Meet Study Abroad Student Mary Coakley
Mary Coakley, a Texas Christian University student from Virginia, studied at John Cabot University during the Spring 2025 semester. While she was at JCU, she was an intern for the University’s Marketing Office.
Tell us about your background.
I am from Arlington, Virginia, right outside Washington D.C. I have three siblings and one dog. I attend Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, and I am a strategic communications major with double minors in political science and business. I attended The Connelly School of the Holy Child for high school, a Catholic all-girls school in Potomac, Maryland.
Why did you decide to study abroad in Rome?
I chose to study abroad in Rome the first time for five weeks in the Summer of 2023 because I was hesitant about spending a whole semester abroad, missing out on what TCU had to offer. In those five weeks, I fell in love with the city, and also the ability to travel it gave me. Initially, I was planning to apply for a semester in Florence, as I thought I had already explored Rome and should visit other parts of this amazing country. But, as most of my friends were applying to Rome, I knew it would be the right decision to return, and I have not regretted it since. There is always something new to do, something new to see, a new restaurant to try. The neighborhood of Trastevere made me feel so at home in such a big city and soon, I felt like I knew it like the back of my hand. I am so thankful for the energy of this city and to the JCU community for always making me feel safe and understood.
Tell us about your for-credit internship at the Marketing Office and what it entailed.
I was initially attracted to this internship because I wanted to make the most of my study abroad experience. I wanted the ability to not only learn more about Italian culture, and to advance in my academics, but to also take up a new set of skills through working in another country. The Marketing team was a lovely group to work with, giving me advice and mentoring me throughout the whole process. I helped with email marketing and social media content and advised them on how to increase the engagement of study abroad and degree-seeking students on all platforms.
What is your best study abroad story? What did you learn about yourself from studying abroad?
My favorite thing was the trip I took to Morocco. It was so special to learn about a new culture firsthand with all my best friends by my side. That is something I will never forget. I learned a lot about myself while being abroad, but specifically that I could do anything I put my mind into. I never saw myself as a big planner, but here, I took charge and ensured we had a plan and saw everything we wanted to see. Obviously, I didn’t do that alone, but I was proud of myself for taking the initiative.
What advice would you give to someone considering studying abroad?
I would advise you to stop considering and push yourself to go. I will never regret my decision, and I don’t think you will either. Then when you get here, I advise you to take advantage of every minute, and never look back. It went by faster than I could ever imagine.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m not quite sure about what I want to do yet, but I want to continue to learn, travel, and get to know myself. As for my occupation, I am still unsure, but I know I will use the skills I learned here to my advantage.
