I鈥檝e always been interested in international relations, so I knew I wanted to major in something international. At St. Kate鈥檚, I was introduced to a new major鈥擶omen and International Development.
My first year, I learned a little about what my identity was as a woman in this world. Experiences of other people, including women, was something I wanted and needed to learn, especially in the realm of international development.
I had never been at an all-women鈥檚 school, but there are a lot of benefits. You might be put in a situation someday where you鈥檙e in a community that鈥檚 not your own, where they do things differently. It prepares you for the real world.
My first year, St. Kate鈥檚 felt like a small, local community. But then it introduced me to the broader community outside Saint Paul. Through my study abroad experiences and internships, St. Kate鈥檚 felt a lot bigger.
I am a Hmong American woman. I was not around a lot of powerful women of color in high school. It was nice to see women here in leadership roles and think I can be one of them, too. There were a lot of great mentors here. One mentor was a Fulbright Scholarship recipient to Laos. She inspired me to apply for a Fulbright. She made it seem possible. I had the support of strong women behind me. I did receive a Fulbright in 2019 to Laos. It was the peak of my undergrad experience. Now I want to use everything I learned to support women around me.
My study abroad experience during my second year was in Japan. I鈥檇 received a Gilman scholarship to go. I also did a lot of internships as part of the community leadership program, which finds paid internships for students. I actually worked four different internships throughout my third and fourth years. I was also involved in clubs, including Diversity Chair for the Student Senate Association.
St. Kate鈥檚 always taught me to be a leader. My mentors鈥攅ven my classmates鈥攚ere so empowering it pushed me to strive even more for success. There was always a team there to help me with my vision for after graduation. It had been there from the start, so I felt fully prepared.
St. Kate鈥檚 was a place that cared about me all four years. As an alum, I would say to others considering St. Kate鈥檚 that there鈥檚 a team there that really wants you to achieve your goals and vision for your future. It鈥檚 one of the best decisions I made.