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Leavey School of Business Santa Clara University

Profiles

Alexa MacDonald
Alexa MacDonald
Alexa MacDonald '26
Accounting Major
Study Abroad: Paris, France

Do you have a favorite class that you are taking? Why?
My favorite class that I’m taking is Contemporary Paris. It’s all about Paris’s people, policies, and politics, which are perfect to learn about while I’m here. Everything I’ve learned has been really applicable to my experiences in Paris and abroad in general. My teacher is the mayor of a nearby city, and has really valuable insights and experience. I would highly recommend taking a class abroad that teaches you about your city if you can to learn as much about the culture that you’re immersed in as possible!

What do you like about your program/university?
I love the small size of my program in Paris. There’s a hundred or so students, which makes for small class sizes and a tight-knit community similar to what we have at Santa Clara. I feel like I know all of the other students, professors, and employees of the program really well, which makes the experience that can feel lonely a lot more comfortable! The program also has really great professors. They’re all very involved in their field, and really want to help us make the most out of our experience abroad.

What has been your favorite place that you visited so far or favorite part about your city?  Why?
Dublin, Ireland is my favorite place that I’ve visited so far. The atmosphere of the city made me feel really at home (the English definitely helped), the people were so friendly, and our day trip to the countryside was stunning. I would highly recommend visiting and fitting in a trip to the town of Galway and the Cliffs of Moher if you can! As for Paris, my favorite thing about it has been the big city feel. I’ve never lived in such a big city before, and I’m loving that I never run out of things to do in Paris.

What advice would you give to the 2024 abroad students?
When deciding where you want to go abroad, try not to let others' opinions or choices affect your decision. I’ve always known I wanted to study in Paris so ranking it as my top choice was an easy decision. I’m so grateful that I made my decision independently, because you never know where everyone will end up, but as long as you made a choice that aligns with your goals it will all work out in the end!