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Tennessee Tech student describes Valencia study‑abroad, urges peers to study abroad
Summary
Chemical engineering and Spanish major Jackson Ragland told trustees his six‑week study abroad in Valencia deepened language skills and cultural understanding; he credited Tennessee Tech coursework for preparing him to navigate accent differences and to engage with international classmates.
Jackson Ragland, a chemical engineering student who also majors in Spanish, told the Board of Trustees about a six‑week study‑abroad program in Valencia that he said broadened both his language ability and global perspectives. Ragland said predeparture coursework—particularly a phonetics and linguistics class—helped him understand accent differences after he arrived and lost his luggage during the trip.
“My phonetics class… I understood, like, oh, she’s saying it differently. This is the exact same meaning,” Ragland said, crediting professor Michael Olson’s instruction with preparing him for real‑world listening and speaking challenges.
He said the program’s classroom mix exposed him to students from Japan, China, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy and the Czech Republic, which he described as valuable for encountering different viewpoints. Ragland recommended study abroad for other students as a transformative educational opportunity to grow personally and professionally.
Trustees asked about his double‑major load and how credits transferred; Ragland said advanced‑placement, IB and dual‑enrollment credits contributed to his standing as a second‑year student with senior‑level credits. Trustees praised his presentation and encouraged student participation in international programs.
