Laila Terrell

I was abroad in Santiago, Chile, and it absolutely overwhelmed me with new pathways and possibilities for my future. For the first time, I was a part of a research project with the Lender Center for Social Justice where I researched the manipulation of women’s empowerment by CEMA – Chile under the Pinochet dictatorship. My research enlightened me not just on notions of womanhood during authoritarianism, but also my own capabilities as a writer in the future. I also had an internship with the American Corner, a public diplomacy initiative by the U.S Embassy in Chile where I found authentic connections abroad and deepen intercultural understanding of communication. Alongside that, I took some of my favorite courses with our partnership with U of Wake Forest, that allowed me to continue my major abroad. In addition, I was able to travel with and without my program to Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and Patagonia!

I was not expecting to feel so simultaneously fulfilled and also scared. The ability to study abroad because of this grant has shown me a sliver in what I am able to do outside of the states, and although I am grateful, I am almost overwhelmed with the potential. I am currently looking to submit my research project and have started an application for the Fullbright Scholarship to study another women-oriented organization under Pinochet. The grant allowed me to afford to go, and in that very simple support provided an immense amount of joy to my life.

Since I was able to be a part of my first research project that is not for a class, I was able to dive into my academic goals of becoming published and doing more academic things outside of direct schooling. My research has shed a lot of light on my journey to keep researching as a professional.