WKU News

“I wanted to come to America because I wanted to see if it was like the movies!” said Julien Piron, an exchange student from Lyon, France, studying this semester at WKU. “It is an exciting opportunity for me.”

Piron is a business student at Emlyon Business School, where it is encouraged that students take a semester to study abroad.

“I’m in my third year studying international business so it is very important to me to study abroad,” Piron said. “I am a management major in France so I am studying management and finance here. It is different but interesting. There are so many aspects we don’t see in France and it changes my point of view.”

At WKU, Piron is taking courses in International Business, International Marketing, Human Resource Management, Personal Finance, and Business Communication. These courses are helping Piron to broaden his worldview so that he will become a well-informed, confident professional when he eventually graduates and enters the business world.

“My career goal is to join a large company probably in retail,” Piron said. “I do enjoy supply chain and already did an internship in this area. I definitely want to continue to work abroad. Dublin, Ireland, maybe… but anywhere I go, I want to bring all my experiences.”

While Piron is the only student from Emlyon attending WKU this semester, he said he never feels alone because of the strong international student presence on campus.

“The international program has events and opportunities for international students to meet up,” Piron said. “I have met students from a lot of other countries and we experience things together.”

Experiences like American sports, tourist attractions, and cuisine.

“I miss French food! Vegetables!” Piron exclaimed, shaking his head. “It is so different!”

Piron has just a few more weeks in Bowling Green before flying back to his home country, where he will finish his collegiate experience. He encourages his American classmates to take a chance and study in another country like he has.

“If I had advice for students who want to study in another country: one, choose your classes well; two, get information about the area before you go to see if you will enjoy it; and three, live life! Explore and do new things,” Piron said.

#PeopleofWKU

Interested in study abroad opportunities?

Study Abroad and Global Learning (located in Suite 1014 on the ground floor of the Honors College & International Center) is a dedicated WKU resource to help guide students through the study abroad process, including program selection, application, scholarship opportunities and more! Information about how to request an appointment with a staff advisor or walk-in peer advising can be found HERE.

• Phone: 270-745-5334
• Email: study.abroad@wku.edu
• Website: www.wku.edu/studyabroad