Office of Study Abroad

Profile: Rebecca Pollack '13

Majors: Art History and Women and Gender Studies

Study Abroad Program: BU London Internship Program

Current Job/Graduate School/etc.: Academic support administrator at Syracuse University in London

Why did you originally choose to study abroad in the United Kingdom? I chose to go abroad because I wanted to see all the great art and architecture in Europe. I chose BU London because I liked the idea of doing an internship and taking a break from a traditional semester of classroom learning. I felt London was the best place to do an internship, since I spoke the language, I’d figured get the most out of the experience in the UK.

What have you been up to since graduation? After Brandeis, I went to graduate school for a PhD in art history at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City. I now live in London permanently and work in Study Abroad! I work for Syracuse University helping students navigate life in London and work to make sure study abroad is more accessible to diverse populations of students.

What lessons or skills did you learn from studying abroad that you still think about today or still impact you today on your current path? Well, I ended up moving to London. When I studied abroad, I realized I wanted to continue writing and thinking about art at a higher level, leading me to apply for PhD programs my senior year at Brandeis. My area of research is British art and architecture, which I began to explore during my internship at the Royal Academy of Arts during my semester abroad. I met my partner while conducting my dissertation research and the rest is history.

One memory from abroad that still feels like it happened yesterday: Navigating the tube (transport system) my first day arriving in London and taking the Circle Line literally in a circle because I wasn’t sure how to navigate switches between trains.

Your message to students thinking about studying abroad: The fear of missing out at Brandeis is real but remember whatever is happening at Brandeis happened the semester/year before and will happen the following semester/year. However, you only have one chance to explore a new and exciting part of the world in this environment.