Student Profile: Luca Messerschmidt

By Kelly Davis

Name: Luca Messerschmidt
Program: UC San Diego Extension University & Professional Studies

Luca Messerschmidt arrived in San Diego from Germany at the beginning of 2017, ready to dive into Extension’s University and Professional Studies program, which gives international scholars the opportunity to pursue topics of their choosing at the bachelor’s or master’s level. Messerschmidt, who’s a third-year student at Zeppelin University, pursuing a degree in International Relations, picked a pretty hefty research focus to pursue while at UC San Diego: analyzing the impact of U.S. foreign aid on China’s increasing engagement in Sub-Saharan Africa. Amid his studies, he still finds time to play some soccer and keep tabs on his favorite German team, SV Darmstadt 98.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m 22 years old, and am in my third year of study at the Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen at Lake Constance, in South Germany. My biggest hobby is playing soccer at UC San Diego’s intramurals with other students. Besides this, I love meeting friends, taking short walks to the beach, and following my favorite soccer team.

Why did you decide to study at Extension?  
Besides the cultural experiences and the great reputation of UC San Diego Extension, I am here to do my individual research project in collaboration with Professor David Lake, who is my supervisor.   

What have you learned in your classes?
I have had the opportunity to benefit from the excellent School of Global Policy & Strategy and have enjoyed the insights of my U.S. Foreign Policy course, in which the discussions, together with people from different countries, were exciting and fruitful.

What advice would you give to incoming Extension students?
What helped me most was arriving several days before the program started and getting to know the people, the campus, and the city. And, surely, be friendly — try to get in contact with non-Extension students and use the wonderful chance to talk to faculty members and professors about your topics and research.

How has your experience at Extension changed your life?
I will see how Extension has changed my life in the coming months. Although the final exam period and the last 12 weeks have been really demanding, I am so happy about my choice to study at UC San Diego Extension because I learned a lot about myself, the UC culture, and the way the American university system works.

Curious about our International programs? We offer a wide range of programs including the English Language Institute, University Credit programs, certificate programs, and custom programs.