The Global Graduates award is the premier award upon for students who represent The University of Tulsa as a global citizens. This select group of graduating undergraduate students are distinguished for excelling academically, contributing to the TU campus community, and partaking in unique experiences abroad. This will be a multi-part series featuring all of our 2020 Global Graduates.
Major: Psychology and Sociology with a minor in Spanish
Hometown: Hot Springs, Arkansas
TU Activities and Leadership: Member of Global Scholars, Mock Trial, Students Against Food Inequality (SAFI), Mortar Board, Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
Study Abroad Experiences:
Cape Town, South Africa, Summer 2017 with Global Scholars cohort and a semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Spring 2019
Post Graduation Plans:
Pending Covid-19 travel restrictions, teach English in Manzanillo, Mexico for one year and then apply for & attend law school.
Who influenced you to study abroad?:
I’ve pretty much always wanted to venture outside the U.S., but I really wanted to study abroad because my older sister and my aunt both spent time abroad during and after their years in college. They also both hold degrees in Spanish and inspired me to choose a Spanish-speaking country for my own study abroad experience!
What was your favorite part of your experiences?:
My favorite part of my experience in Cape Town was definitely hiking up the oceanside cliffs at Cape Point, the southwestern-most tip of the African continent. And similarly, my favorite experience in Argentina was hiking to see the enormous Perito Moreno glacier in the Santa Cruz Province. More generally, though, my favorite part of studying abroad is getting to participate in new customs and traditions and truly immerse yourself in another culture.
How has studying abroad influenced your future career/goals/ post grad life/ etc.?:
Studying abroad has influenced my future career plans in that I want to be able to use my Spanish language skills in the job I have, and I also hope to work in a multicultural environment—perhaps even somewhere abroad. It has also sufficiently prepared me to enter the working world in ways that I couldn’t have done here. I am much more adaptable in new and unfamiliar settings, and I understand the importance of looking at issues from multiple perspectives.
What has Global Scholars done for you?:
Global Scholars has given me the opportunity to visit parts of the world I likely never before would have, experience cultures outside my own, and meet people both here and abroad with whom I’ve formed lifelong friendships. Global Scholars made me question things that I used to take for granted, do things that used to be wholly outside my comfort zone, and learn things about myself and the world that I never expected. It has taught me that I am capable of much more than I thought I could be.
Last Remarks:
If you’re thinking about studying abroad, just do it (after this pandemic ends)! You won’t regret it, and you have so much to gain from it. Everyone says “studying abroad changed my life”—it may be a cliché, but it really is true. Thank you Dr. Foley and everyone who’s a part of Global Scholars for everything!