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Class of 2011
World Tour 2009
Two weeks after her final exam, Latoya Gatewood-Young will step on a plane bound for Morocco, beginning the first leg of yearlong journey that will immerse her in three different cultures.
An international studies major with a concentration in African studies, Latoya will spend her summer studying Arabic in an intensive-language program at Al Akhawayn University. In September, she's off to London, where she'll participate in the Hansard Scholars Program in Parliamentary and Public Policy Studies. Then she'll culminate her junior year abroad in South Africa, on academic exchange at Rhodes University.
"With my high school experience abroad—a three-week People to People ambassadorship to Fiji—I got my first look at the developing world," she says. The juxtaposition of the resort where she was staying and the world beyond the gates jarred her sensibilities and inspired her aspirations to help address inequalities in the world. Her college experience—political science classes, model diplomacy programs, and volunteer work over Spring Break with Habitat for Humanity—only strengthened her resolve.
Her global journey really began in her freshman year, during her Intro to Anthropology class. "We had the opportunity to study various cultures; that really appealed to me," she says. "For our field work, we were asked to examine a different culture and live it for a day. I went to a synagogue. It made me see the world, and myself, a little differently."
Since then, she's followed the post-apartheid politics of South Africa and has written about the plight of South African women. It's a topic she'll likely explore further during her time in Grahamstown, and develop for her senior thesis.
Intent on a career in the nonprofit sector, Latoya hopes to combine service in the Peace Corps with graduate studies in sustainable development. "International studies is a good stepping stone," she says. "Plus, the concentration in African Studies and my language studies will undoubtedly give me an edge."
Stepping outside of the box isn't always easy, but she wants to take full advantage of opportunities that come her way. "International studies majors have plenty to choose from. It's beneficial to learn different languages," she says of her decision to study in Morocco, "and I'm really looking forward to my semester at Rhodes. Everyone comes back with amazing stories of South Africa and its people."
Campus Event Appearances
Look for Latoya in these event photos.