Prior to the pandemic, Matthew Hsieh applied to IES Abroad for an opportunity to study abroad through Deltasig's partnership. Matthew chose Paris as his abroad location because Ratatouille was (and still is) his favorite movie as a kid.

While studying in Paris, Matthew made several new friends and filmed their experiences enjoying the surrounding culture.

"During the spring of 2020, I was studying abroad when the world came to a halt--it seems so long ago when a global pandemic uplifted our lives,” said Matthew. “Although the coronavirus cut my time in Europe short, I can only reflect on the opportunity I had living in a different culture and changing perspective. My new friends, who I interviewed, had these same sentiments so we wanted to share our experience!”

Upon returning home, Matthew turned his videos and interviews into an entry for the 2021 GoAbroad Innovation Award, which celebrate institutions, organizations, and individuals moving international education forward.

The video, titled IES Abroad, “Paris: La Nouvelle Experience,” won the Innovative Student Video award. This award recognizes a student-created video that captures the true essence of an international education program and chosen through a popular vote.

Watch Matthew’s award-winning video at https://youtu.be/nXdwfS1wHyg.