Corner Brook resident Tarik Rodrigues chose to stay close to home to complete his degree, but that decision did not limit his opportunities to see the world.

Mr. Rodrigues is one of almost 3,000 Memorial University graduates receiving his parchment this month, graduating with a bachelor of environment and sustainability degree in Corner Brook.

Close to 250 degrees will be conferred at the Corner Brook Arts and Culture Centre on May 14 during convocation ceremonies.

Through Memorial University’s international exchange partnerships, students can study at universities around the world while earning credit toward their degrees and continuing to pay Memorial tuition. For Mr. Rodrigues, whose love of travel sparked his interest in studying abroad, the opportunity was an easy choice.

“I thought it was a great way to continue my studies while living in a new country and experiencing everything that comes with it,” he said.

‘Different learning styles’

Mr. Rodrigues’ first international exchange took him halfway around the world to the University of Tasmania in Australia from February to June in 2024.

A year later, he embarked on a second exchange to the University of Augsburg in Germany from October 2025 to February in 2026.

Drawn by the opportunity to study in central Europe, he was eager to experience life in a country with a different language while still having the option to take courses in English.

“A couple of the courses were difficult, but it was interesting going to classes in new countries with different learning styles,” said Mr. Rodrigues. “The coolest part was not attending school but the organized events and activities, from surfing to visiting a castle, where I met other students from all over the world, which we then did our own things like hikes, vacations, skiing and train trips.”

Mr. Rodrigues says the experience taught him far more than what could be learned in a classroom and strongly encourages other students to consider an exchange.

“I benefited by learning how to navigate foreign countries, living in my own apartment and everything that comes with it, communication and social skills from talking to so many different people, and things like organization, planning, confidence and decision-making.”

‘Resiliency, tenacity and advocacy’

In both cases, Mr. Rodrigues worked with Grenfell Campus’s exchange advisor to ensure he was earning credit toward his degree.

Nicole Miller, an academic and exchange advisor at Grenfell, says the student exchange experience is “invaluable.”

“While students remaining at Grenfell for the entirety of their degree will have an amazing experience and learn many important life skills, going on exchange takes that skillset to the next level,” she said. “Navigating immigration and different languages and cultures, living away from home, managing relationships across time zones and honing skills in resiliency, tenacity and advocacy are some of the skills, among many others, that exchange students gain.

“There are co-ordinators at Grenfell and the host university that help students along the way,” she added, “but a lot of responsibility is placed on the students themselves and it is incredible to watch the exchange students learn and grow along their exchange journey. Exchange is something that I hope everyone knows is an option.”

Mr. Rodrigues has big plans following graduation: he is headed to Belgium to work in a wildlife centre before pursuing further education in the fall.