Audrey poses with parents Brian and Molly Fremeau, both UOES employees.
ND student and parent reflect on value of global education
This spring, Notre Dame junior Audrey Fremeau will fly out for her fourth study abroad program.
She first got the travel bug back in high school, when she participated in Notre Dame’s pre-college program in London. Then, the summer after her sophomore year at Notre Dame, she took advantage of the summer programs offered by Notre Dame Global (NDG) and applied to the Poland Summer: International Law & Politics of Genocide program. Last summer, she opted for a more focused, career-building opportunity through NDG and completed the Global Professional Experience (GPE) program in Rome. And next semester, she’ll head to Italy for the second time for the Rome undergraduate program.
Despite this being her fourth trip abroad, she’s just as excited as the first time—though decidedly less nervous.
She’ll be going into this program with a leg up. The city’s sights will be familiar to her, and she knows her way around a bit better.
“When I first got to Rome this past summer, it was a lot to learn,” she said. “Being from South Bend, I’d never used public transportation before. Now I have that nailed down, so I can use those skills to take advantage of the city more—explore more neighborhoods, interact with locals, practice my Italian.”
A visual communication design major, with minors in Italian and marketing, Audrey has deliberately chosen each of her programs. For her, they’re not just trips abroad—they’re intentional learning opportunities to shape and expand her studies.
Her mother, Molly Fremeau, creative program director of marketing for University Operations, Events, and Safety, has noticed this: “I think even before she came to Notre Dame, she knew she was interested in the humanities and arts and letters, so all the places she’s been to have fit into that. And I think all these trips, and the classes that she’s taken when she’s been abroad, have helped her decide on her major.”
Molly also recognized that the impact goes beyond her current studies. “It will help inform where she goes after college because she’s seen all these other cities and is learning what she likes and what she doesn’t like.”
With more than 60 semester and academic-year programs to choose from and nearly 40 summer programs, Notre Dame Global hopes that students approach its
study abroad opportunities like Audrey has. When chosen with intention, study abroad programs can be more than exciting travel opportunities for students—they’re transformative encounters with new places, people, and versions of themselves.
Molly can attest to this, having witnessed the change in her daughter after the very first program. And the more programs Audrey participates in, the more Molly can see certain traits grow in her daughter.
“Each experience has offered her something different. The London pre-college program was an introduction to college life. The Poland program was academically rigorous and exposed her to researching and writing in a new way. Her GPE in Rome was her first experience living and working away from home,” she shared. “I think definitely her confidence and her independence have grown as a result.” She added, “Even while preparing for each trip, she’s grown to know what she needs, what to pack, how to be prepared.”
For Molly, there’s comfort in knowing her daughter is equipped to handle the experiences that will greet her overseas. But she also knows that you can’t plan for everything and trusts that Audrey will face the challenges head-on. “She’s been so fearless about all of these trips,” she said. “I’m proud that she’s so curious about other places and has taken advantage of every opportunity.”
That curiosity has driven Audrey to explore more, experience more, and grow more. “I’ve lived in South Bend my entire life, so I feel that it’s really important for me to get out and see as much as I can,” she said.
Learn more about ND Global’s study abroad programs at studyabroad.nd.edu/programs