UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jessica Paholsky graduated from Penn State in 2014 with bachelor of arts degrees in visual communication and photography. Today, she uses her videography and storytelling skills as the founder of the brand "Once Upon a Pesto," which, she said, aims to transport people’s taste buds via pesto recipes inspired by different flavors, cultures and traditions from around the globe.

“Without my study abroad experiences, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” said Paholsky.

Paholsky started at Penn State in the fall of 2010. Enrolled as a student in the College of Arts and Architecture, Paholsky’s dream was to be a photographer for National Geographic. This led her to add a major in photojournalism from the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications to help her achieve her dream.

As someone who was bitten by the travel bug early on in life, one of her key concerns when deciding where to go to school were the extracurriculars and study abroad experiences offered, she said.

“When I was looking at colleges and thinking about where I wanted to go, one of the criteria that was high on my list was a variety of study abroad options,” said Paholsky.

With Penn State Global’s Education Abroad Office boasting a portfolio of over 350 study abroad programing options spanning six continents, Paholsky had no doubt that she would be able to find a study abroad program that appealed to her and that fit her specific course requirements and educational goals. “Looking at academics, extracurriculars and study abroad — Penn State checked all those boxes for me,” she said.

Paholsky studied abroad three separate times during her undergraduate years at Penn State. Her first study abroad experience took place the summer after her freshman year, when she participated in a six-week homestay program in Puebla, Mexico, focused on the teaching of the Spanish language, art and history. In the spring of her sophomore year, she expanded her international education with a 4-month study abroad program in Perugia, Italy. She rounded off her study abroad journey with a week-long program over spring break in Havana, Cuba during her senior year through her international reporting course in the Bellisario College of Communications.

Paholsky’s most influential study abroad experience came during her four-month study abroad program in Italy, where she says that having the opportunity to travel and immerse herself in the Italian culture resulted in “a life-changing semester abroad.”

According to Paholsky, the program allowed her to advance her independence while simultaneously imparting her with real-world experience and a handful of managerial skills. During her stay in Italy, she took the opportunity to visit each of the 20 regions of the country. Undertaking that adventure awarded her with credible experience in the areas of planning, time management, and problem solving. “I really developed my sense of independence while learning to step out of my comfort zone,” said Paholsky.

Studying abroad in college had what she describes as a ripple effect on her life. “I attribute much of my success and global perspective to my experiences with Penn State Global, as well as with the Penn State faculty, mentors, and staff who have supported me personally, academically and professionally along the way,” said Paholsky. This included faculty like Randy Ploog, coordinator of international programs for the College of Arts and Architecture, and Curt Chandler, her honors thesis adviser in the College of Communications.

“It’s all connected,” said Paholsky. “My experiences abroad have led me to where I am in my career today. “

The creation of Once Upon a Pesto

In addition to her current full-time job in communications, Paholsky is also the founder of Once Upon a Pesto, a collection of 40 different pesto recipes inspired by 40 different countries. Paholsky created the brand in 2016 when she was working at Rodale Inc. and saw an opportunity to eventually publish a cookbook. It was this aspiration to publish a cookbook that brought about the idea for "Once Upon a Pesto," she said.

When researching and thinking about what she wanted the topic of her cookbook to be, she looked back to her experiences at Penn State to guide her, said Paholsky; she wanted to do something that tied to her existing experiences and knowledge. With her ties to Italy and branching off from her honors thesis on olive oil, all points led to pesto — another staple of Italian cuisine and culture that she was already familiar with.

As a part of her project, Paholsky researched the history of pesto, and found the origin of the word, which stems from an Italian verb meaning “to crush” or “to grind.” Pesto is, therefore, a process — not just a list of ingredients derived from the typical, well-known base of basil and pine nuts. The revelation that pesto is a process and not simply a dish led Paholsky to a similar revelation that it could be made from just about anything. Its ability to be made from a multitude of different ingredients allows for limitless culinary opportunities, making it the perfect medium to transport her audiences around the world through daily food and culture content, she said.

According to Paholsky, each recipe incorporates one main ingredient that is either culturally, historically or economically significant to that particular country or culture. Each pesto is then used in two dishes that are traditional to that location or people. The site offers recipes and stories told through multiple formats as a means to take people on a cultural journey around the world, all without ever leaving their homes. Paholsky describes it as “a global adventure that people can go on, without having a passport, where people can learn about a new food or a new culture and get ideas.”

Using her photography, storytelling, and videography skills, Paholsky produces and manages the content for her brand from start to finish — from the creation of original pesto recipes, to cooking and photographing the food, and then into the final stages of writing and editing content for her website, and engaging with her audiences on social media and on video platforms like live Q&A chats. She said she strongly believes that it is now more important than ever to engage with people from all around the world and that one great way to do that is through food.

“Food is a universal language and that can be really unifying, especially considering these last few years where people have been divided and isolated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Paholsky.

As she works toward her goal of one day publishing a cookbook, she currently is focused on building her brand and its following. Paholsky said she feels especially lucky to be able to use the education she obtained at Penn State not only in her day-to-day career, but also to fuel her passion as she continues to build Once Upon a Pesto.

When asked what was one piece of advice that she would want to pass on to current and incoming students at Penn State, she said, “Knowing how much my study abroad experiences have impacted my character and my professional life, I would say to trust your gut and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Every missed opportunity is a reason for regret. Don’t let the fear of falling short keep you from taking opportunities when they arise.”