Brock’s Goodman School of Business has provided Vanessa Valencia with a world of opportunity.

Her time at Brock has allowed the fourth-year business student to study in Europe as an exchange student, and she was recently chosen for another unique opportunity abroad.

Valencia is one of about 30 students across North America hired by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to help promote studying and researching in Germany through the Young Ambassador program. 

Pushing herself beyond her comfort zone is nothing new for the international student, who came to Canada for the first time four years ago after choosing Brock. Originally from El Salvador, she travelled to Canada on her own to pursue her education.

But she didn’t stop there.

Valencia participated in not one but two back-to-back international exchange semesters.

After spending last fall in Sweden at the University of Gothenburg and the winter in Germany at the University of Mannheim, Valencia said the experience has changed her for the better.

“I think it’s changed my whole life in a sense,” she said.

“I experienced new cultures and that was a really big deal for me. I have travelled a lot and have actually learned a lot about different ways of teaching because it was totally different from Brock.”

She has met many new people along the way.

“Now I have friends everywhere,” she said.

One highlight for Valencia during her time abroad was travelling to Iceland, Norway, Denmark and much of central Europe in between her exchange semesters. It was her first time in Europe, though she now hopes to return.

“Going on exchange is probably one of the best things that has happened to me in school,” she said. “It’s beyond what you learn in school because you get some life experience. You change your way of thinking, you’re more open minded and independent, and you become more organized and more mature.”

When the ambassador opportunity presented itself, Valencia jumped at the chance to share her exchange experience and to help her peers at the Goodman School of Business learn about how they too can study abroad.

“I saw this as a great opportunity and I love reliving my exchange, so why not help people go on exchange as well? They will have a great experience too,” she said.

The ambassador role includes four days of training in New York City, which Valencia will attend next month.

Beginning in September, she will work for one year to help promote exchange programs — especially those in Germany — among her peers in the Goodman School of Business.