WKU News

For Jillian Tabler, a visual arts major from Louisville, Kentucky, studying abroad wasn’t always a guaranteed part of college—it was a dream waiting for the right support to come to life.

“I’d always kind of wanted to study abroad, but it didn’t feel like a very achievable thing,” Jillian admitted. “It was just like, ‘Oh yeah, maybe one day.’” That changed during her first week on the Hill. As a participant in WKU’s Catalyst Cohort, she heard from Lindsay Houchin, formerly of the Office of Scholar Development, about how students—especially those from underrepresented backgrounds—could make international opportunities possible. “That really made me understand that this is an achievable and attainable thing I can work toward.”

In spring 2026, Jillian will travel to Florence, Italy, to study at the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute (LdM), taking 15 credit hours in studio art and art history. “I’m hoping to take classes like Renaissance Art History and then be able to walk out the door and actually see the art in front of me,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to a more immersive experience with art history specifically than I’ve had in the past.”

As a graphic design student, Jillian was especially drawn to the program’s academic alignment. “It was kind of a challenge to find a program where I’d actually be able to get credits that would transfer into my major,” she said. “But LdM has so many options—drawing, painting, printmaking. It offers as many studio courses as WKU does, so I can keep progressing in my major while I’m abroad.”

Support from her family, especially her sister who studied abroad in Scotland through Murray State, also helped Jillian feel more prepared. “Seeing that she did it safely and had such a great experience definitely made conversations about me going a little easier,” she said. “It was never a question of whether or not it was okay—it was more about how to do it safely and make good choices.”

Jillian is most excited about connecting her studies to the real world and deepening her understanding of people and culture. “I want to work with newer brands on building identity and voice,” she explained. “That takes being able to really understand the people you’re working with. Being abroad will help me practice connecting with people from different walks of life and learning from their experiences.”

She’s already begun building a bucket list of things to see—“I’m hoping to visit the Louvre in Paris and finally see Winged Victory in person,” she said—but she’s just as open to being guided by the program’s structure and surprise excursions. For Jillian, the biggest shift wasn’t in booking a flight, but in realizing that this dream was possible. “Catalyst made me realize how much of a support system I have,” she said.

Her advice to others who feel uncertain about study abroad? “There’s not just one way to study abroad,” she emphasized. “You can do a semester, a summer, a WKU faculty-led program. Don’t jump to the conclusion that it won’t work for you. And take full advantage of the people and scholarships here to help make it possible. There are more resources than you think.”

As Jillian gets ready to step into Florence—and into the layered beauty of art, language, and self-discovery—she’s doing so with the clarity that this experience isn’t a detour. It’s exactly where she’s meant to be.