Kevin Leuaxay

Kevin Leuaxay, Madison native and Neuroscience major, is back on campus this Spring – but you get the sense he’d be just as happy (at least) to be where he spent last semester: Brno, Czech Republic - a popular exchange program Edgewood College enjoys with Masaryk University.

“Everything about this experience has changed me,” Kevin said. “The way I view the world…my whole mindset, goals - everything has changed for the better.”

He says his advice to other students is ‘just do it.’ 

“It changes the way you view people, the way you see the world now, what you do with your money, how you prioritize things, what’s important in your life, just who I am,” he said.

It just takes a bit of planning, Kevin said. Working with his academic advisor was key, he said, because it’s important to graduate ‘on time’ and ensure his study abroad experience was time well spent – even if it was a bit challenging.

“I was nervous and scared but I never let that eat me up,” Kevin said. “I was more excited and happy to go. I looked at it as an opportunity to grow, meet new people, step outside of my comfort zone, learn to adapt, and be open-minded to everything – to whatever happened.”

And what happened, he says, is nothing less than life-changing.

“I found this little diamond of a place in this huge continent and I love it because now I can always go back there,” he said. “Brno felt like another piece of home…because it was so comfortable to be there.”