Advising

Hi! My name is Sheila, and I’m a fourth-year Global Economics major. I studied abroad in Fall 2024 at the University of Bordeaux in France. Studying abroad was something I had always dreamed of doing, and the experience truly changed my perspective on the world. I got to travel to different parts of Europe and met so many incredible people. I encourage everyone to stay open to the opportunity because it’s the perfect way to learn, grow, and see life from a new point of view. I’m looking forward to supporting and answering all of your questions 🙂

What I want students to know:

I want all students to know that no matter your situation, there’s always an opportunity that fits you. The process might look different for everyone, but you’ll always end up where you’re meant to be as long as you keep working toward your goals. Don’t be scared because it’s not as complicated as it may seem. Take the chance because you never know how much it can change your life.

Melany Castañeda Padilla is a third-year student majoring in Sociology and Latin American and Latino Studies. She is a first-generation, low-income daughter of Mexican immigrants. Her hometown is Orange County, California, specifically Costa Mesa. She is a big music lover and listener, specifically early 2000s Chicano rap, R&B, cumbias, musicals, and anything funk. She expresses her love of music through dance, while she might not be a professional dancer, she enjoys learning all styles and fusing them to make it her own.

Because of her identity and upcoming, she never thought studying abroad was an opportunity for her until seeing an informational presentation about the topic and meeting with members of the Global Learning team. Through these advising meetings, she was able to study abroad in Mexico City for the ’25 summer, where she developed friendships with students from different UC campuses, connected with local CDMX professors, saw many historical sights, and developed a deeper love for her parents’ homeland. She is so excited to be a peer advisor for this academic school year and hopes to encourage as many students from all identities to study abroad!