The National Security Language Initiative For Youth

I had the amazing privilege to serve as an informal ambassador for my country of birth (Italy), clearing up cultural stereotypes, and creating positive connections between two cultures. I had the joy of meeting people from other cultures. Sharing problems, connecting with cultural differences and similarities gave me the opportunity to learn not only about other cultures but also about local and global issues. The desire to understand these issues, and to solve them (like for example immigration issues with Mexican-born people living in the United States) inspired me to apply for the study abroad program-language immersion in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

I have always wanted to travel during college to study, volunteer, or both, and the study abroad programs and scholarships pertaining to the Honors LLC will allow me to achieve these dreams. I believe traveling to new places is an unparalleled method of learning, as traveling exposes you to ideas, customs, and mannerisms that no textbook can ever teach. In today’s global society, being aware of other cultures is crucial from a personal, business, and societal standpoint.

Iowa State University prides itself on its mission to “Create, share, and apply knowledge to make Iowa and the world a better place” (Iowa State University Office of the President: Mission and Vision). This mission focuses on the success of each and every student that attends Iowa State. In order for Iowa State’s Study Abroad program to follow the foundational mission of the entire university, it had to create a mission that also focused on the students. The mission they have formed and stand today consists of: putting emphasis on developing strong international adventures. In order for students to go out to other countries to receive a quality education, the Study Abroad program must create a strong base on which they are able to form equal quality education as Iowa State provides no matter where a student goes. To promote opportunities that are inclusive and affordable for all students. To prepare students and directors for success when studying abroad. To advance standards of safety and uphold

In fifth and sixth grade, I was invited to attend The National Young Leadership Forum, an organization dedicated to serving academically gifted and talented youth. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to spend a week in Washington D.C., where I learned the qualifications of a righteous leader and to develop academic abilities and interests. I will bring my knowledge of leadership to sustain a school community in which students will strive to maintain integrity and trust with each other. By engaging in community service, I have an opportunity to learn experientially, expose myself to diversity, and develop a sense of responsibility. By volunteering in multiple ways in the last several years, I was able to knit hats for children in hospitals, help at a local food bank, create and donate bookmarks for third graders, and help at the Bellaire Public Library. Helping others has given me a great sense of satisfaction and I plan to continue working on various community service projects in the future. Born and raised to Israeli parents, I am benefited with bilinguality, traveling overseas, exposure to other cultures, and insight on global

Showing honesty that we are trying to learn, involve and engage with their cultural activities makes big difference.

Through intercultural learning and experiences, we can begin to see ourselves and the others around us not by our race, ethnicity, religion, or nationality but by the fact that at the end of the day, we are all human and only have one chance in this life.

Not only will I be able to study social justice in the classroom, but I will have many chances to apply what I have learned to my surroundings. However to contribute to a community, you cannot work alone. Luckily, being a student at Lang will surround me with like-minded individuals who share my growing interest in social justice. I will become enlightened in issues obstructing social justice in class, and other opportunities will enable me to participate in activism with my peers. The New School has many student organized groups that allow real-world application of skills learned in the classroom. Not only will this give me experience in the field I study, but it will fuel my passion for the content I will learn at Lang even more. As I contribute to society through The New School’s opportunities as a student, I will gain experience in the “real world”, allowing me to be most productive with the education I receive when I graduate. The change I dream of making can ultimately be made possible through the experience offered at The New

Thanks to my upbringing in Hawaii and growing up in an international missionary community, I have expanded my worldview. I have interact with the travelers and the missionaries from every country of the world. I have listened to the stories of the bombing of Pearl Harbor from a Hawaiian, American, and a Japanese. I have been molded in a priceless learning environment that teaches me new things every day.

From Kindergarten up to eighth grade, I learned about countries from all continents. The teachers taught us about the culture, customs, and other attributes that made each country unique. These memories have contributed significantly to my global mindedness because for one month, March, for nine years, I was able to become a part of a different culture. I now know the English translation of the Greek national anthem, I was able to play the snare drum during my classes performance of “The Maple Leaf Forever, I was able to name and dress figurines of immigrants who came from Ellis Island, and I was also able to wear a hijab and sing about the cultural significance of tea in Pakistan. International Month is greatly ingrained into outlook on life, I am even able to remember the words of the Japanese children’s song that I learned in kindergarten and could sing it with the correct pronunciation to a Japanese classmate I met in late

In July 2014, I took the amazing opportunity to study abroad at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. While living on campus, there were many occasions when I would share with local students while exchanging language tips and discussed our respective cultures. The most memorable experiences I learned was how to speak Kansai-ben and, in return, teaching common New York City such as "fuhgeddaboutit". This journey ignited my motivation to complete my degree to prepare for my next exchange in

In like words to Albert Einstein, John Dewey once stated “education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” An immensely powerful blessing found in attending an international school has been becoming a person who thrives and enjoys learning amongst a seemingly endless multitude of cultures. The opportunity to essentially become immersed in different cultures gave me a personal conviction to go out and serve underserved regions of the world. Through my missions and travels, I have learned that how we face both diversity and adversity define who I am. The value of an education is determined by the one who receives it and what he or she chooses to do with it.

Within the past two years I have traveled to nine countries, most through study abroad programs and have gained a better understanding of different cultures and customs. One particular program I enjoyed was one to the southern part of Spain and Northern Africa where I learned about the refugee crisis from Africa to Europe. I am well aware that I do not in a little bubble and must stay informed on global affairs, that is why I make it a priority to stay on top of issues from around the world. I am multilingual and bicultural being able to fluently speak Spanish and English and upper intermediate

Global citizenship is a term that commonly circulates in academic and popular discourse. Its usage often conjures images of hopeful transformation. If individuals could just imagine themselves as citizens of a larger international or even global community, the political and social ills (e.g., poverty, conflict, environmental degradation) that result from narrow national interests could be reduced, or so the logic goes. This trickle-down theory of intrapersonal growth underpins Professor Joseph O’Shea’s defense of and advocacy for the expanse of extended study abroad programming in Gap Year: How Delaying College Changes People in Ways the World Needs. O’Shea’s lithe (183 pages with references), straight-forward account is divided into two parts. The first

When I was young, I dreamed of traveling abroad to Europe with my best friend who visited Switzerland, France and Canada among other places every year. Joking about packing myself in her suitcase, I lived vicariously through Swiss chocolate and Venetian masks, longing after every international trip I came across. Finally in my junior year of high school I found one that really struck my interest. I was already doing service in my school and community and this program called Global Leaders seemed to align perfectly with my interests. It was a year-long commitment involving 60 hours of community service at home and an equal amount abroad as well as opportunities to become closer to our “Team-ily” as we called the group. When school was over and we were all packed and ready to go with our California counterparts, I couldn’t believe it was happening and I didn’t know what to expect.

I strive to live a life that pushes me to constantly re-evaluate the way I see the world. There is great importance to me in connecting with people and cultures different than my own, as well as being change maker. By living alongside individuals as passionate and driven as I myself, with the opportunities and support provided, I will be able to create real change while learning from, collaborating with, and contributing to a global community. The Eastern Mediterranean International School is the next step I can take towards helping create a more peaceful, just, and conscientious world.