Justin Danzy ’16 always believed in himself and his writing; he just wasn’t sure others would feel the same way. When he began to work on his Senior Individualized Project (SIP) at Kalamazoo College, he had one thing in mind: authenticity.
His senior project seeks to understand authenticity in various forms of expression, and he decided to focus on works by James Baldwin and Rapper J. Cole.
The music of the latter nudged him to incorporate Baldwin into the SIP, which he titled “On the Question of Authenticity: Rethinking Black Male Identity through James Baldwin and Contemporary Hip Hop.”
“It was striking to me listening to J. Cole’s ‘Forrest Hills’ album and how similar it was to Baldwin’s story ‘Sonny’s Blues,’” said Justin. “Baldwin and Cole faced questions of their authenticity throughout their careers,” he added. “For Cole, being a rapper from the suburbs speaking on his struggles, and for Baldwin being an educated black author writing about race. Both men used speech to show how artists are more than their labels and both believed authenticity is not measured by those labels.”
As Justin explored the work of the two artists and concentrated on the meaning of authenticity, he often found himself questioning how authentic would people perceive his work. He wondered as well whether others had an interest into understanding authenticity and its nuances.
Turns out he needn’t have worried. His SIP supervisor, Associate Professor of English and Writer in Residence Diane Seuss encouraged him to enter his SIP into an open research paper contest.
And he won, which meant presenting his work during the three-day International James Baldwin Conference at the American University of Paris (France). He was the only undergraduate presenter. The trip to Paris was his first time out of the country. Having the opportunity to attend the conference, he said, awakened a new confidence in himself and his scholarly work—the sense that his own ideas can be useful and significant.
“If I put in the time and effort and have a team to push me in the right direction, my ideas can add to the world,” said Justin.
Justin graduated in June and is spending two months in Uganda conducting research (the English major also earned a concentration in African studies). “I know I am capable of bridging the gap between where I am and where I want to be,” he said. “That knowledge gives meaning to the hard work of the process.”
The Forum on Education Abroad gave its 2016 Peter A. Wollitzer Advocacy Award to the late Joe Brockington, Ph.D., at the 12th Annual Forum Conference in Atlanta. The award was accepted on his behalf by Joe’s wife, Cathy, and sons, David, Sam and Drew. The award was presented to the Brockington family by Joe’s colleague and friend, Margaret Wiedenhoeft, Ph.D., acting director of the Center for International Programs at Kalamazoo College.
Here is an excerpt from Margaret’s citation delivered at the award ceremony:
“Throughout his twenty-plus years in international education, Joe Brockington consistently contributed to and advocated for the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad, mentoring colleagues at institutions on how to develop and provide programs incorporating The Forum’s Standards that met curricular goals while also fully supporting students. His contributions to the research of the development of the profession of international education helped to create recognition of the increasing professionalization of our work while acknowledging how much the field has changed. Throughout his career, Joe never missed an opportunity to remind colleagues that having standards was so important because, as he would say in his very Midwestern, dry, humorous tone, ‘that next to parenting, education abroad is the world’s greatest amateur sport.’”
Cathy, David, Sam and Drew Brockington
Joe Brockington, a member of the founding Board of Directors of The Forum, passed away in August 2015. He served as associate provost for international programs and professor of German language and literature at Kalamazoo College. He was instrumental in the founding of The Forum and over the years contributed to the field in innumerable ways by presenting at conferences and initiating projects.
The Peter A. Wollitzer Advocacy Award was established to honor a Forum member who has been remarkably effective in influencing institutions of higher learning to understand and support education abroad through the dissemination of the Forum’s goals: standards of good practice, data collection and research, curricular development and academic design, and assessment. The award will be given to an individual, but individual achievement pre-supposes institutional efficacy and impact and provides inspiration to the field of education abroad. Awardees can be individuals who work on a U.S. or foreign university campus or for domestic or foreign providers or organizations.
The award is presented each year at The Forum’s Annual Conference.
The Forum on Education Abroad (https://forumea.org) is recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission as the Standards Development Organization (SDO) for the field of education abroad. The Forum provides training and resources to education abroad professionals and its Standards of Good Practice are recognized as the definitive means by which the quality of education abroad programs may be judged. The Quality Improvement Program for Education Abroad (QUIP) and The Professional Certification for Education Abroad Program provide quality assurance for the field through use of the Standards in rigorous self-study and peer reviews for institutions and professional certification for individuals.
Kalamazoo College ranks 14th among small colleges and universities nationwide in terms of the number of graduates who volunteer to serve in the Peace Corps. Since the agency was created in 1961, 288 K graduates have served overseas. Currently, nine K alumni are serving worldwide. One of them is William Schlaack ’12, who has served in Mongolia as an education volunteer since 2014 (see interview below). William majored in German and religion. He participated in the Farms 2K student organization, worked for K’s library and studied abroad in Erlangen, Germany.
Two other Michigan school received recognition on the large school list. University of Michigan ranked sixth (48 volunteers) and Michigan State University ranks 22nd (33 volunteers).
Kalamazoo College is no stranger to the Peace Corps. In 2006, it ranked as the eighth top volunteer-producing school among small universities and colleges. One of the most moving stories about the Peace Corps experience is shared by alumnus David Easterbrook ’69. You can hear him tell it (“When You See Rose Kennedy in the Market“) on Story Zoo.
What are your main volunteer projects and secondary projects?
(William Schlaack) I teach at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology in Darkhan aimag (province). Most of my time is spent co-teaching, lesson and curriculum building and leading extracurricular activities such as English club, teacher’s club and hiking club.
For secondary projects, I’ve been working with local non-governmental organizations and schools on regional Special Olympics competitions. So far two regions have held their first ever events. One other project I have been working on is life skills classes at the regional prison, so far I’ve been able to give workshops on anger and stress management that have been highly rewarding.
Outside of planned projects I think one of the best aspects of Peace Corps is the daily cultural exchange that takes place between volunteers and host country nationals. These interactions go beyond projects and really build great friendships and foster understanding between cultures.
How did your alma mater help prepare you for international service, or lead you to Peace Corps?
(WS) Kalamazoo provides wonderful study abroad and service learning opportunities that really help shape a global perspective that’s oriented toward service on a local and global scale.
What/who inspired me to serve in the Peace Corps?
(WS) I became inspired to serve in the Peace Corps as a result of volunteering with Books to Prisoners (a program that provides free books to Illinois inmates and also helps operate two jail libraries in the Urbana-Champaign area) and Project READ (an adult ESL program run out of Parkland Community College in Champaign, Illinois). I wanted to take some time off after earning my master’s degree to participate in some sort of national service that would combine international experience and allow me to leave a positive impact on a new community.
What are your career aspirations?
(WS) After Peace Corps I plan on working in a library, but also continuing my volunteer work in whatever local community I wind up in. Peace Corps has strengthened my project management skills and given me unique problem solving experiences that I hope to bring to my future workplace and community.
What’s been your favorite part of service?
My favorite part of service has been serving and growing in a community so rich with tradition and culture which has given me the opportunity to experience so many amazing encounters and find common interests and passions. Day-to-day life is often so surprising and hardly a day goes by that I don’t learn more about myself and my community.
Senior tennis player Katie Clark ’16 would be lying if she said she wasn’t nervous or scared when she decided to jump ship from Fairfax, Va., after high school and attend Kalamazoo College.
But before she left, a close family friend gave her peace of mind and a thought that’s stuck with her to this day.
“This part of your life isn’t dying, your circle is just getting bigger,” the friend told her.
Clark’s circle has expanded exponentially since stepping on campus.
“Honestly, I didn’t know I was going to be happy here until I showed up the first day,” Clark said. “It was a little different that someone from the East Coast would go to this little funky school in Michigan called Kalamazoo. But I remember pulling up to campus and thinking ‘Oh, it’s actually so beautiful here and everyone seems really nice and maybe I’ll like it.’
“Turns out, I’ve always enjoyed it.”
Leading on and off the court
As an athlete, Clark’s circle grew quickly as she became immersed in the women’s tennis family, but she was also introduced to another area on campus because of her involvement with tennis.
“Two or three years ago my coach recognized that women’s tennis had never really played that significant of a role on the Athletic Leadership Council, so he recommended I start attending,” Clark said. “It was a really good fit because the goals and work that ALC does very much align with my personal reasons for wanting to be a student-athlete.”
Clark, ALC’s active secretary, said her time with ALC helped her establish her identity beyond “student” or “athlete.” The organization allows her to simply be a part of the Kalamazoo College community.
“ALC engages student athletes with community work such as working with Special Olympics, but it also creates and hosts events for the entire campus.”
As a senior member of ALC and the tennis team, Clark is excited to be able to help shape the culture of the campus and her team.
From the court to Congress
A history major and a political science minor, Clark secured an internship with Senior United States Senator Charles Schumer in the summer of 2014 on Capitol Hill.
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Katie Clark
When she arrived in Washington D.C. she learned her work would be primarily left up to her to figure out.
“Instead of the internship being very structured, it really was what you made out of it,” she said. “That’s one of the more valuable things I took away from my experience.
“Throughout my education, ever since kindergarten, people just give you things to do all the time and that’s a very easy thing to get accustomed to. On the other hand, working to find work for myself was new to me.”
Her assigned tasks included fielding calls from constituents, answering questions about policy in a cordial manner, organizing the mail and also giving tours of the Capitol Building. Her most valuable experience came from the work she assigned herself.
“I would find senatorial briefings on my own and would go talk to the responsible staffer to ask if they wanted me to write a memo and do research on the subject.
“A lot of times the staffer wouldn’t actually need the memo, but the interaction was about establishing the connection and having them realize that you want to be there. When they actually did need help with something significant they knew that I was well versed in that subject.”
She enjoyed the experience, and the feeling was mutual–Clark returned to the same position the following summer.
Expanding globally
Katie Clark in Thailand
Thailand is a place many people never see in their lifetime, but Clark’s circle stretched across the globe when she decided to experience the country and culture during the fall and winter terms of her junior year.
Clark didn’t want to just be a student in an unfamiliar environment; she wanted to immerse herself within a community and learn from people with vastly different understandings of life.
“My program was predominantly experiential-based learning, so other than the first six weeks we were in the field the entire time,” she said. “We spent most of our time in host villages living and learning from different members of the community.”
The days’ events and tasks ranged from meeting with government officials and local business men and women, to helping families clean their roofs and taking children to school. The topics of discussion ranged from overfishing to gender and religion.
“I wanted to be enrolled in a study abroad program that would give me something I wouldn’t be able to get on my own,” Clark said. Turns out that “something” was a deep connection to “communities and very rural areas in the mountains in northern Thailand.”
Growing beyond graduation
Using the experiences she’s had and the connections she’s made during her three and half years at K, Clark hopes to continue lengthening the radius of her circle as she begins to prepare for life after Kalamazoo.
“I have so many different areas of support here at K. School is something that I really value and enjoy. For my professors to be able to push me to be the best student I can be is special.
“Instead of just telling me ‘good work’ sometimes my professors will tell me ‘you can do better than this.’”
With her senior tennis season surely at the front of her mind and set to get underway in less than a month, her goal after graduation is to join the Peace Corps.
It’s safe to say–and Clark has no doubt–that wherever her path leads her next, she’ll be well-prepared.
(Text and photos by Kurt Miller, assistant sports information director)
Theresa Tejada ’10 won the episode of the television show JEOPARDY! that aired on Tuesday, December 22. Her one-day winnings totaled $21,599. She defended her champion status, albeit unsuccessfully, the following day. Two episodes of Jeopardy seems a fitting tribute to a liberal arts education. On her championship day Theresa’s major in classics came in handy for the Final Jeopardy category: “The Ancient World.” The Final Jeopardy answer: “Dedicated to a female, it’s among the few of the seven ancient wonders whose ruins you can visit.” Theresa got the question: “What is the Temple of Artemis?” She even provided the location, Ephesus, the ancient Greek city that is today a part of Turkey. Perhaps Theresa’s study abroad in Athens came into play with that extra information. Theresa’s liberal arts breadth was on display and indispensable. In Double Jeopardy Theresa found the second Daily Double on the board in the category “Arts and Culture” under the $1,600 clue. At the time, she led the returning champion by $1,800. She bet $2,000 and won! The answer: “Because it has six units called iambs, the poetic line ’Thou art unseen but yet I hear thy shrill delight’ is in iambic this.” Theresa’s correct question: “What is hexameter?” Perhaps she had a literature class at K. Among other categories rewarding a liberal arts background on the day she won: Geographic Features, 8-Letter Words, Double Up On Your Countries, Oscar Nominations, and Christmas Songs and Singers.
Turns out Associate Professor of Classics Elizabeth Manwell managed to watch both shows. “Two really wonderful moments for me,” wrote Elizabeth. “Theresa won the game her first night on the show, in part by answering a final jeopardy question about the seven wonders of the ancient world—a topic she worked on for her Senior Individualized Project in the classics department. The other occurred the second night—-Theresa spoke of an influential Latin teacher, Steve Rosenquist, who taught her at Cranbrook, and who also taught for us for a couple of years. He died recently—-and hers was such a lovely tribute to him. She’s a super young woman!”
Students at the two Kalamazoo College study abroad centers in France (Strasbourg and Clermont-Ferrand) and in other countries are reported safe. K’s Center for International Programs continues to be in contact with students and with program directors in France and other countries. Students are being encouraged to check in with their families and program directors, they are being reminded about safety habits, and they are being advised about possible travel delays
The College is also addressing the well-being of students from France who are currently studying on campus.
The Kalamazoo College community sends its thoughts and prayers to the people of France.
“It was during spring break of this year that I understood what made Kalamazoo College truly unique.”
So spoke newly-minted alumnus Vageesha Liyana-Gunawardana ’15 during his Baccalaureate address this past June. “I was in Colorado visiting a friend whom I had met during my study abroad in Japan,” he added. “Upon mentioning that I was from Kalamazoo College to my friend’s housemates, they got quite excited. It happens to be, that two of them knew one of my housemates at Kalamazoo this year. They had met while on study abroad in London. Just then I realized that K students are everywhere!”
Picking up on that theme is classmate Mallory Zink ’15, who wrote the following article on several members of the class of 2015 about to continue their international journeys.
Kalamazoo College is well known for being international, and a handful of recent graduates, me included, are continuing the tradition. My classmates are moving across the world, including Germany, France, and China. We are using fellowships, English teaching positions and grants. For most of us, this isn’t our first study abroad experience, but for many of us, it is our first time moving somewhere completely alone. We will face the same struggles of finding the grocery store, figuring out how to work the washing machine, and making friends with local residents. But the skills we learned at K and our time on study abroad are going to help us navigate our future, wherever in the world we go.
Aaron Bunker ’15 is moving to Wuxi, China, in the fall. He will be teaching pre-calculus and calculus at the Big Bridge Academy in the international department. He had not planned on
Aaron Bunker
living abroad, but is happy to have the opportunity. He had originally planned on working with an at-risk tutoring program in Boston, but questioned its long term financial feasibility. Aaron also wasn’t sure he was ready for a ‘real’ job, or, alternatively, ready for grad school, so China seemed like the best option. Aaron knows little about his new home, just enough to say hello and count to one hundred in Chinese. However, “I’m excited to be immersed in a place about which I know so little, and I’m excited about living completely by myself for the first time,” he said.
Natalie Cherne
Natalie Cherne ’15 is going back to back to Germany in the fall. She received a Fulbright to teach English for ten months at the Peter-Vischer Schule in Nuremberg, a short 10-minute train ride from where she studied as a junior at K. A Fulbright was Natalie’s post-graduation goal; she knew she wanted to go back after falling in love with Germany her junior year. “I am lucky enough to be going back to a support network,” said Natalie.
Unlike the majority of her classmates, Lyla Rothschild ’15did not study abroad, so she is excited to go to Europe for the first time! As a junior she had been accepted into the Clermont-Ferrand program, but had to take a year off due to a medical leave. She has been studying French since high school and will be teaching English to French students through a program called “Teach Abroad Program in France” (TAPIF). Lyla said she is anxious about the language barrier, because, “as much as you study a language, nothing compares to living in that country.” She is excited to have found this opportunity for a gap year before grad school.
Lyla Rothchild
Kelsey Donk ’15had two choices for her return to France. She was offered a job Langue et Nature au Chateau de la Mazure, a language center where she had completed an internship. And, for a time, she planned to work there and apply for French citizenship. Instead she chose the city of Laval for her post-graduation destination. There she will teach English in the French public schools through TAPIF. The job with TAPIF will allow her to work in schools where, she feels, her presence, is most needed. She plans on doing a lot of writing next year, getting to know Laval
Kelsey Donk
and exploring the north of France. “I’m so excited to get to know my primary school students,” Kelsey said. “I’ll be working in three primary schools and I think I’ll love my kids.”
Hannah Olsen
Hannah Olsen ’15 studied abroad in Strasbourg, France for three months and is moving back to study at the University of Strasbourg. She received the Jean and Marie-Louise Dufrenoy Grant through la Société de Professeurs Français et Francophone d’Amérique. She will mainly be taking classes in physics. The Dufrenoy Grant was her top post-graduation option; Hannah knew it was a unique opportunity that she couldn’t pass up! She is especially excited for the opportunity to integrate her knowledge of science and the French language; she has never been able to use French in a physics context and is excited to try! She is a little intimidated by the current social and political environment in France, but “right now, the excitement outweighs my worries,” she said.
Joseph Westerfield ’15is moving to Bourgoin-Jallieu, France, in September. He will be an English teaching assistant through the TAPIF program for three different schools. He has never lived in France, but has always wanted to! This was his original plan for after school, the perfect gap year before graduate school, where he hopes to focus his work on performance studies. His biggest worry? That his work schedule (a mere15 hours a week) will make it difficult to get into a routine…especially after the four years of demanding routine at K! Nevertheless, he is excited to teach children and work on his goal of
Joe Westerfield
sustainable living, for both next year and the future.
Haley Cartwright ’15is moving to Annecy, France. She, also, will serve as an English teaching assistant through the TAPIF program. Haley knew she wanted to do something outside of her intended career path and take a year off before she began pursuing her doctorate. Annecy will not her first time living in France; she lived there for two years when she was in middle school and was lucky enough to learn French through immersion both then and when she lived in Clermont during her junior year study abroad. Her goals for next year are to improve her French skills, meet international people, and learn some Spanish. Haley said, “I’m really committed to the experience, I know what to expect and am prepared to find a good balance between being a teaching assistant and having American and international friends.”
Haley Cartwright
Alyssa Walker ’15 is moving back to her study abroad site in Erlangen, Germany. She received a German Studies fellowship at Friedrich-Alexander University for a year, where she will study German, Spanish, and international studies. She hopes the classes she takes in Erlangen will help point her in a direction for further graduate study. Alyssa has some fun goals besides taking classes. She wants to meet new people, travel off the beaten path, and gain some work experience. She said, “I am not worried about anything next year. Kalamazoo College has prepared me for this, and I have the support of friends and family abroad.”
Alyssa Walker
And Mallory Zink ’15, the author, is moving to Bonn, Germany in October. “I had a few possibilities for after graduation, and going back to Germany was on the top. Funding that return through a fellowship, was really on the top, so I was very excited when I received one. I’ll be working on my German abilities this upcoming academic year at the University of Bonn, and then I’ll apply to grad school in Germany the following year (well, that is the plan currently). I’m nervous to be moving to a completely new city alone, but then again I am not too worried, I lived in Germany for a year during study abroad and know where to meet the Germans! First stop is the community kitchen in the apartment, second is the beer garden!”
Joe Brockington, Ph.D., associate provost for international programs at Kalamazoo College, died on August 10, 2015. In addition to his post in the Center for International Programs, Brockington also served as professor of German language and literature. [NOTE: The memorial service for Joe Brockington will occur Monday, August 17, at 2 p.m. at the First Congregational Church in Saugatuck (296 Hoffman Street). The College will take one bus and two vans to the service. Faculty, staff and students interested in attending may register by emailing Renee Boelcke at Renee.Boelcke@kzoo.edu. Those taking the College transportation will meet on Academy Street, outside of Anderson Athletic Center at noon on Monday, August 17. The bus and vans will return to campus at the conclusion of the memorial service.]
Brockington earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D degrees from Michigan State University, and began his career at Kalamazoo College in 1979 as an instructor in German language and literature. During his 35-year career at K, Brockington served in several roles in the Center for International Programs before being named associate provost in 2000. He was recognized internationally as a safety and risk management expert in study abroad programming. During his career he served in various positions of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, including chair of the Section on U.S. Students Abroad and member of the International Education Leadership Knowledge Committee. He also served as a member of the founding board of the Forum on Education Abroad, the Association of International Education Administrators. Brockington published and presented numerous papers on modern German literature as well as a variety of study abroad topics, including orientation and re-entry, international programs administration, and campus internationalization. He led best practices workshops in legal and risk management issues and co-edited the third edition of NAFSA’s Guide to Education Abroad for Advisers and Administrators.
“Joe interacted with generations of K students,” said President Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran, “and increased their opportunities for independent research and service learning abroad. He was a faithful advocate for international students at K, working with colleagues to ensure a full and productive K educational experience. Joe significantly expanded K’s reputation as a leader in study abroad and international programming. He will be missed by many in the K family and throughout the world.”
In the fall of 2008 Kalamazoo College celebrated its 50th anniversary of sending students abroad. Brockington devoted his career to that important educational tradition. Some 80 percent of K students have studied in programs ranging from China and Japan to India and Israel; from Kenya and Senegal in Africa to Ecuador, Costa Rica, Chile, and Mexico in South and Central America. Their options have included European programs in Greece, Hungary, Denmark, Italy, and England as well as the opportunities that have continued (since the program’s origins) in France, Spain, and Germany. Most students study in a foreign language and live with host families. And most participate in an Individualized Cultural Research Project that requires them to get out into a community, participate in a service project, and write a report about the experience. All of that is part of the legacy of Joe Brockington. “The goal,” he once said, “is to help the student look at other cultures, other peoples, and say ’we’ instead of ’they.’”
Dr. Brockington is survived by his wife, Catherine, and their three sons (and K alumni): Andrew ’04, David ’99, and Samuel ’01. Visitation will occur Sunday, August 16, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Dykstra Funeral Home in Holland, Michigan (188 32nd Street). A memorial service will take place Monday, August 17, at 2 p.m. at the First Congregational Church in Saugatuck (296 Hoffman Street). The College will take one bus and two vans to the service. Faculty, staff and students interested in attending may register by emailing Renee Boelcke at Renee.Boelcke@kzoo.edu. Those taking the College transportation will meet on Academy Street, outside of Anderson Athletic Center at noon on Monday, August 17. The bus and vans will return to campus at the conclusion of the memorial service.
Kalamazoo College alumni, Annie Gough ’15 and Eric Silverstein ’14 have been selected as two of 30 Fellows to participate in Challenge Detroit, an urban revitalization program focused on attracting and retaining talent in Detroit in an effort to spur revitalization. Gough and Silverstein were chosen from hundreds of applicants to collaborate with individuals from all over the country and live, work, play, give, and lead in Detroit.
Challenge Detroit is a one-year fellowship program that provides the opportunity for tomorrow’s leaders to work at top regional companies, while spending one day a week collaborating with area nonprofits to address regional challenges and opportunities, including multi-modal transportation, homelessness, and community development.
During their year with Challenge Detroit, Annie will work with partnering host company Beaumont Health System, while Eric will work with partnering host General Motors.
Annie graduated from Grosse Pointe (Mich.) South High School and earned a B.A. degree in English at K. During her time at K, she also studied abroad at University of Aberdeen in Scotland.
Eric Silverstein ’14
“Growing up right next door to the city, I have always fostered a fondness for Detroit’s complex culture and history,” said Annie. “Now, I am eager to understand and identify with the city on a more intimate level by being fully immersed through living, working, playing and giving here.”
Eric is a Troy (Mich.) High School grad who earned a B.A. degree in psychology from K. He studied abroad at Universidad Antonio de Nebrija in Spain during his time at K.
“I have always welcomed adversity, so I guess you could say we have mutual interests,” said Eric.
During their year in Detroit, Annie and Eric will share their stories through regular blogging, video logging, and social media updates. For more information on Challenge Detroit and see videos with Annie and Eric talking about their upcoming experiences, visit www.challengedetroit.org/the-fellows.
Amanda Johnson ’17 is among 171 undergrads nationwide to earn a Boren Scholarship. She will study the Chinese language in China during the 2015-16 academic year.
Kalamazoo College sophomore Amanda Johnson ’17 has received a David L. Boren Scholarship to study in China during the 2015-2016 academic year. The $20,000 award will allow her to study Chinese in Beijing and Harbin.
Boren Scholarships are funded by the National Security Education Program, a federal government program that focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to United States national security.
Amanda is one of only 171 undergraduate students (all U.S. passport holders) to receive the 2015-16 Boren award.
“Through the Boren Scholarship, I will focus on improving my Mandarin, immersing myself in Chinese culture, and taking part in both an internship and one-on-one study with a Chinese professor on a topic of my choosing,” said Amanda, a sophomore from Hudsonville, Mich.
In addition to pursuing majors in economics and political science and a minor in Chinese while at K, Amanda is secretary of finance for K’s Student Commission, a consultant for the student Writing Center, and a teaching assistant for the Economics Department. She also is active on campus with the movement for an intercultural center.
Upon receiving the Boren Scholarship, Amanda was enthusiastic about such a wonderful opportunity and the networks it would provide. She says it’s the result of “an amazing support system” that has helped her at K.
“By the time I submitted my final Boren application I had more than 18 rough drafts that had been edited by professors, staff members, and fellow students. This highlights what students at Kalamazoo College can do with a community that supports their endeavors.”
In exchange for funding, Boren award recipients agree to work in the federal government for a period of at least one year following their formal education. Amanda says she may consider fulfilling her Boren Scholarship requirement with the Department of Homeland Security as an asylum officer, helping adjudicate asylum cases by using her Chinese (and Spanish) language skills. Ultimately, she hopes to pursue a career with the United States Department of State and she is excited about the opportunity the Boren Scholarship will give her to jumpstart her career.
During the winter break of her sophomore year, Amanda interned with the Human Rights Initiative of Northern Texas, a nonprofit organization that provides immigration services to individuals who have experienced human rights violations in their home country. This internship opportunity, funded by the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, allowed Amanda to work with asylum applicants and utilize her Spanish and Chinese language skills throughout the application process.
The Boren awards are named for former U.S. Senator David L. Boren, the principal author of the legislation that created the National Security Education Program. Boren Scholars (undergrads) and Fellows (graduate students) will live in 40 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. They will study 37 different languages that are considered critical to U.S. interests, including Arabic, Hindi, Mandarin, Russian, Swahili, and Wolof.
Current Kalamazoo College seniors Luke Winship (China/Mandarin) and Erin Eagan (Senegal/Wolof) are previous Boren Scholars.
Justin Danzy ’16 always believed in himself and his writing; he just wasn’t sure others would feel the same way. When he began to work on his Senior Individualized Project (SIP) at Kalamazoo College, he had one thing in mind: authenticity.
