Oct. 11, 2016
by Margaret Hurt
AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" This summer, Auburn equestrian senior Tory Hoft traded in time with horses for time overseas and expanded her academic knowledge in Italy.
In the past, Hoft has spent her summers either showing horses or working Auburn equestrian summer clinics. But for the soon-to-be graduate, this past summer consisted of a month of learning in and experiencing a different culture.
"I needed a few classes to be able to graduate on time and studying abroad was something that I felt like was a must - bucket list check off for collegeÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬¦" Hoft said.
The senior is currently in the homestretch of her bachelor's degree in accounting, has several NCEA and SEC Academic Honors, and is well known on her team to be a hard-working and academically driven student.
While some students look forward to their daily nap, Hoft looks forward to her tax class.
Hoft's studies abroad did not focus specifically on accounting but gave her the opportunity to learn about aspects of business that her normal classes do not cover. Applying her knowledge in real-life situations gave Hoft the opportunity to add to her skills in accounting by rounding out her overall knowledge of running a business.
"They split the students that were there into groups," Hoft said. "There were five people on my team, and we worked for a company. They were startup companies or up and growing Italian companies. Most of the people that run those companies didn't have the education background that we did so the things that we brought to the table really helped them."
Though gaining academic skills is one of the primary goals of studying abroad, the experiences had in different cultures can be just as beneficial. During the program, Hoft was able to spend time in Rome, Florence, Sorrento, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast and Atrani, experiencing unique and beautiful landscapes and architecture.
"The experience you get of studying abroad is an indescribable experience," Hoft said. "Especially if you don't know anyone and just go and put yourself out there and learn and experience. It's really incredible just living in a different culture."
Hoft's goals for the future include returning to Auburn to get her masters in accountancy after an internship in Atlanta and she hopes to become a certified public accountant.
Hoft and the rest of the Auburn equestrian team kicks off their SEC schedule, facing nationally-ranked Texas A&M Saturday at the Auburn University Horse Center. The Tiger and the Aggies square off at 10 a.m. CT and admission is free.
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