Hi! I’m Jessica Besl, and I am one of the participants on the UW Rebels and Revolutions launch program, and also a soon to be badger! I was born and raised in La Crosse, Wisconsin, a city of 50,000. My entire family and I have lived in the same city for my entire life, so as I began my college search I knew I wanted to be located in a slightly bigger city with more people, opportunities and activities. Outside of schooling, I enjoy spending time with friends, family, my two amazing labs, as well as hiking and any other outdoor activity.
My search led me to UW-Madison, where I will be starting as a freshman this fall. Although I am currently undecided, some of my interests lie in psychology, sociology, and international studies. I felt as though Madison was the best place possible for me to explo
re my multiple interests while getting the most out of my post-secondary education, and I truly cannot wait to be a badger!
Hearing about this amazing opportunity to study Irish political history while living in Dublin, I knew I couldn’t let it pass. I’ve always known I want to study abroad during college and to be able to do so before I begin my freshman year was an ideal scenario. It is also an amazing chance to see how I feel about studying abroad without committing to a whole semester, or even a year. The chance to study abroad, learning about the history of such an important and interesting country while roaming its streets as well as meeting a group of other like minded first year students all before fall semester begins was something I couldn’t look past.
Through our two weeks in Ireland, I am most looking forward to making real world connections to historical material and texts covered in class. Being able to apply and connect historical texts to our very own surroundings will allow me to get the most out of this amazing experience. I truly believe that the hands on learning style demonstrated in this program will allow me to have a more impactful, meaningful and long lasting educational experience. I cannot wait to explore Irish history, culture, and the country in general all while learning about what makes such a unique country the way it is today.