From Brittany, France, to Ephraim, Utah: How One French Exchange Student Is Making the Most of Her American Adventure

Kessy Gohin is a business student, entrepreneur, world traveler—and the type of person who turns every opportunity into a story worth telling.

A dream born in France
Kessy grew up in Brittany—a peaceful coastal region in the northwest of France—where she spent her days gardening with her mom, hanging out with friends and dreaming about studying in the United States. That dream became a reality when she discovered an organization that connects international students with American universities. Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, extended an invite, and Kessy said yes.

She arrived not knowing quite what to expect, harboring a few stereotypes about American food and bringing a healthy curiosity about everything. Eight months later, she's now competing in statewide business competitions, planning a volunteer trip to Malawi and raving about Utah’s national parks.

An entrepreneur in the making
Kessy came to Snow College to study business, and she's gone all in. Through the college's Greenwood Student Center, she completed all three milestones of the Bootstrap entrepreneurship competition—a multi-month process from identifying a real-world problem to designing a solution, building a product and proving its success.

But she didn't stop there. Kessy also competed in the Utah Entrepreneur Challenge at the University of Utah as one of 20 finalists chosen from colleges and universities across the state. Her team walked away with two awards—the Video Choice Award (voted on by the public) and the Bootstrap Award, earned in part by conducting interviews with 50 small businesses in rural Utah. It's the kind of hands-on, community-focused work that captures who Kessy is.

Her goals are equally ambitious. She's eyeing a career either leading sustainable development projects or working as a consultant for an international firm—both roles that would let her keep doing what she loves most: meeting new people and learning from different cultures.

An insightful tour of Mountain America
When her entrepreneurship professor forwarded her an invitation to tour Mountain America Credit Union's corporate office in Sandy, Kessy jumped at the chance. She was one of eight Snow College students who made the trip, and it left an impression.

"I’ve never visited any headquarters," she said. "Being inside the building, seeing the gym and all of the services offered to employees—I was like, OK, I definitely want to work there."

The visit went beyond a tour. Students also received financial guidance, and Kessy came away with a clearer understanding of how credit works in the U.S., which was entirely new to her. Back in Ephraim, she and her roommate headed straight to the local Mountain America branch and opened MyStyle® checking accounts. The account benefits—like the mobile phone protection for her cracked screen—are amazing, but it was the experience at the corporate office that won her over.

She's keeping her account open after she returns to France. "I still think it's really useful, even abroad," she said. "If I'm traveling, it can be really helpful to have my Mountain America card and use it whenever I want."

From Hawaii to Malawi—Kessy’s unforgettable year abroad
Ask Kessy about her favorite experience in the U.S. and she lights up immediately—it’s the school trip to Hawaii. As part of an outdoor leadership class, she and her classmates spent ten days on the islands. They planned the trip themselves, cooked their own meals, built hiking trails as volunteers and spent evenings talking about what leadership really means. "In France, we would never have that type of experience as a student," she said. "Seeing the dolphins and turtles on that boat tour—I will never forget that moment."

Before she makes her way back home to France, she'll make one more stop—Malawi. She will spend four weeks in this small African country volunteering with a conservation program and helping local communities plant trees. Then it's back to university in France—entering year two, thanks to the credits she's transferring—with plans to eventually earn her master's degree.

A newfound confidence
Kessy's journey is a reminder that financial confidence doesn't happen automatically—it has to be intentionally built. When she sat down with a Mountain America financial guide, Kessy learned the difference between a debit card and a credit card, how to plan for savings and establishing habits to grow into adulthood.

"I'm more confident now about how to manage my money," she said. "I'm going to keep all of that advice with me."

That confidence is exactly what a relationship with a financial institution can provide. The earlier this relationship forms, the better. Opening an account as a young adult isn't just to have a safe place to deposit a paycheck. It's about feeling comfortable asking financial questions, learning how credit works and preparing before life's bigger decisions arrive. Whether it's a first car, a student loan or eventually a mortgage, the advantage of starting early is not having to start at square one when it matters most.

While she came to the U.S. not knowing much about American banking, Kessy’s leaving with an account, a financial plan and a story about why it all matters. That's a pretty good way to cap off her first year of college abroad. Congrats, Kessy! We can’t wait to see where you go from here.