Global Experiences Provide Perspectives and Pathways for USD Senior

The scent of the California air was Tatum Tande’s first clue that she was in the right place. During her initial campus visit to the University of San Diego (USD), the Minnesota native took a deep breath while walking along Mission Beach, watching retired people glide past her in their rollerblades while the waves of the Pacific Ocean sparkled. “This is what I want to be,” she remembers thinking. “This is where I want to live for a long time.”

For Tande, USD has been more than a means to earning her degree – it has offered pathways to worlds she never imagined when she first breathed in the fresh California air along Mission Beach. It has become a journey across continents and cultures, giving the marketing and international business major a passport full of experiences that will support her for the rest of her life.

Finding Her People

Tande found her community at USD quickly. Two girls approached her in the Valley Residential Halls, recognizing her from a TikTok video. One of them, Kyla Barrett, a member of USD Women’s Rowing, struck up a conversation that would evolve into a long-lasting friendship.

“We chatted for such a long time,” Tande recalls. “Ever since then, we hang out all the time.” Their group expanded to include Hannah Coronado, Hayden Miller and Gabby Thomas—forming a tight-knit circle that has enhanced their experiences at USD.

“My mom always told me that four quarters is better than 100 pennies,” Tande explains. “I value my relationships and where I put my time into people. That's something very special for me.”

Now seniors, the friends live together at Mission Beach, inspiring one another to participate in experiences such as studying abroad.

The Global Classroom

Tande truly began to find her stride as a college student while overseas.

Her first destination was Madrid, Spain, where she lived with a host family that included a 23-year-old with Down syndrome. She says her host family cared deeply and made sure she had a wonderful experience. The experience also challenged her linguistically.

“I remember crying after our first family dinner,” she says, recalling the difficulty of conversing in Spanish. “I wasn’t very good at Spanish and people speak very fast.”

Yet as the weeks passed, she adapted not just to the language but to the cultural rhythms: two-hour family dinners, public transportation navigation and weekend excursions across Europe. She explored Mallorca, Munich during Oktoberfest, a farm near Ireland's cliffs and cities throughout France and Italy.

The experience matured her, but it was just the start of her global education. The following January, Tande found herself studying abroad in Australia, taking a negotiation course while weathering UV-13 sun exposure. She surfed at Snapper Rock, where world champions compete, and participated in Aboriginal tribal dances after having paint ceremonially applied to her skin.

“Everybody there was so active and just happy,” she says.

The Transformation

The wealth of global experiences changed her cultural perspectives, Tande says.

“America and the work ethic here—everybody moves so fast,” she explains. “It's helped me open my eyes to understand ... seeing the way people live and what's normal for them makes me reflect on the way I live. It makes me think more about things I need to stop doing because they're not good for me, or things I want to implement because they make me happier."

She has learned to navigate foreign countries alone, translate medicine bottles when she’s fallen ill, and develop self-reliance—all skills she believes have prepare her for life after graduation.

“You don't realize how small but [also] big the world is. Being able to travel has taught me that there’s so much more going on than what’s going on in the United States,” she says.

These takeaways translate to Tande’s career aspirations. Her internship with Ashley Furniture took her to Tampa, Florida, where she worked on social media, collaborating weekly with representatives from Meta, Snapchat, Pinterest, TikTok and Google to optimize campaign performance and digital engagement. Another internship with PQ Swim in La Jolla followed. Now, as graduation approaches, she's eyeing opportunities in beauty or beverage marketing, potentially in California or even internationally.

“I feel like I could move to Tampa all alone for my internship, I can do anything,” she says. “If I can go abroad, I can live anywhere in the US.”

The Lasting Impact

Tande's story represents what USD aspires for its student studying abroad: gaining a global perspective, increasing adaptability to challenges and a deeper self-understanding of one’s interests and passions.

“Every time I talk about study abroad with someone, I'm just so passionate about it,” Tande  says. “I think it really made me mature.”

Tande advocates for more students to take advantage of USD's study abroad opportunities, including those who may feel a little hesitant. “It's like when I first moved to USD. I told myself, ‘I can always move back home.’ It's the same thing as you move forward in life and study abroad. You can always find your way back home.”

“I just think USD has been the most perfect spot,” she says as she reflects on the past four years. “I owe it all to God because I know He put me at USD for a reason. I'm so thankful for every person and every lesson I've learned. I wouldn't want to have my college experience anywhere else.”

— Kelsey Grey ’15 (BA)