Natalie Deduck '14
BA in Political Science Peace Corps Volunteer, Indonesia I came to Quinnipiac as a film major. By the end of the first semester I knew I wanted to change majors, so I designed my 2nd semester of college around a broad range of classes I could potentially see myself majoring in. One was an International Relations class, arguably my first taste of the world, and I immediately knew I wanted to major in Political Science. The next step I remember was joining Model UN. I had a nice conversation at a Model UN conference in Boston with my advisor, which led to an hour-long meeting between where we discussed a Nicaragua research trip he was working on with QU’s Albert Schweitzer Institute (ASI). I handed in my application shortly after and then went to Nicaragua! I loved the travel so much, that I took one semester off and studied abroad in Argentina. There I lived with a host family and took intensive Spanish courses, a decision I wouldn’t have made had I not been exposed to (and fallen in love with) Latin American culture by living with a host family and learning Spanish in Nicaragua. When I returned, I became closer with David Ives at QU’s Albert Schweitzer Institute. David introduced me to tutoring immigrants. As the question, “what will I do for the rest of my life?” came about senior year, David thought I was fit to be a Peace Corps volunteer based upon my experiences and personality. And as I type this in Indonesia...turns out he was right! Those are the nuts and bolts of my undergraduate years, but it truly couldn’t have been done without the philosophical perspective, trips and faculty of the Albert Schweitzer Institute. One ASI trip exposed me on how to travel the world purposefully, always with the intent of integration and service. Experiencing that influenced all of my travels afterwards. My QU mentors who believed in that philosophy, and believed in me, help me become a Peace Corps volunteer I proudly am today. On March 16th 2015 I left for Indonesia. For the next 3 months I lived in Malang, Indonesia for Pre-Service training. Then I traveled to my permanent site in Java, for the next two years. My life is better than I could have ever predicted-- a testament to my time at Quinnipiac. The Peace Corps was never a life-long dream of mine, but rather the result of the growing and learning during my years at Quinnipiac, which cultivated me into a Peace Corps candidate. My desire to learn about the world thtat I developed freshmen year has grown beyond what that freshman could have predicted. I look forward to one day having a career where I can capitalize on my ability to assimilate into new cultures, my knowledge of Latin America and South East Asia, the multiple languages I’ve learned from them, and maybe even the knowledge gained from living in an Islamic country. I hope to have a place to work where I can have a wider and longer-lasting positive influence on an international scale. The one thing I experienced at Quinnipiac that has made the most difference is the confidence I’ve obtained after all of my new experiences. I constantly put myself in new situations during my undergraduate years that challenged me. When I successfully accomplished them (after some trips and stumbles) I gained a whole new level of confidence on what I am capable of accomplishing. Doing this, in conjunction with some great mentors and a loving family, instilled enough confidence in me to believe I could move to the other side of the world by myself for two years! My piece of advice for Quinnipiac students: don’t limit your collegiate experience to required courses and internship credit. Becoming a PCV was the result of many opportunities I took advantage of, ranging from studying abroad in a country by myself to having great conversations with professors I respect. Find what you’re passionate about and have the confidence and tenacity to do it. There are so many professors who can help guide that passion and hard work into a career you want. Utilize them! |