Meet the Fall 2022 ISEP Community Scholarship and the ISEP Founders Fellowship Recipients

ISEP is thrilled to congratulate the recipients of our ISEP Community Scholarship and ISEP Founders Fellowship award. These scholarships assist students from ISEP Member Institutions with a demonstrated financial need in making their goals to study abroad a reality. The awards support our mission to extend access and affordability of study abroad by encouraging applications from students who are statistically underrepresented in study abroad. Each ISEP Community Scholarship awardee will receive US$500, and the ISEP Founders Fellow will receive US$2,500 to use while studying abroad with ISEP next semester.

Continue reading to get to know some of our students and their amazing stories. Learn more about ISEP Scholarships and how you can donate to the ISEP Scholarships Fund to give the gift of international education and a life-changing experience.

ISEP Founders Fellowship Award Recipient

Applicants submitted creative projects emphasizing the value of language learning in study abroad.

Perla Adriana Hernández from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO) will study at University of Memphis in the United States.

My name is Perla Hernández. I am from Mexico and I am studying environmental engineering. Currently, I am attending a conversation club with native United States people by video call, so I practice the language. Nevertheless, I think it is more fruitful to have a conversation in real life. In fact, I’ve never been to another country, so I consider the exchange a good idea because this experience could help me to be a person who is not afraid to step out of my comfort zone.

ISEP Community Scholarship Award Recipients

These awards of US$500 will be used toward study abroad programs next semester (Northern Hemisphere Fall 2022).

Ashley Cunningham from Missouri State University will study at Toyo University in Japan.

I am a Senior at Missouri State University double majoring in Modern Language-Japanese and Hospitality Leadership-Tourism. When I was younger, I became interested in Japan by watching Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu’s interpreted interviews. Ever since, I have wanted to help others with my interpretation. I chose Japanese because it uses Chinese characters, and the alphabet has a similar format to Korean. This way, I can someday interpret those languages, too. I am involved in multiple organizations including the Association of International Students, Global Leaders & Mentors, and the Springfield Sister Cities. I also tutor the English Language Institute students who help me practice speaking Japanese. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity the ISEP Community has provided me to attend Toyo University in Fall 2022. In Japan, I am most looking forward to experiencing new culture, gaining memorable experiences, and accumulating language acquisition to help others bridge various communication gaps.

Ga Yoon Lee from Korea University will study at Boise State University in the United States.

I am studying health policy management and sociology at Korea University. I am so thrilled that I am going to Boise State University in the United States as an ISEP exchange student. I was born in South Korea; however, I have lived in Thailand for 6 years since I was 8 years old. At that time, I studied Thai, not Korean, and it was very interesting to communicate with people in a new language. After returning to Korea, I tried to learn many other languages and I wanted to experience many other cultures. While studying for my major, I became curious about the difference between American society and Korean Society. That’s one of the reasons I decided to study in the United States. My biggest goal is to learn English and experience the culture of that country while studying abroad. Thanks to ISEP for giving me such good opportunities. I will try my best to achieve my goals!

Jalen Carter from Lenoir-Rhyne University will study at Toyo University in Japan.

Growing up in a small rural and diverse town in North Carolina has had lasting effects on how I view culture and diversity. I was able to see and interact with people of different backgrounds than myself and this curiosity helped create my passion of wanting to travel and explore the world. As I got older and learned more about my surroundings, I became increasingly interested in Japan and its culture. Fast forward a few years and I am now an International Business and Finance major planning to study abroad at Toyo University this fall to further my education and self-development.

Kimberly Alejandra Cervantes Orozco from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO) will study at University of Memphis in the United States.

My name is Kimberly Cervantes and I am currently on my path to becoming an engineer. In the time that I have been studying Environmental Engineering at ITESO, I have enjoyed, academically and personally, a large part of the subjects in my study plan. When I read the call for the exchange, I was amazed by the experience that the program would provide and its relationship with the topics that I have been discovering that I am passionate about in my academic training. The exchange seeks to provide laboratory and field research experience on surface and groundwater at the University of Memphis. Thanks to the scholarship that I obtained from ISEP, to participate in the exchange, I will be able to continue my training and I will be able to contribute an international point of view on the subject of water that I have been analyzing in my college career.

Leslie Maria Auxiladora Sacramento Ornelas from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO) will study at University of Memphis in the United States.

As an environmental engineering student, I know the relevance of leaving my footprint on the planet, which is why I will make good use of these academic opportunities to gain more knowledge and be able to apply it professionally. I am mainly interested in water topics, which, thanks to my university ITESO as well as the University of Memphis and ISEP, I am able to open my views on this important area. On the other hand, in my long journey studying English, I had a brief opportunity to practice with native speakers, so this summer experience will allow me to improve my communication skills by working hand to hand with English speakers and international students. I am very excited to discover other perspectives, meet inspiring people, and face new surroundings. I am very grateful for this opportunity and for helping me fulfill my dream of living an exchange experience in a subject that I am passionate about while improving my English.

Minori Aoki from Lake Forest College will study at University of Eastern Finland in Finland.

Growing up in the countryside in Japan, I have always wanted to see and explore the world. Through studying in Armenia and the USA, I found a dream to commit to English education in Japan. Because I wanted to see the different education systems, I have decided to study at Lake Forest College where I am double majoring in psychology and self-designed major focusing on Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language in Decolonial Context. The first time I came to be interested in Finland was when I read a book about English education there. I found it very fascinating and interesting how it differs from what we have in Japan. I am very excited to learn more about English education in Finland and its culture. Finally, I very much appreciate this great opportunity that will definitely help to grow me up as a future educator.

Sabina Tatarytskaya from University of Tartu will study at Johannes Kepler Universität Linz in Austria.

My name is Sabina, I come from Belarus – a country in Eastern Europe – and studying abroad was always my dream. So in the last years of my bachelors I was searching for opportunities to continue my education, and I found the University of Tartu, where I am currently enrolled in. It was great to learn about the ISEP Exchange available there, because it allows you to get new experience in a different country – and it makes it affordable! I am very interested in the German language, but the level of expenses of any German-speaking country is high, so that my family or me personally as a full-time student could hardly afford it. However, ISEP makes dreams come true: while abroad I am planning to take not only courses connected with my major (Materials Science), but also language classes to become even more fluent and get the best experience out of my studies, city and country!

Sitara Busby from Whitworth University will study at University of the South Pacific in Fiji.

I grew up in Washington State, the Pacific Northwest, and loved the time I spent here. Although, I knew from a young age that I wanted to see other parts of the world and experience different cultures. I knew that in order to achieve my goal, I had to work hard in school. People always told me that college is a great time to travel and expand your worldview. My home school, Whitworth University, strongly encourages its students to study abroad sometime over the four years that they are there. Going to my host school, the University of South Pacific, in Fiji is me taking a step toward what I’ve always wanted. While abroad, I will be continuing my studies as a sociology major and open myself up to the many beautiful things that Fiji has to offer. Fiji is a hub of different cultures and I am very excited to learn about the world.

Tenzin Gyaltsen from Macalester College will study at Leiden University in the Netherlands.

I am from Tibet. However, I was born as a refugee and I have never seen my homeland. From a young age, I have always been curious about studying and living in different countries. Particularly, my experience in high school with students from over a hundred countries really triggered this curiosity. Being challenged by their ideas daily was an appetizing experience for a learner like myself. Fast forward to now, I have been studying Political Science and Computer Science at Macalester College for the past two years. Through these experiences, I knew the need to study away if I want to become a well-rounded student in international relations and build experience in this field through engagement abroad. This made me pursue ISEP, which gave me an opportunity to study away and especially study Political Science and International Relations from a different scholarly and popular perspective.

Wilson Hammer from University of Maryland, Baltimore County will study at Université de Fribourg, Suisse in Switzerland.

As a kid growing up in Maryland, I loved going into Washington DC to see the embassies and learn all about the countries they represent. As I grew older, my childhood fascination with foreign countries has evolved into a passion for International Relations, and those embassy buildings now represent my goal of eventually being a diplomat at the department of state. Which is why I am now studying global studies, alongside political Science and French at the University of Maryland: Baltimore County. In DC, I am regularly exposed to numerous foreign people and cultures, but they are almost always somewhat within my comfort zone, and outside of theirs. Which is why I believe the most important part of my education will be my upcoming study abroad in Switzerland, not only because it will help me improve my French, but because having to adapt to new and unfamiliar environments and learn from different perspectives while outside of my own comfort zone is essential to not only being a good diplomat, but also being a good global citizen.

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