About Us

About Connecting Worlds

COWA (Connecting Worlds) began in 2015 with the goal of providing an affordable study abroad option for every college student. We believe that all students should have the opportunity to study abroad before they graduate. To meet this goal, we work with our collaborating universities to ensure that the programs we offer are tailored to students’ different needs.

COWA is housed in two different centers of the University of Seville. One is the Campus Universitario EUSA, which offers degrees in journalism, audiovisual communication, publicity and public relations, and tourism, as well as professional development courses and other certificate programs. The other is the International Center of the University of Seville, which houses international students, staff and guests of the university. These locations provides active university campuses with the accommodations essential to a successful academic program, while permitting interaction with Spanish and other international students.

Our Mission

Our mission is to give all of our students a unique and fulfilling study abroad experience. We want our students to leave Sevilla feeling more confident and comfortable with the Spanish language. At COWA, we believe the best way to learn a language is to be fully immersed in it. Our programs are designed to expose students to the Spanish language and culture as much as possible, through our housing, classes and cultural excursions.

Our Values

At COWA, we believe that…

Every student can learn the Spanish language

Learning occurs both in and outside of the classroom

Studying abroad is a fundamental step towards becoming a world citizen

Get to know us

Carlos Valencia

Director

carlos@cowa.es

Carlos Valencia is a native of Oviedo but spent 20 years of his professional life in the United States. There, he received his doctorate in 19th-century Spanish literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before teaching at Wake Forest University and the University of Richmond. He then moved back to Sevilla, serving as director of the UNC in Seville study abroad program for 6 years and now as director of COWA. Among Carlos’s professional interests are the application of new technology to Spanish language instruction and the incorporation of volunteer work into curriculums as a sociolinguistic and cultural learning tool.

Rocio Rodriguez

Housing Coordinator

rocio.rodriguez@cowa.es

A native of Carmona (Seville), Ms. Rodriguez studied Law at the University of Seville before branching off into the Hospitality Industry. She has spent the last 10 years managing a small boutique hotel in Carmona, and has been part of the COWA team since its beginning in 2015.

Eric Davis

Professor of Art History and Tour Guide

Eric Davis was born in Laramie, Wyoming and raised in Lawrence, Kansas. He has a BFA in Fine Arts from the University of Kansas and a Master’s degree in Art from the University of Seville (la Facultad de Bellas Artes de Sevilla). He is currently doing his doctorate in that same Seville University. He has worked as an artist painting in Seville since 1992 and has taught Art and art History to international students in several university programs in Seville. He has also worked as a tour guide in Spain and in Africa for the past five years.

Antonio Barneto

Internship Coordinator and Professor

antonio.barneto@cowa.es

Antonio Barneto, a native Sevillian, earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Seville in Business Administration and holds a M.A. in International Relations from Pablo de Olavide University and the International University of Andalusia, as well as a M.A. in Marketing and International Relations from the Confederation of Entrepreneurs in Andalusia. He completed his studies in business at both Hanze University, Groningen, Holland and in Mercer University, Georgia, United States.

Irene Ramos Arbolí

Professor and Student Life Coordinator

irene@cowa.es

Irene Ramos Arbolí was born in Seville and prior to joining COWA in 2017, she had spent seven years teaching Spanish at the college level in the United States. She earned two master’s degrees, from Ohio University in Spanish language and literature and from North Carolina State University in Hispanic linguistics. Her last two years in the US were spent at Ohio State University, where she balanced her work as a Spanish lecturer with her graduate classes. Starting in 2019 as Student Life Coordinator, her primary duties will include assisting students as they adapt to their new life in Seville, in and outside the classroom.

Lauren Groffsky

On-site Coordinator

lauren@cowa.es

Lauren Groffsky graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2017 with a double major in Hispanic Literatures & Cultures and Latin American Studies. She knew she wanted to move abroad after graduation, and through the UNC Department of Romance Languages, had the opportunity to do so. She was the inaugural recipient of the Larry D. King Post Graduate Fellowship, which allowed her to move to Sevilla and work for the UNC in Seville study abroad program. After spending one year in Sevilla, she fell in love with the city and decided to stay. She spent her second year teaching English at a local high school, and is now back in the study abroad field working for COWA.

What our alumni say about COWA

Great Teachers
I have never had a class where I was close with my teacher. However, all of the teachers on this program were so outgoing and friendly that everybody got to know them on more a personal level.
Diverse Learning Experience
Being able to take classes both at the university and at EUSA. I was able to get a feel for what school was like in another country with the university classes and at the same time I was able to take the EUSA classes which were a little less challenging and more like the classes at UNC.
Experience Spanish Politics
The history of Spain was very interesting and relevant. I was there during the November elections and we really got to learn a lot about the parties and locals’ sentiments towards the candidates.
Love Sevilla
I loved the city of Sevilla–it was big enough that there was always something going on yet small enough that it wasn’t overwhelming. Also it was a great environment to learn Spanish in because the people are very friendly and want to talk to you.
One of the Best Decisions of my Life!
I feel it was an amazing experience, one of the best decisions of my life. Academically, I feel so much more comfortable using Spanish. I could definitely incorporate Spanish into my career. Personally, I feel more independent, confident and assertive. I really grew as a person. I learned how to be flexible and patient when dealing with people who are not like me. I learned decision making and problem solving skills. This program also opened my eyes to how people from other cultures see the world.
Living with a Spanish Family
The best characteristic of my academic study abroad was living with a Spanish family. This forced me to constantly interact and think in Spanish, and I think was the number one contributing factor to my improving my Spanish and knowledge of Spanish culture.
Explored Europe
I got to experience a world that was totally different from what I’m used to in the United States. Being able to travel around Europe was awesome because now I know that there is so much more of the world I need to see.