When the graduation laurel wreath (a traditional Italian symbol of academic achievement) was placed on my head in Macerata, Italy, I felt the weight of just how far I had come. Two years earlier, I had boarded a plane with two suitcases, moving across the Atlantic to begin a dual-degree program in Germany and Italy. Now I was standing there with two master’s degrees — an M.S. in International Business from Germany and an M.A. in International Relations from Italy — and, maybe even more valuable, a completely transformed outlook on the world.
Despite coming from a very modest family background, I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, where I was fortunate to attend on a generous scholarship. That opportunity opened doors I never thought possible. Raised in Tazewell County, Virginia, by my grandparents, Donna and Jack Howery, I grew up with a simple picture of what life might look like. International education felt far away — something other people did, not people like me.
What changed everything was one pivotal moment: while working at the UVA Wise library, I interviewed Dr. Witold Wolny, the Director of International Programs. After hearing my story, he encouraged me personally to apply for a study abroad program in Paris, assuring me that scholarships and financial aid could make it possible. His support was the spark I needed. Without that push, I doubt I would have ever taken that first leap.
That first study abroad experience was life-changing. It allowed me to see the world through a much broader lens and gave me a new perspective on people — how we are, at our core, so similar, yet shaped by different histories, beliefs and cultures. What had once seemed like an impossibly large world suddenly felt much more connected. That realization lit a fire in me: if this was possible, what else might be?
Soon, one study abroad turned into two, and eventually into a full master’s program overseas. My first stop was Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, a small border city where I joined a program in international business. Life there was different from anything I had known in Appalachia: I walked everywhere, studied alongside classmates from every continent, and learned from professors who challenged us to think not just nationally, but globally. Every class discussion felt like a miniature United Nations.
I was fortunate to receive the Deutschlandstipendium, a merit-based scholarship from the German government. That support allowed me to immerse myself fully in the experience, and it reinforced something I’ve carried with me ever since: education, when accessible, has the power to change everything.
The second year of my program took me to Macerata, Italy, where I shifted my focus toward international relations. Italy was a complete change of pace: instead of a bustling border town, I was living in a historic city filled with piazzas, ancient architecture and the rhythm of Mediterranean life. My mornings were filled with lectures on diplomacy, my afternoons with espresso and political debates alongside classmates. It was rigorous, yes, but also joyful — a reminder that learning doesn’t have to be confined to lecture halls.
Germany taught me structure, analysis and discipline. Italy taught me perspective, empathy and the human side of global cooperation. Together, those experiences gave me two complementary ways of seeing the world.
And the classroom was only half the story. Living in Europe allowed me to travel widely, from a month in western Ukraine during the war — researching, listening and learning resilience from locals — to time in the Amazon rainforest of Peru, traveling by boat to remote villages. These journeys shaped me as much as my textbooks did. They taught me that education is everywhere, if you’re willing to look.
Now, returning home to the United States with two master’s degrees, I feel enormous gratitude — for my grandparents who raised me, for the scholarships that made all this possible, for professors and mentors who believed in me and for classmates who pushed me to think bigger.
Because I know what it feels like to grow up believing the world is far away. And I want students from Appalachia to see that it’s not. Opportunities exist beyond borders, but you have to be willing to take that first step.
For me, graduate school abroad wasn’t just about earning degrees. It was about discovering that the world itself is a classroom — and if you’re willing to learn from it, the lessons are limitless.
Jack Howery III, originally from Tazewell County, recently returned home after completing a dual master’s abroad in International Business (Germany) and International Relations (Italy). A first-generation international scholar, he began his global journey as an undergraduate at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, where a pivotal mentorship opened the door to his first study abroad program. Since then, he has studied in six countries and traveled to nearly 60. Today, he is passionate about inspiring students from Appalachia to see the world as open to them, no matter their background.
