By Fatima Salinas
Sean Patrick Keene, a third-year College of Liberal Arts and Sciences student majoring in political science, journalism and Spanish, didn’t expect his study abroad experiences to lead him into podcasting.
After completing his first program through the Iowa Hispanic Institute, Keane said he quickly realized how much he enjoyed connecting with others about international education.
“I had really great advisors who helped me through everything,” Keene said. “I joke that my study abroad advisor, Emily Brown, is my best friend because she’s put me in so many of the positions, I’ve been in.”
Keane has now completed study abroad programs in Spain, Chile and France, each shaping his academic and personal growth in different ways.
“Spain scratched the surface-level academic itch for me. Chile taught me about humanity and history. Paris challenged me professionally,” Keene said. “All three changed my life in very different ways.”
Founded to support global learning across the university, the UI Study Abroad Office, housed within International Programs, offers a wide range of faculty-led and partner programs for students in all majors.
Keane became one of these peer mentors after completing two programs back-to-back.
“They knew my name after that,” Keene said. “They asked if I’d join the peer mentor team, and from there I just stayed connected.”
The Study Abroad Office later invited Keene to participate in a media project showcasing student experiences. That project prompted him to think about new ways to highlight the depth behind study abroad stories.
Soon after, Keene launched Around the World in 80 Stays, a student-centered podcast that explores individual experiences in destinations around the world.
“I wanted a space where students could share their whole stories,” Keene said. “A brochure can’t tell you what it actually feels like to live somewhere, or what challenges someone faced. But a long conversation can.”
CLAS junior Veronica Ramirez, a global health studies major on the pre-occupational therapy track, spent eight weeks interning in clinics and a hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. The experience not only strengthened her interest in global health but also reshaped how she viewed access to international opportunities.
After returning to campus, she was invited to share her story on Sean’s podcast, where she spoke openly about the challenges first-generation students can face when considering studying abroad.
“I had never seen anyone from my demographic or financial background do it, so making the decision felt really difficult,” Ramirez said. “I wanted to be the person I wish I had heard from when I was applying.”
On the podcast, she highlighted the financial resources that often go unnoticed and stressed that students can make study abroad possible by actively seeking scholarships and support.
“Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she said. “You don’t want to look back and regret not taking the chance.”
Ramirez hopes her story encourages more students, especially those who don’t see themselves represented in study abroad programs, to imagine themselves in destinations around the world.
Keene said the podcast allows him to share not only the excitement of studying abroad, but also the honest realities students encounter while living in new places. He also hopes the podcast encourages students to consider destinations beyond Western Europe.
"There are incredible opportunities in places people never think of—Chile, South Africa, Taiwan,” Keene said. “It’s worth going somewhere you’d never picture yourself.”
Looking back on his own travel experiences, Keene said each program contributed to who he is today.
“I’m grateful for every opportunity, every place and every person who helped me get there,” he said. “But there’s nothing like that first time you study abroad.”
If you are interested in listening to the podcast, tune in to “Around the World in 80 Stays”.
