One trip, countless adventures

Brenden Seewald and classmates at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul Korea wearing Hanbok, traditional Korean attire

Studying abroad is an adventure filled with cultural discovery, new academic opportunities, lifelong friendships, and personal growth.
Brenden Seewald, an ISU graduate student and staff member in Heartland’s Study Abroad Program, shares his unforgettable experience studying in South Korea and gives advice for students considering studying abroad. If Brenden’s adventures inspire you, Heartland offers short-term, summer, and semester-long programs to help you create your own story abroad. Let the adventures begin!

Meet Brenden

Hello! My name is Brenden Seewald, a second-year graduate student in the College Student Personnel Administration (CSPA) Program at Illinois State University. I currently work in Career Services as the Curriculum Development Graduate Assistant at ISU and am a current intern here at Heartland working with International Programs and Study Abroad. I’m from Livonia, Michigan, and went to Central Michigan University for undergrad.

Brenden Seewald, Illinois State University graduate student and Heartland's International Studies staff member

Study Abroad Adventure

In my third year at Central Michigan, I had the amazing opportunity to do a semester long study abroad in South Korea. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural and Global Studies, and one of the graduation requirements was a study abroad or an international internship. I was not complaining at all! Initially, I was concerned about whether I would be able to afford to do a study abroad, but I found out that it is more accessible than people may realize. There were multiple scholarships I applied for, and I was even able to use financial aid towards this experience.

Brenden and friends at Namsan Tower in central Seoul

In February of 2022, I took the 13-hour flight to Seoul, South Korea. I was so nervous about being on the other side of the world for half a year, but I can confidently say that it was one of the most impactful experiences of my life. I am a huge proponent of study abroad:

I believe that more students should consider this opportunity.
It’s a time for students to expand their worldviews and perspectives, meet people from around the world, and experience a level of independence and self-reliance they may not have experienced before.
Studying abroad is a great example of pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. You’ll be trying new foods, adapting to a new environment, interacting and building connections with people you never would have crossed paths with.
It is an amazing opportunity for personal development, but professional development as well. Depending on what area you are currently studying, there are opportunities to do an international internship or even meet faculty in your focus area abroad.

When I was in the process of choosing a location, I personally wanted a complete 180° from everything I knew. I wanted to experience living in a country that had a completely different language, food, culture, and demographic. I got it all!

Brenden and friends at a pselenti festival, a huge event organized by Korea University with K-pop groups and PSY performing Gangnam Style live

Brenden in Busan, the second most populous city located towards the southern tip of South Korea.

If this story has piqued your interest in studying abroad, check out the flyer below and reach out to Zach Petrea, Study Abroad Coordinator, at zach.petrea@heartland.edu.