Peer Advisers

These student volunteers who have studied off campus and abroad are a great source of information for those planning their own experiences.

Peer Advisers

We recommend that students initially start by meeting with a Peer Adviser, a great way for students to get general information about studying off campus from a student who recently went abroad. During the 2021-22 year, there will be three peer advisers (Katy Gardner '21, Caroline Karnosh '21, and Danielle Zarnick '21) who are able to provide basic information about options and processes, or to answer quick questions about the application process. Peer Advising is available by appointment only. Please find the next available calendar times by clicking on the names of the peer advisers above.

After meeting with a peer adviser, we encourage students to reach out to an Off-Campus Study program manager who can answer specific questions regarding programs and applications.

Learn more about the peer advisors below:

Katy Gardner is a current senior here at Colgate. She is a psychology major and an educational studies and biology double minor. On campus, she is a tutor through Utica Refugee Tutors, a tour guide for the Office of Admission, and a cofounder of PenPals. Katy has worked in the Office of Off-Campus Study for the past two academic years as a student office assistant and this will be her first semester as a peer advisor for other students looking to study abroad. During the spring 2020 semester, Katy was studying in Wales with a Colgate neuroscience/psychology/biology study group before being sent home due to the increasing threat of COVID-19. Studying abroad was always one of her biggest dreams when imagining her college experience and choosing which school to attend. This particular study group offered her the most ideal opportunity to travel abroad with peers that fit perfectly into both her life and academic goals. She is excited to help others fulfill their dreams of studying abroad and help out in any way that she can during these unprecedented times.

Caroline Karnosh '21 is a double major in International Relations and Peace and Conflict Studies, with a concentration in the Middle East. In the Fall of 2019, Caroline studied abroad in Amman, Jordan on the SIT: Refugees, Health, and Humanitarian Action approved program. In Amman, she lived with a host family, studied Arabic, and had the opportunity to conduct an independent research project. In the Spring of 2020, Caroline participated in the Colgate Study Group to Geneva, Switzerland, where she studied at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies and worked as an intern with Arigatou International, an NGO that focuses on the protection and promotion of child rights.

Danielle Zarnick '21 is a Geography and Religion dual major, as well as being a Gilman Scholarship recipient. She has been working as a Student Office Assistant in OCS since the fall of her first year at Colgate. In the spring of 2019, Danielle was a part of the China extended study, “Environmental Problems and Activism in the People’s Republic of China", led by Professor Hsu and Professor Baptiste. Danielle also participated in the fall 2019 Cape Town, South Africa, study group, led by Professor Klepeis. When she is not in the office you can find her running around town and competing for the Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field teams.