When Hannah Roland ‘26 and Knut Opheim ‘26 arrived at Augustana University, the Norwegian nursing students expected to stay for just one semester. Within weeks, a supportive community, busy campus life and new friendships convinced them to extend their stay to a full academic year.
Originally, neither student had planned to study in the U.S. Roland had her mind set on Australia, while Opheim hoped to study in Tanzania. After hearing his exchange coordinator speak highly about her time at Augustana, Opheim began reconsidering his plans.
“She talked so highly of Augie — about her experiences and how fun it was and how many people she met here,” Opheim said. “It was a really great experience for her, so I changed my mind to come to the U.S. instead.”
Both students had only previously been to the U.S. as tourists and were immediately drawn to the energy of American culture and campus life. After arriving on campus, Opheim and Roland said those expectations were not only met, but exceeded.
“I was positively surprised by how much was going on here on campus,” said Roland. “I feel like it’s been the busiest semester of my life. ”
“We started joking about staying a couple months before arriving, but then the first week, when all the international students went to the Black Hills, that’s when it clicked for real,” said Opheim. “And then, we made more friends and experiences. We get to walk around this place, and it still feels kind of surreal.”
Despite their excitement about staying longer, they still faced challenges adjusting to life in a new country. In addition to exploring a new culture, they’ve also worked on their senior thesis — a requirement of their home institution, VID Specialized University, in Norway — written in English. They said the support from both universities has aided in their studies.
“This exchange for an extra semester would not be possible if it weren’t for the great help and understanding of the administrations, both back home in Norway and from Augie,” said Opheim. “Just that sheer amount of help from the schools — I’ve never experienced it to that degree before.”
In addition to their thesis work, both students have been immersed in the Augustana Nursing Program — giving them more theoretical practice in a small, relational and supportive environment.
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It’s so easy to get to know your professors — you really feel like they are there for you,” said Opheim. “They want to help you and want the best for you. They want to actually get to know you.”
“We’ve been pretty lucky writing our thesis in America because we’ve gotten so much great help from Augustana,” Roland added. “Here, we have our own person from the (Nancy Dickinson) Writing Center who helps us along the way, as well as our nursing professors.”
Their time abroad has also helped them learn more about different cultures and friendship dynamics. Living and studying at Augustana, they said, has strengthened connections that made the experience even more meaningful.
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It seems like everyone just really cares about you,” Roland explained. “We talked a lot in the beginning, and it seems like everyone here has this unconditional love for you in some way — everybody’s just there to help you.”
Together, they have experienced not only American college life, but traveled to places like Walt Disney World and across Texas.
“Knut and I have been helping each other from the beginning. We got a lot of information and it was hard to grasp everything and figure out what we needed to do,” Roland said. “Having that one person you could rely on has been very helpful.”
Beyond academics and friendships, both students said their time at Augustana has shaped the way they view community and connection. Roland and Opheim said they have found what they call a second home.
“We have a lot of friends, and we have people who are really there to support, help and just hang out,” said Opheim. “The experience has taught me to be a better person and just to see everyone in a more positive light.”
To learn more about the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement and its programs, visit augie.edu/CGE.