International Student Success: Ally Govi '20

Sitting in class in Berglund Hall, Ally Govi '20 has genuinely settled into her home at Pacific, but it is not the only place she calls home. She was born and raised in Italy. Govi also lived in Hawai'i where she attended Kapiolani Community College (KCC) before transferring to Pacific. Not opposed to exploring new places, Govi also did a semester abroad in Salamanca, Spain.

Initially, she had a hard time with her college search when looking to transfer from KCC. “I wasn’t sure where I wanted to live between Colorado or New England… I wasn’t  sure what I wanted to study,” Govi said. She had a love of languages and a desire to be an interpreter, and she also had a passion for marketing. At Pacific, she found the perfect combination — a major in business with concentrations in international business and marketing and a second major in Spanish. 

Govi found Pacific University at a college fair at KCC, “I talked to many recruiters,” she explained, “..I looked at different schools, but Pacific stuck with me.” She knew people who had graduated from Pacific and having a steady 4.0 GPA as a transfer student afforded her academic-merit scholarships, a language talent scholarship, a Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society scholarship, and a few more. “I was also attracted by the fact that Pacific University is a small school, where I would have a one-to-one relationship with my professors—making it worth any cost after scholarships," she recalls.

She visited campus in the summer of 2016, “I loved the campus,” she reminisced, “how small it is, and I instantly fell in love with the atmosphere—the sense of being at home.” After the visit, Govi continued to work with Tania Hand in Admissions and Gretchen Potter in Academic Advising to understand what classes to take before transferring, and which majors and minors were possible. Of her transfer experience, she commented, “Both of these ladies made my transfer easy and smooth."

Last spring semester, Govi studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain, through the Academic Programs International (API). She put her Spanish language skills to the test by participating in an integrated program where she attended classes with local students taught only in Spanish. Govi truly enjoyed the experience, “I met wonderful people, including my host mom, with whom I still speak… it was so amazing.” With API’s program, not only was Govi able to develop her language skills and meet people in Salamanca, “I visited gorgeous places, and I learned a lot about the culture,” she explained. The program took her to Sevilla, Spain, and Lisbon, Portugal, under the guidance and care of the local API administrators. “I recommend Salamanca and API,” she proclaimed, “…even now, when I go through the pictures, I cry missing it.”

Govi has been participating in the Passport for Professional Development program offered by the College of Business Placement Services. After completing activities to promote professional development, she found the program to “…be very interesting and useful to prepare me for what will come after college.” Govi is continuing to work with Wanda Frazier in Placement Services on her resume and her LinkedIn profile to prepare for the recruiting season for marketing students starting next fall. She would like to work in digital marketing.

 “My Pacific education is something I am very proud of and grateful for,” Govi explained, “I am very glad that I got to attend this school and meet great professors and students. It has now become my home, and I know that thanks to this school, I will hopefully be able to land a perfect job after graduation.”