Overseas and engaged: Miami University student facilitated 2024 voter education
Anna Newlin approached embassy officials to understand how Americans vote while studying abroad
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Published
Anna Newlin paragliding in Interlaken, Switzerland.
Overseas and engaged: Miami University student facilitated 2024 voter education
•
Published
While studying at Miami University’s Luxembourg campus prior to the U.S. Presidential Election last fall, Anna Newlin realized her classmates had no idea how to vote from overseas. Calling on her journalistic instincts, she had reached out to the U.S. Embassy for an interview on the overseas voting process. Unbeknownst to her, Miami had separately invited embassy staff to the European campus to educate students on the topic, with Newlin observing the presentation. These opportunities, and her journalistic instincts, would lead to a published article for The Miami Student and a potential future career path.
For Newlin, studying abroad runs in the family — her older brother, Ralph ’18, spent eight weeks of his senior year in Luxembourg student teaching at an International School. A junior majoring in Political Science and Journalism who will graduate this year, Newlin said her decision to study abroad in Luxembourg at the Miami University Dolibois European Center (MUDEC) stemmed from her brother’s own experience.
When Newlin finally made it to Luxembourg in fall 2024, she described the ordeal as “pretty daunting.”
“Even just going to the grocery store was an experience,” Newlin said. “A lot of workers in Luxembourg spoke some English, but not a ton, so there were words and phrases we had to learn. I was going in completely blind, language-wise.”
Luckily, Newlin adjusted to life abroad relatively easily. Miami student peers provided immediate community, while the MUDEC orientation offered practical guidance with a tour of Luxembourg City and explanations on how to use the public transportation system. And although she had to acclimate to some cultural differences, like different rules for recycling and organization, Newlin said her host family was very welcoming, offering her pastries from their bakery that she ate in the morning on the way to class. This smooth adjustment gave Newlin confidence to pursue her other goal: extensive European travel.
Funding her semester abroad required the same strategic thinking she'd later apply to travel mishaps and journalistic pursuits. After saving earnings from three jobs — YMCA Camp Ernst, Walker's Footwear and Apparel, and Goggin Ice Center — she carefully budgeted trips to 17 countries. When she missed a flight and had to navigate back to Luxembourg before class, she drew on the same problem-solving skills she'd developed anchoring live broadcasts and interviewing high-profile guests at Miami University Television News. These experiences, from broadcast journalism to travel crisis management, prepared her for the confidence she'd need to approach embassy officials.
The embassy presentation provided material for her article — the two foreign service agents brought blank voter registration forms and absentee ballot request paperwork with them, along with step-by-step guidance on navigating state-specific voting requirements and deadlines — but Newlin wanted more depth. She interviewed fellow students about their voting experiences and later sat down with one of the foreign service agents for additional insights into overseas civic engagement.
Newlin said her experiences with the embassy shaped her career aspirations: “Seeing how the embassy builds relationships between countries and with U.S. citizens abroad inspired me in Luxembourg.” That inspiration led to concrete actions — in the spring she pursued an internship in Washington, D.C., through Miami’s Inside Washington program, where conversations with former Department of State employees confirmed her interest.
“It showed me there are numerous opportunities and avenues for a political career. I hope to use the skills from both of my majors to advance diplomacy and strengthen international relationships through a possible future role in an embassy or with the Department of State,” Newlin said.
This new openness to opportunity became Newlin’s guiding principle abroad. During her Luxembourg semester, she joined the Student Faculty Council, helping plan activities for MUDEC students each week, something she normally wouldn’t have considered doing.
“It ended up being one of my favorite parts of being abroad … I had a blast,” Newlin said, embodying her own advice: say yes to the unexpected.
For Newlin, studying abroad runs in the family — her older brother, Ralph ’18, spent eight weeks of his senior year in Luxembourg student teaching at an International School. A junior majoring in Political Science and Journalism who will graduate this year, Newlin said her decision to study abroad in Luxembourg at the Miami University Dolibois European Center (MUDEC) stemmed from her brother’s own experience.
When Newlin finally made it to Luxembourg in fall 2024, she described the ordeal as “pretty daunting.”
“Even just going to the grocery store was an experience,” Newlin said. “A lot of workers in Luxembourg spoke some English, but not a ton, so there were words and phrases we had to learn. I was going in completely blind, language-wise.”
Luckily, Newlin adjusted to life abroad relatively easily. Miami student peers provided immediate community, while the MUDEC orientation offered practical guidance with a tour of Luxembourg City and explanations on how to use the public transportation system. And although she had to acclimate to some cultural differences, like different rules for recycling and organization, Newlin said her host family was very welcoming, offering her pastries from their bakery that she ate in the morning on the way to class. This smooth adjustment gave Newlin confidence to pursue her other goal: extensive European travel.
Funding her semester abroad required the same strategic thinking she'd later apply to travel mishaps and journalistic pursuits. After saving earnings from three jobs — YMCA Camp Ernst, Walker's Footwear and Apparel, and Goggin Ice Center — she carefully budgeted trips to 17 countries. When she missed a flight and had to navigate back to Luxembourg before class, she drew on the same problem-solving skills she'd developed anchoring live broadcasts and interviewing high-profile guests at Miami University Television News. These experiences, from broadcast journalism to travel crisis management, prepared her for the confidence she'd need to approach embassy officials.
The embassy presentation provided material for her article — the two foreign service agents brought blank voter registration forms and absentee ballot request paperwork with them, along with step-by-step guidance on navigating state-specific voting requirements and deadlines — but Newlin wanted more depth. She interviewed fellow students about their voting experiences and later sat down with one of the foreign service agents for additional insights into overseas civic engagement.
Newlin said her experiences with the embassy shaped her career aspirations: “Seeing how the embassy builds relationships between countries and with U.S. citizens abroad inspired me in Luxembourg.” That inspiration led to concrete actions — in the spring she pursued an internship in Washington, D.C., through Miami’s Inside Washington program, where conversations with former Department of State employees confirmed her interest.
“It showed me there are numerous opportunities and avenues for a political career. I hope to use the skills from both of my majors to advance diplomacy and strengthen international relationships through a possible future role in an embassy or with the Department of State,” Newlin said.
This new openness to opportunity became Newlin’s guiding principle abroad. During her Luxembourg semester, she joined the Student Faculty Council, helping plan activities for MUDEC students each week, something she normally wouldn’t have considered doing.
“It ended up being one of my favorite parts of being abroad … I had a blast,” Newlin said, embodying her own advice: say yes to the unexpected.
Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg. Interested in learning more about education abroad opportunities? Visit the website for more information.
