My name is Devin Lutz and I’m a senior communications major from Ashburn, Virginia. Originally, I studied IT with communications as my minor, however, I realized that IT wasn't for me and deciding to switch to communication as my focus and major. Transferring to Virginia Tech was one if not the best decisions I've made in my academic career. It also gave me a second wind and pushed me to work harder than I had in the past. Last year I was given the amazing opportunity to study overseas under the Linking Lives study abroad program. As part of the program, I took classes in Switzerland to prepare to work on a group Grant Proposal. I was able to spend one month in Rwanda where I worked alongside medical students and contributed to various small community projects as part of the cultural exchange program. It felt like a culmination of being able to use and apply what I had learned while working towards my degree. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I’ll never forget. I feel that it's important to get out of your comfort zone and communicate and work with different people. I highly recommend travel, or if you are a student and given the opportunity to study abroad to do it. I hope to graduate in the Spring of 2025, and I plan to continue to build on what I've learned during my time here overseas and at Virginia Tech.