The American University of Rome

Former U.S. Secret Service Agent Evy Poumpouras on How Traveling the World Changed Her

"Evy Poumpouras describes her first study-abroad experience in Italy as formative: she spent six months at the university, calling it 'an amazing experience' that 'gave me exposure to the world.' Her mindset at the time was practical and family-oriented — because 'Greece is next to Italy, so if I got homesick, I could hop on a 45-minute plane ride to see my family' — and after returning to the U.S. she worked multiple part-time jobs to fund further travel. These programs (including a later semester in Mexico and a multi-country 'European Odyssey') helped her learn languages, build confidence, and become unafraid of travelling." - Evy Poumpouras