Madrid Peer Mentors
SLU-Madrid Peer Mentors
The Madrid Peer Mentors are a group of undergraduate student volunteers that have already studied at SLU-Madrid. If you have any questions regarding study abroad, these are the people to reach out to! All peer mentors have unique skills and experiences and are available to help you with whatever you may need.
Andrea is the Madrid Peer Mentor Coordinator and studied in Madrid for the entirety of 2021. She is currently a graduate student in the Physical Therapy program. She lived in the El Faro dorms for her first semester and rented an apartment in La Latina with a couple of SLU-Madrid permanent students for her second semester. Between semesters, she worked as an au pair in southern Spain. Because she has Spanish citizenship, she did not have to apply for a visa, and she has traveled extensively throughout Spain (especially northern Spain) and to a number of other European countries as well. Some of her favorite places to frequent in Madrid were parks such as Retiro and Templo de Debod, as well as local cafés near her apartment. Andrea is more than happy to talk about anything and everything related to studying abroad!
Contact Andrea:
Email: andrea.zanavich@slu.edu
Phone: +1 (503) 803-7755
Martha studied abroad at SLU-Madrid during the Spring 2024 semester, and is double majoring in art history and communications. She lived with a host family in the Cuatro Caminos neighborhood, which is a 15 minute walk from SLU-Madrid's campus. While in Madrid, Martha made the most of the city's rich and vibrant art scene, frequenting her favorite museums El Prado and Museo Sorolla. In Madrid, you could find Martha at El Rastro on a Sunday morning, eating lunch at Honest Greens, and walking around the Salamanca or Malasaña neighborhoods in the afternoon. While abroad, Martha visited a total of seven countries and several cities within Spain. Her top three favorite cities she visited were: Porto, Florence, and Amsterdam. Martha absolutely loved living in Madrid and exploring the diverse culture it has to offer. Ask Martha about packing tips, restaurant recommendations, Spanish artists, and how to plan a weekend trip! Feel free to contact her with any questions or concerns.
Contact Martha:
Email: martha.barnds@slu.edu
Phone: +1 (563) 271-3103
Gabi studied abroad during the spring semester of her sophomore year in 2023. She lived in a double room with her roommate from SLU main campus at the El Faro dorms during her semester in Madrid. She is an English major with a Political Science minor on the education track. Some of her favorite moments were spent outside at Parque del Oeste, on patios at bakeries, or walking around different cities! She loved spending weekends in Madrid trying new foods and seeing shows, but her favorite city in Spain was Valencia. She would love to talk about solo travel and safety tips!
Contact Gabi:
Email: gabi.caruso@slu.edu
Sophia De Vito — Junior, International Business
Sophia studied abroad during the spring semester of her sophomore year in 2024. She lived with a host family close to SLU-Madrid. She was the only student living with her host family, that had two daughters and a son close to her age. Since she lived so close to Madrid's campus, she was able to get very familiarized with the area. While abroad she traveled to 5 countries and was able to explore different areas within Spain.
Contact Sophia:
Email: sophia.devito@slu.edu
Phone: +1 (815) 278-0868
Emma studied for the first two years of her college experience at SLU-Madrid. The dorm building she lived in her first year was El Faro, which housed international and Spanish students, and she shared a room with one other roommate. In her apartment in Moncloa, her second year, she had five other roommates. Emma is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Spanish and Art Studio. Emma is an extremely avid traveler and visited around 18 new countries in her time studying in Madrid. Not only did she travel, but she didn’t have more than one unexcused absence in any classes. Travel and studying are sometimes difficult to balance, but Emma did it at least once a month. She planned all the trips herself and utilized little-known resources to try to stay on budget while still experiencing new countries. Emma really enjoyed the weather and safety in Spain. Madrid specifically is very safe, and she never felt unsafe even after going out downtown. Her favorite neighborhood in Madrid is Malasaña. It is filled with graffiti, art, coffee, pizza, beautiful people, music, and architecture. Emma’s favorite place in all of Spain is the Thyssen Art Museum, which people don’t usually go to but represents the classical art styles while introducing more modern ones in a fun way.
Contact Emma:
Email: emma.dorsey@slu.edu
Phone: +1 (813) 504-0530
Jesse studied abroad during the Spring 2024 semester and is studying Criminal Justice & Political Science on the Pre-Law track. He lived with a host family near the center of Madrid with two other SLU students. He traveled extensively within Spain and really enjoyed exploring the north of Spain and the home of Saint Ignatius. His favorite city was Córdoba, where he thoroughly enjoyed watching processions during Semana Santa. His favorite thing to do to get over culture shock was to talk with his host family about Spanish culture and politics over dinner. Something Jesse loved about SLU Madrid was how arts-focused the campus was and the many campus/community events that were available for students to explore Spanish history and culture. Jesse would love to answer any of your questions about campus life abroad, traveling with a historical lens, or any and all things logistics.
Contact Jesse:
Email: jesse.driese@slu.edu
Lexi studied abroad in Madrid for the Spring 2023 semester and is studying accounting and finance. She lived with a host family in the Chamartin neighborhood and had three roommates (one of whom was from Northern Spain). Lexi traveled extensively throughout Spain and visited 14 other countries during her time abroad. In addition, she has a good understanding of the various neighborhoods of Madrid and made it a point to visit a new one each week! She spent quite a bit of time planning out the majority of her trips, and would love to discuss the best ways to juggle travel with school and spending time in Madrid! She loved the accessibility of Madrid and how easy it was to get around the city. Her favorite place in Spain is Sevilla, and her favorite place in Madrid was Parque de la Quinta de los Molinas (a park on the outskirts of Madrid with beautiful cherry blossoms in the spring). Lexi is excited to talk with future study abroad students and is more than happy to answer any questions about the process!
Contact Lexi:
Email: lexi.dunn@slu.edu
Ella Sophia Dyer — Junior, Communication and Anthropology
Ella Sophia (she/her) studied abroad at SLU-Madrid during the 2023-24 academic year. She lived with two different host families during her time abroad and had roommates with her second host family. While in Madrid, she explored various cities in Spain with her friends and had the opportunity to travel to 14 different countries. She would love to answer any questions about adjusting to SLU-Madrid, life in Madrid as a whole, managing finances, making friends, and navigating new living situations.
Contact Ella:
Email: ellasophia.dyer@slu.edu
Abby Mauer — Junior, Health Sciences
Abby studied abroad at SLU-Madrid during the Spring 2024 semester. She lived with a host mom who hosted 8 girls. Abby is minoring in Spanish, and one of her favorite parts about studying abroad was bettering her Spanish by talking with her host mom who spoke little English. Abby was able to explore much of Spain, traveling to seven different cities, as well as also traveling to 10 other countries during her semester abroad. Some of her favorite memories from Madrid include dinners with her host family, exploring the many shops and restaurants in Madrid, and having picnics in Retiro Park with her friends. Abby would love to share more about her experiences abroad, as well as answer any questions about Madrid or how to balance traveling with homework and studying while taking courses at SLU-Madrid. Feel free to text or email her!
Contact Abby:
Email: abby.mauer@slu.edu
Phone: +1 (913) 221-7460
Amra studied abroad in Madrid in Fall of 2022 and is majoring in Psychology and Communication. She lived with a host family in Moncloa and had 3 other roommates. While studying in Spain, she traveled to a few different countries but spent most of her time getting to know the city of Madrid. She spent her time joining clubs and talking to local students and getting really immersed into the culture. Something that Amra loved about SLU-Madrid was the class environment and how personable it was. She built great relationships with professors and fellow students. Some of her favorite places in Spain consist of Parque del Retiro and Takos Al Pastor in Gran Via. Amra would love to answer any questions you have about Madrid and studying abroad in general!
Contact Amra:
Email: amra.music@slu.edu
Natalie studied abroad in Madrid for the spring semester of 2023 and is double majoring in marketing and anthropology. She lived in an apartment in La Latina with 5 other girls through Marli House. During her time abroad, Natalie traveled to many different places within Spain, northern Africa, and throughout Europe, but her favorite place was her neighborhood in Madrid, La Latina, and going to the El Rastro market every Sunday. She really loved walking throughout Madrid, getting to know locals, and exploring the city. Natalie would love to talk about anything Madrid and study abroad related, including any anxieties anyone may have with traveling or preparing to go abroad!
Contact Natalie:
Email: natalie.parillo@slu.edu
Phone: +1 (708) 227-7519
Alex studied abroad in Madrid for the Spring of 2023 and is studying psychology and criminal justice. She lived with a host family with kitchen privileges and three roommates in the Moncloa area just twenty minutes on the metro from school and Sol. She spent much of her time exploring Madrid and staying close to home base but was able to visit family and friends in Ireland twice, as well as Barcelona, Amsterdam, London, Brussels, and Bruges. Overall, Dublin was her favorite city and always will be, so if you have any questions about Ireland let her know! In Madrid, she was able to practice her Spanish both in and out of the classroom. She also was able to take Flamenco with the amazing Yolanda, which helped settle into the culture shock and ultimately appreciate Spain so much more. Her favorite thing to do in Madrid was grab coffee at the Fix or Federal Cafe then go to Templo de Debod to watch the sunset and read. Feel free to contact Alex anytime with questions, comments, or concerns.
Contact Alex:
Email: alex.peddie@slu.edu
Phone: +1 (812) 568-1484
Victoria studied abroad during the Spring 2024 semester, her sophomore year. She lived in an apartment with three other girls from all different universities in Madrid as well as from different countries! Vicky is Argentine and her roommates were from Chile, England, and Ireland. She traveled to six different countries during her time abroad. Spanish being Vicky's first language allowed her to navigate Spain as well as understand the Spaniard way of life to a deeper extent, which she would love to share with anyone worried about experiencing cultural differences for the first time. Having had family from Spain also gave her valuable information about places to visit, where to eat, as well as what to do on the weekends. She built many different relationships inside and outside of SLU Madrid with people from all over the world. With art being one of her greatest passions, Vicky had to visit almost every art museum there is in Madrid. Her favorite places in Madrid consist of Retiro, Museo Sorolla, and exploring the cafes of La Latina. Vicky would love to answer any questions regarding Madrid. Feel free to contact her anytime with questions, concerns, or just to chat!
Contact Victoria:
Email: victoria.pomposiello@slu.edu
Valerie studied abroad in Madrid during the Spring and Fall of 2023 and studies Communication and English. She lived in a host family and an apartment with two SLU-Madrid permanent students. While in Spain, she got deeply involved with the SLU-Madrid community, especially with the school newspaper and the theatre program. While she spent most of her time abroad in Madrid (ask her about her favorite coffee shops in Madrid, she has an extensive list!), Valerie traveled to other places in Europe. She visited 6 countries in total, and even went to the UK four times, two of which were for school trips. However, Madrid is still her favorite city she's ever visited, often frequenting neighborhoods like Lavapies, La Latina, and Malasaña. She is more than ecstatic to answer any questions about SLU-Madrid involvement, housing, and how to deal with culture shock!
Contact Valerie:
Email: valerie.rosqueta@slu.edu
Phone: +1 (913) 208-3172
Jessica studied abroad in Madrid during the Spring 2023 semester. She is majoring in mechanical engineering. While abroad, she lived with a host family. During her stay, she managed to plan trips to travel around Europe with her friends in addition to maintaining focus on her classes. Overall, she visited 10 countries and a total of 17 cities in Europe. She managed her funds well and took advantage of the hostels available to university students throughout Europe. She loved getting to explore the world and embraced the cultures, traditions, and cuisines of the places she visited. Her favorite place in Spain was Toledo for its more historic feel. However, if there was a place that sold gelato, you could bet she would stop for a visit. Jessica is excited to help other students wanting to study abroad and is more than happy to answer any questions they may have!
Contact Jessica:
Email: jessica.rutherford@slu.edu
Lucy studied abroad at SLU-Madrid during the Spring 2024 semester. She is majoring in Occupational Therapy. While in Madrid, Lucy lived in a host family with one of her good friends. The host family that Lucy lived in was an average Spanish family, consisting of a mom, dad, and two young daughters. She lived in a more northern suburb of Madrid. Lucy loves Madrid’s public transportation system and knows so much about it. She loved to travel but loved Madrid most of all. When in Madrid, you could find her at Retiro, El Rastro, and wandering down the street of Gran Via. Lucy traveled to 11 different countries throughout her time in Madrid, while also making plenty of time to spend in Spain. She highly recommends looking into the retreat options that SLU-Madrid offers. Lucy loves to talk about her time abroad and wants to be a resource that any students thinking about traveling abroad can use. This can include any relative topic!
Contact Lucy:
Email: lucille.schlichting@slu.edu
Phone number: +1 (314)-762-7516
Ellie studied abroad in Madrid during the Spring 2023 semester at SLU Madrid. She lived with a host family who hosted eight girls. Her host family also hosted five boys across the hall in a separate apartment, so there were 13 students living in the building in total. She is studying International Studies and Political Science with a minor in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Ellie did a good amount of traveling, despite not having any plans when she arrived in Spain, while also spending a lot of time in Madrid and getting to know the city. One thing Ellie learned to love about Madrid was the public transportation. From her host family's location, everything was about a 25-minute metro away which made exploring the city very easy! Ellie’s favorite place in Madrid was a cafe called East Crema Coffee on Calle de Diego de León, it was a perfect place to study and get work done, especially during Midterms and Finals weeks, while drinking great coffee! Feel free to reach out to Ellie if you have any questions or concerns regarding studying abroad!
Contact Ellie:
Email: ellie.skrobis@slu.edu
Phone number: +1 (414) 531-9783
Aisling studied abroad during the Fall 2022 semester and is now in the graduate phase of the Physical Therapy program at SLU, having just completed her B.S. in Exercise Science (Physical Therapy) with a minor in Spanish at SLU. In Madrid, she lived with a host family in Cuatro Caminos hosted by Sol Jimenez. She lived with another student from Baylor University. As an Irish citizen, she uniquely did not have to apply for a visa to study abroad. She spent many weekends traveling to places like Munich, Dublin, Rome, Seville and many more. When she wasn’t traveling, one of her favorite activities was exploring new cafes in Madrid. She would suggest La Bicicleta and Café del Arte for excellent cappuccinos and upbeat, friendly atmospheres. She also loved to go on walks in places like Retiro and Parque Oeste, especially at sunset. A memory of Madrid that she will never forget is when she walked through Parque Oeste at sunset and saw people dancing near a man playing the guitar. She decided to join in! She loves sharing her experiences with living in Madrid and tips about learning Spanish. You can email or text her if you have any questions!
Contact Aisling:
Email: aisling.spellman@slu.edu
Phone number: +1 (708) 248-0239
Ava studied abroad for the fall semester of 2023 and is studying Biology. She lived with a host dad in Sol, and she had one roommate. She only had class twice a week, so she was able to explore on her own and visit many coffee shops, restaurants, and parks throughout the city. Her favorite weekends in Madrid were spent in thrifting in the La Latina area. She spent the first half of her semester traveling all throughout Spain, with her favorite place being San Sebastián. She was also able to spend the rest of her semester visiting multiple other countries, including Ireland, Belgium and Austria. Please reach out to Ava if you have questions or concerns or would just like to chat about study abroad!
Contact Ava:
Email: ava.zeller@slu.edu