Hello! My name is Melodie, and I’m so excited to share my journey with you while I study abroad in London, England! I was born in Binghamton, New York, and I grew up in a small rural town where farms, fishing, hunting, and riding four-wheelers were super common. Fun fact: my high school even had a “bring your tractor to school” day!
I’m a student at the University at Buffalo in the Honors College, majoring in Psychology. A lot of what I’m interested in is how our life experiences and the systems around us shape people’s health and opportunities—especially when it comes to food insecurity and food equity. Food insecurity means not having enough healthy food to eat regularly, and it’s something that affects many families and students.
This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to study food insecurity in Alabama, and that experience made me even more excited to keep learning about this topic in London. Studying in the U.K. is meaningful to me because it gives me the chance to see how another country approaches public health, community support, and access to resources in everyday life.
I’ve been financially independent since I was 16, so traveling overseas used to feel impossible—and this will be my first time outside of the United States. With a lot of hard work, all-nighters in the library, support from mentors, and amazing scholarship opportunities, I’m proud to say I’m here, and I’m determined to make the most of it.
While I’m in London, I want to learn about community programs and local organizations that support people facing food insecurity, and compare what that looks like in the U.K. versus the U.S.
Outside of academics, I can’t wait to experience London in the everyday ways that make a city feel real—walking through markets, trying new foods, learning local routines, and visiting historic places I’ve only seen in pictures. Big Ben, the British Museum, seeing a ballet or opera, and even taking cooking classes are all on my list!
Through my stories, I hope you’ll see what studying abroad is really like: the exciting moments, the challenges, and everything in between. More than anything, I want students to know that studying abroad isn’t only for people who can afford it. If you’re curious, determined, and willing to work for it, it can be possible for you too; and I can’t wait to bring you along on this experience.
Want to know more about how you can study or intern abroad when you are a college student? The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Learn more about the scholarship by clicking here!
