With Italian coffee still humming in her veins, Taylor Tannebaum left the streets of Rome ready to take on the streets of Chicago.

With a new job lined up for January, and graduation imminent, she feels confident and excited to start out on her own. Combined with her experiences at the University of Iowa, Tannebaum believes her time studying abroad taught her a lot about what she needs to succeed in the future.

“I think [studying abroad] teaches you to be more independent,” said the Orland Park, Ill. native. “Through college, you learn that, too — toward the end of it — but by going abroad, you have to learn how to do things yourself, and I think it made me come back here and be more structured.”

Tannebaum is a senior at the UI who will graduate this month after three and a half years. She majored in communication studies, and she will carry that knowledge with her into her new job as an account manager at Coyote Logistics in Chicago after the New Year.

“I think [graduating early] kind of gave me an upper hand,” she said. “I figure why not use these six months to do something productive, instead of sit and take a yoga class or something?”

For four months last semester, Tannebaum traveled to Rome and studied at John Cabot University. Opportunities to travel filled her weekends, and exploration of the city filled her nights. But besides the colorful memories, Tannebaum is grateful for the growth she experienced because of her time abroad.

“I think it’s good to sometimes get out of your box and see what you can do,” she said.

UI senior Andy Cherry, who studied abroad with Tannebaum, agreed that the experience is beneficial.

“I think that when you study abroad you get a better world view,” he said.

Cherry got to know Tannebaum in Rome, and he believes the same driven person he knew overseas will succeed in Chicago.

“There are very few people that are as motivated and organized as Taylor,” Cherry said. “I expect her succeed no matter what she does in life.”

Julie Tannebaum, Taylor’s mother, also saw a change.

“She learned how less is more,” Julie Tannebaum said. “She came home with an appreciation for the important things in life: family, friends, faith and, of course, food.”

Taylor Tannebaum was not the only one to learn from the experience.

“I learned how strong and independent she is,” Julie Tannebaum said.

Experiences at the UI also helped prepare Taylor Tannebaum for not only her new job but also an independent life. One class in particular taught her a huge lesson.

Tannebaum said Organizational Communication with UI lecturer Mary High taught her the need to be open to the ideas of everyone.

“Everybody has something unique to offer, and as we go into the work world, you realize that there will be different opinions than yours and you need to embrace them,” Tannebaum said.

Friends and family also gave Tannebaum the support she needed to jump into her future.

“I have the best parents in the world,” she said. “I think that’s what helps me succeed — that they support me and are proud of me.”

Even though it seems to Tannebaum that everything is moving very fast, she feels prepared.

“I’m ready to get pushed,” she said. “I’m excited to see what I can do.”