Need some inspiration for your next adventure through HLS? Well, look no further!
If there’s one thing we love here at HLS, it’s our students. Specifically, the remarkable and (literally) outlandish things they always seem to be doing. They aren’t cut from any single cloth, that’s for sure, and each student comes into this school with a certain set of goals and aspirations that they hone during their time here; that’s what makes them so unique. If there is a single force that binds them together, however, it’s their sense of adventure. Every summer, whether they stay in the U.S., go back to their home countries (IU students alone represent over 150 nationalities, by the way) or go work/study abroad, few students come back in the fall without stories to tell. That is what I will be highlighting in this entry.
Meet Nathan, Devlin, Toby, Olivia and James. Across three continents, these HLSers spent their summers both developing their skills and bolstering the reputation of our school (thanks for that, by the way). Not only were all of their stories unique and an absolute pleasure to write about, but they all represent possible avenues that every HLS student has the opportunity to take. So, if you’re looking for any inspiration into how to make your summer or next semester as fulfilling and amazing as possible, look no further than here! Additionally, if you have your own story that you would like to share, don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, with no further introduction, please enjoy these student testimonies.
Nathan Ryder
‘*boards military aircraft, shouts over the sound of the engines starting* “I’m an analyst!”’
Nathan spent this last summer working as an “Intelligence analyst” for Dryad Global, a London-based maritime security firm (analyst is in quotes because Nathan would neither confirm nor deny that he was working as a secret agent). For any student wishing to use their degree from HLS to go into intelligence work, Nathan’s work is a prime example of where your studies can lead you.
“I would love nothing more than to put on airs, and infer that I’m a student during the week, and a debonair James Bond or cunning Jason Bourne type on the weekends,” Nathan said. “Our job is to look at something that is happening in the world, take a step back, and ask ourselves, “what does this mean?” You don’t need to board a helicopter bound for the Strait of Hormuz and look down to say, “this could be a problem.”
In addition to the freedom of being able to work remotely, the exciting work that being an intelligence analyst brings, and all of the secret missions he got to go on (scratch that last one, he still won’t tell me about any of those), one of the most rewarding parts of his job was the amazing people he got to work with. Intelligence people aren’t all cut from the same cloth, they come in all colors and from different backgrounds and fields of expertise, which brought fresh perspective to Nathan’s work every day.
“While I’m not at liberty to publicize about specific clients or co-workers, many of my colleagues have a background in military and government intelligence,” he said. “It is especially humbling to be working alongside such experience-proven individuals, not just to the benefit of our clients, but as a learning curve to me.”
Have any questions about working in intelligence? Reach out to Nathan and find out more about Dyrad Global. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the CIA and NSA around campus, too. Recruiters usually find their way here once or twice a semester.
Devlin Cook-Hines
‘Wait, what’s in Atlanta? Who speaks Russian there?’
The Devil went down to Georgia…to study Russian? No, not that Georgia. The Republic of Georgia, the mountainous country nestled on the Black Sea between Russia and Turkey. This former Soviet Republic is a popular regional destination for its centuries’ old wine making traditions and natural beauty, and now that the Cold War is over (so I’m told, at least), it’s become a hub for Russian language students. Not the least of whom is IU’s own Devlin Cook-Hines.
This past summer, Devlin was a recipient of the Critical Language Scholarship, a competitive grant for students who want to expand their skills in a critical language like Arabic, Persian, Russian or Korean, and allows them to live abroad fully immersed in their target language. While Georgia may not be as obvious of a destination to study Russian as, I don’t know, Russia, Devlin says she had no qualms about her placement whatsoever.
“It’s maintained a very unique culture and language (Georgian is actually the official language, Russian just happens to be widely spoken for political and historical reasons). They just have this never-ending strength and pride in their nationality,” Devlin said. When people found out I was American they would say, “Oh have you tried This or That?!” There’s so much to offer, and I definitely would go back in a heard beat.”
However, a lot of people had very different (albeit funny) reactions when they found out she would be going to Georgia.
“A lot of people thought I was going down south. I posted on Facebook when I found out that I’d be going. I can’t remember if I posted that I was going to “Georgia” or the “Republic of Georgia” when I said I was going to study Russian, and there were definitely a few comments from people who clearly thought I was going to the state,” she said. “People thought, “Wait, what’s in Atlanta? Who speaks Russian there?”
Throughout the interview, it was clear Devlin was confident studying a critical language, and Russian in particular, was the right move for her. Her Russian Studies have put her in touch with business leaders and legal professionals throughout the Russian speaking world, and the same can be true for you. Luckily, IU offers more than its fair share of critical languages, so keep that in mind as courses open for next semester.
Toby Huter
‘I was able to come back to somewhere I had been before but still see out of a new set of eyes. My advice is to find every opportunity and make it possible.’
Speaking of critical languages, here’s Toby Huter, who recently returned from her second time studying abroad in Korea. Toby has been learning since she was in eight grade (uhh…wow), and meanwhile, I just barely got by in level 1 Turkish on Rosetta Stone. While Toby is only a sophomore, her dedication and multiple tours abroad have put her language skills far beyond those of most people her age.
“I have been self-teaching Korean from 8th grade but when I was a junior in high school, I studied abroad through Rotary Youth Exchange in Korea for ten months,” Toby said. I only started formally taking Korean when I started at IU last year. I tested into sophomore Korean as a freshman then after this summer I tested out of junior Korean and am now taking senior level Korean.”
Through nights of exploring Seoul’s fascinating culture of 24-hour cafes (seriously, look it up), ancient palaces, temples, and a street food culture that would put New York to shame, Toby was able to practice her Korean in a way that few are really bold enough to try, and furthermore, develop an insatiable taste for travelling and living overseas.
“I will definitely go back (to Korea) soon, but how soon I’m not sure. I plan to study abroad in Taiwan next summer then maybe Australia or Israel the summer after that,” she said. “I do hope to go to graduate school in Korea so I for sure have that to look forward to.”
While a lot of people (way too many, in my opinion) don’t seriously consider studying abroad in their time at school, as you’ll see from the remaining student interviews as well, it’s an opportunity that you should never pass up. Through the hundreds of avenues for study abroad possible with IU and HLS specifically, you should talk to an advisor or someone you know who’s studied abroad before if you’re the slightest bit interested.
“I was able to come back to somewhere I had been before but still see out of a new set of eyes. My advice is to find every opportunity and make it possible.”
Olivia Rusk
If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it?
No…well, maybe if it was in Ecuador…and for $20.
Talk about going abroad for a summer, or even a semester, but how about for a full year? Meet Olivia Rusk, who after deciding she needed the longest, most immersive experience possible to bring her Spanish to her desired level, left for a year to study and just returned this summer. After looking at a few programs, she knew IU’s program in Lima, Peru was right for her.
“IU offers Academic Year programs in Spanish in Madrid, Spain and Lima, Peru. Being that I study Latin American Studies, it made much more sense to go to Peru,” she said. “Additionally, I am interested in investigating and tailoring my career towards working with refugees and immigrants, specifically in the realm of Latin America.”
In my 100% honest not at all biased opinion, IU’s study abroad programs are so phenomenal because of how many choices you offered. Whether you’re inclined to biodiversity, refugee work, history or language, there is bound to be a program out there for you. And yes, like Olivia will tell you, studying abroad will leave you with a fair number of stories too.
“My favorite story is the time that me and my British friend were convinced by a Paraguayan guy to jump off a bridge in Ecuador for $20. It was thrilling, terrifying, and invigorating all in once. I also would say that the traffic in Lima was a daily “crazy experience” as the buses had virtually no maximum capacity so people would stuff themselves in so much so that people would be hanging out of the windows and doors.”
Not to mention, if you play your cards (and your budget) right, it’s super easy to travel to your new favorite destination while you’re already overseas.
“Traveling throughout South America was a new adventure every day and Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Colombia each came with unique challenges and unexpected experiences. Of all of the places I visited, Colombia caught my attention for its people and their extreme friendliness and pride.”
James Romano
‘It is amazing to see thousand-year-old buildings juxtaposed with modern building all in the same city; something that you could never see in the US.’
Last but certainly not least in this week’s collection of incredible HLS students is James Romano, who spent a good amount of last summer travelling and studying throughout India. Not only was James in India, which has been at the top of my travel bucket list for a very long time, but he got to experience it in three amazing cities, whereas most study abroad programs are concentrated in just one.
“When I travelled to India, my group and I traveled to three different cities: New Delhi, Varanasi, and Mumbai. Each of these can be described as capitals cities in their own right,” James said. “New Delhi is the government capital where parliament is located… Varanasi can be described as a religious capital in some senses.”
While James and his group were in India, he had the opportunity to study the history and legacy of B.R. Ambedkar, who was a civil rights leader for the Dalit community in India. While he may not be a household name like some of his contemporaries, his work and sacrifice can be seen across the subcontinent.
“He stood up against the rigid caste system that had historically disadvantaged Dalits, the untouchable castes,” he said. “Despite his reforms in providing constitutional protections, Dalit communities still experience discrimination. Some of the communities that we visited, such as Rangpuri and Karjat, exemplified the fact that a lot of the economic growth that India has seen since liberalization in 1991 has not translated to overall development, especially for Dalit communities.”
Good food, good travelling, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience to study the work of a truly remarkable man. Sounds like a good summer if you ask me.