I thought that an internship working within a sustainability education company focused on fashion would be very applicable to what I had researched for my thesis.

I also chose to enroll in the To Rome with Love class offered at the Rome Center. This class was beneficial because it allowed me to learn about Italian culture, which was very relevant at work, and I was able to refresh some of my Italian language skills at the same time, since I had already taken two semesters of Italian at the University of Arkansas. I really enjoyed my instructor Ilaria because she made the class fun, but I learned so much at the same time.

At my internship, I worked on educational materials for the certificate program and helped develop email marketing campaigns for the upcoming edition of the course. I learned a lot about sustainable fashion while working on editing the educational materials for the course. I also wrote two reports and made a final video presentation for the course pertaining to my internship at the University of Arkansas. I believe the experience will benefit my career goals because I am hoping to work abroad one day. I would also like to work either in education or for a sustainability company, so I liked that the internship combined both of my career interests.

During one of my favorite weekends in Rome, my roommate and I decided to take a day excursion to Bracciano, a town with a lake and castle nearby. We rented a paddleboat when we arrived, and we had so much fun paddling around the lake. I also really enjoyed the weekend excursion to Florence that was led by the University of Arkansas Rome Center faculty. I was not disappointed with seeing the Birth of Venus and the statue of David in Florence. One of my favorite activities was climbing to the top of the duomo and getting to see the panoramic view of Florence.

One of the things I wish I had known before coming was just how hot and rainy it would be in Rome whilst I was there. Italy was experiencing uncharacteristically heavy rains during the summer, and I would often get drenched on my way home from work. So, I would recommend that students coming to Rome in the summer should invest in a good pair of waterproof shoes. Since I had studied abroad before, I was more prepared for the inevitable feelings of homesickness that sometimes arise. I think the big thing for me was knowing that I would be able to see the friends I would make through the Rome Center again in Fayetteville when I returned. I think this made the goodbyes easier, because I know I can see my friends from the program again, which is a great feeling.