Student Spotlight: Depies Wins Scholarship
For some students at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, taking advantage of one of the University’s numerous study abroad opportunities is their first chance to travel abroad and interact with different cultures. But for Jessica Depies, things were a little different.
“Growing up, my mother was a flight attendant for Delta Airlines. I traveled throughout Europe and Latin America from a young age,” said Depies. “Between trips, home was New Mexico, where I was immersed in the Spanish language and many other Hispanic influences. I knew when I studied abroad, I wanted to do something a little different.”
Already fluent in Spanish and interested in Latin American culture, Depies set her sights on a place she did not know; Brazil. And today, she is studying economics, global development, and forro dance in the city of Fortaleza, thanks to winning Boston University’s Boren Award for International Study.
“Since I’m already fluent in Spanish, studying Portuguese and focusing on Brazil was a natural fit,” Depies said. “I was thrilled when I found out I won. It’s allowed me to immerse myself in a new culture and nation – an experience both really interesting and at times overwhelming.”
Depies, a junior and double major in International Relations and Economics, developed her passion for global development though charitable work.
“Beginning my freshman year, I worked at Debate Mate, a nonprofit that matches students in low-income neighborhoods with college student mentors to teach debate skills. It made me more aware of social justice and increased my global awareness,” Depies said. “After spending a summer studying Spanish in Guatemala, I began volunteering with Catholic Charities, helping provide English language classes and career development for Cuban refugees.”
Since arriving in Fortaleza, Depies has been taking classes and living with a Brazilian family. She’s also discovered a passion for forro dance, a type of partner dancing popular in Brazil.
“I take a couple of classes a week. I’m always looking for new places to dance,” Depies said.
Beginning next month, Depies will pursue a monthlong research project studying a favela, or slum, located within an environmental protection zone, and how sustainable development can accommodate the needs of local residents.
“Next semester, security clearance pending, I will be interning at the U. S. embassy in Peru,” Depies said. “I want to have a career in global development in a way that takes into account all the contradictions, and the State Department is definitely an option. I feel like my Pardee School education has allowed me to look at complex global issues in a whole new light.”
Boren Scholarships, an initiative of the National Security Education Program, provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests. Boren Scholars represent a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena. In exchange for funding, Boren Scholars commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.