International Student Spotlight - Luz Belen Loyola Ferrer
Leaving your comfort zone and being challenged opens up new opportunities to explore your boundaries and understand your true potential.
Study Arizona is an amazing opportunity for students pursuing a dual degree undergraduate program through one of our Microcampus locations around the world to enroll on our main campus in Tucson, Arizona for one semester. By taking junior and senior level courses with top faculty, in-person this is an excellent way for students to see if the University of Arizona is the right fit for their graduate study.
Luz Belen Loyola Ferrer is a dual degree graduate who studied Sustainable Built Environments at the University of Arizona and The Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC). Belen had joined us on the main campus, in Tucson for her final semester in the fall 2021.
The Study Arizona semester had a big impact on Belen. “Being here made me more confident and independent, as there were several occasions where I had to make decisions all by myself. I think I feel more self assured now."
Belen was a part of the University’s largest class of international students, with over 5,400 international students enrolled in degree programs on main campus and around the globe, according to the university's fall 2021 census.'
“It was exciting to be in Tucson and meet people from all over the world,” says Belen, “Study Arizona was also a great opportunity to build international connections in areas of my interest.”
Belen’s favorite memory of her semester in Tucson was celebrating Halloween. “In Peru, we celebrate El día de la canción criolla on October 31st, so it was a different experience to celebrate Halloween instead. It was a fun weekend and is now my favorite memory”
In December 2021, the University of Arizona hosted a celebratory graduation event on the rooftop patio of the ENR2 building for the UA/UPC dual degree students, and their friends and family. Belen was a part of this event and thoroughly enjoyed it.