Alex Montgomery has learned a lot about himself, the world around him and the impact he wants to make in ways he never thought possible – and it’s all thanks to the countless opportunities offered at East Tennessee State University.  

The Knoxville native traveled to Ghana with ETSU’s Center for Global Engagement last May, an opportunity he didn’t see coming. He credits his faith for leading him to it.  

“When I heard about study abroad opportunities when touring ETSU, I thought, ‘Sure, I bet a handful of students get to go and that costs an arm and a leg.’ I could not have been more wrong,” Montgomery said. “The Holy Spirit truly aligned this opportunity to travel.”

Thanks to scholarships from the university, Montgomery and his peers only paid about $500 each for the nine-day trip.  

They spent that time learning the local languages and culture and taking dance and music classes. Students also got to know the people of Ghana on a personal level by visiting their villages, plantations, schools and homes.  

“Through our cooking session with a host family, I was able to speak with other Ghanaians in a more personalized way and enjoy the intimacy found over laborious activity or sharing a meal together,” Montgomery said.

Montgomery saw the value of having curiosity about others and their experiences firsthand – the type of lesson that can’t be taught in a classroom but proves valuable for students no matter where life takes them after graduation.  

The trip was his first time traveling internationally with ETSU – but he hopes it’s not his last.  

“I would love to travel again through ETSU before I graduate,” he said. “I love the various lengths of trips offered, ranging from weeks to months or semesters.”

Montgomery is already applying what he learned abroad back home. As an Expedition Leader with the Office of Admissions, he’s constantly working with his peers to introduce new people from different walks of life to ETSU.

“I meet and talk with so many families who are in a season that can be so overwhelming,” he said. “It is so rewarding to share not only our campus’s culture with prospective students and families, but also how they can find a place and home here.”

The rehabilitative health sciences major didn’t start his ETSU journey knowing what he wanted to do – in fact, he didn’t know much about occupational therapy at all before becoming a Buccaneer and taking a first-year experience (FYE) course. Even then, things didn’t click right away.

“Every professor has been caring and incredibly intelligent,” he said. “It was only after changing my major three times that OT ignited a spark in me.”  

After being able to get hands-on and interact with patients in the field, that spark doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.  

“I completed an internship at Mini Miracles Pediatric Therapy in Johnson City last spring. It was there that I found my joy for working in pediatrics,” he said.

The experience was so impactful, Montgomery plans to start working toward his Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree after he graduates next spring.  

Whether you want to see the world or just a day in your future career, ETSU believes your education shouldn’t be confined to the classroom. You’ll make an impact and gain experiences that follow you in your career and community – on a local and global scale.  

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