Since the Center in Paris opened over two decades ago, generations of UChicago students have come to experience the College curriculum abroad—supported every step of the way by a dedicated student services team.
This spring, I sat down with Nora Mégharbi, the director of student life, and Victoria Dycha, student life services assistant. They’re the two people behind nearly every logistical detail that makes student life abroad function smoothly, from orientation weekend to mental health support, gym passes and even 2 a.m. phone calls.
“We’re the main point of contact for students and work closely together to make sure students feel supported in every aspect of their daily lives here,” said Mégharbi. “We handle all the logistics related to students that fall outside of academics—everything from arrival, housing, transportation, to health and wellness support, both mental and physical.”
We sat down to talk about what a typical day looks like for them, what students often don’t expect about life abroad, and the places in Paris they turn to for peace and inspiration.
What types of support does the Student Services team provide?
Victoria: While we support students when they need help while studying abroad, our role goes far beyond emergencies. I sometimes accompany students on excursions and help with scheduling medical appointments.
Nora: We also manage the 24/7 emergency phone line—Victoria and I alternate being on call throughout the week. Even when we’re off, we’re always “on watch.”
What’s one thing you wish every student knew before arriving?
Victoria: That your experience will likely be very different from what you expect—and that’s not a bad thing!
Nora: Many students travel a lot during the quarter and later wish they had spent more time getting to know Paris. We always say: pace yourself. You don’t need to see all of Europe in nine weeks.
What does a typical day or week look like for you?
Victoria: First thing every morning, I check my email for urgent requests and begin making medical appointments when necessary.
Nora: I start my day checking absences. If professors email early enough, we can reach out and check on students to ensure that everything is fine. For us, if you miss a class, it’s not only an academic matter, but also a big safety and wellness issue. So we take absences really into account.
Victoria: Every week, we meet with the Study Abroad office to update them on anything major happening here.
Nora: I also staff the excursions, working closely with coordinators. We both get a lot of student drop-ins, too—questions about Navigo cards, gym passes (which we subsidize), housing, and so on.
If the Paris Center had a “personality,” how would you describe it in three words?
Victoria: International, busy, collegial. Even though the Center is large, our team is small and tight-knit. We try to eat lunch together most days.
What’s your favorite part of working with UChicago students?
Victoria: The diversity of students. Even though you’re all at UChicago, many of you come from different backgrounds and countries. That makes excursions my favorite—it gives us time to really get to know you beyond logistics.
How should students reach out if they need help?
Victoria: Email is the best first step—and don’t hesitate to reach out even before arriving in Paris. In case of a real emergency during the nine weeks you’re in Paris (e.g., urgent medical care), you call us on the emergency line.
Nora: It’s better to reach out early than late. So many issues are easier to resolve when we hear about them sooner rather than at the last minute.
What resources or tips do you recommend for students adjusting to life in Paris?
Victoria: Our newsletters are full of useful tips, and we review a lot of that during orientation.
Nora: We also have an on-site therapist, Emily, who has worked with our students for years. She really understands what makes studying abroad unique.
What’s a favorite hidden gem in Paris you always recommend?
Victoria: Rivoli 59, near Châtelet. It used to be a squat, but the government turned it into a public art space. Each floor has artists creating live art. It’s free and full of surprises.
Nora: Bois de Vincennes. It starts as a quiet stream and becomes a full-blown forest. It’s a great place to clear your head without leaving the city.
What’s a fun or unexpected memory that stands out?
Nora: Last quarter we hosted a meditation workshop—it was a nice break from our usual logistics-focused work, and we love organizing events like that to support students.
Victoria: Bumping into students. I was walking with a friend in Paris last week and happened to see two students. It’s always funny to run into people from the program outside of the Center—it makes the city feel a bit smaller.
What French saying sums up your approach to working with students?
Victoria: Tout est bien qui finit bien—all’s well that ends well. No matter what happens, things usually work out and we’re always able to figure out solutions.
Nora: Mieux vaut tard que jamais—better late than never. But I’ll add: better early than late! We love when students reach out early enough so we can all work together to provide solutions in advance.