Rebecca Korff is an International Studies and Economics double major studying in Barcelona, Spain. She is from the Bay Area and has traveled to Brazil many times to visit her mother’s family. Rebecca is an animal lover and an avid runner who hopes to run a marathon one day. She writes that her mission is “to share the power of traveling, the power of opening one’s mind, and viewing life through many lenses.” Receiving a Borton Scholarship made her feel recognized and understood and she hopes one day to also create a scholarship foundation. She writes about the Chris Borton Memorial Scholarship program: “I do not believe there is a better way to prolong his vision and his memory than through helping others.”
Andrew Kubal (England, 2013-14)
Andrew Kubal, an Electrical Engineering major, is studying at Imperial College in London, England. He was exposed to engineering from an early age by his father, an engineer. Andrew is living on campus, just south of Hyde Park, and describes London as “a big city, not as big as everyone says it is, with bustling streets and nightlife.” He is most excited about the perspective expanding potential of studying abroad. Andrew writes, “engineering is centered on not only understanding complex mathematics and physics concepts, but also on conjuring a novel approach to a problem.” Exposure to foreign points of view “will provide me with new tools in approaching my studies and in my future work.” He joined Imperial’s Erasmus club and so far has visited Edinburgh, Oxford, and Cambridge. He has plans to travel to Germany, Holland and the French Alps.
Brenda Vega (Spain, 2013-14)
Brenda Vega is pursuing a degree in Human Development and is studying this year at the University of Granada in Spain. She is a first generation college student who wants to “give back to her community by influencing the younger generation to pursue higher education.” Brenda has served on the board of Hermanas Unidas de UCSD, been actively involved in a variety of community programs in San Diego, and traveled to Amman, Jordan in the summer of 2012 in a quest to acquire international experience. She writes that “Granada has a very traditional feeling and the historical presence of the Arab culture is very much alive here, although the Catholic religion is very prominent as well.” Her experiences thus far have allowed her to “learn not only about Spanish culture, but also about how intertwined other cultures are to it.” Brenda has been able to travel to London and has plans to travel to Morocco.
Jessica Pham (France, 2013-14)
Jessica Pham, a Political Science major, is studying at L’Institut d’Etudes Politiques (“Sciences Po”) in Paris, France. Her parents are Vietnamese but this is her first extended time spent overseas. Jessica is fascinated by the study of politics because “the political world encompasses both individual preference and experience, both exterior influences and interior motives.” She strives to find the intersection of the academic world of grades, deadlines and knowledge, and the real world of culture, politics, religion and personal experience. Outside of her academic pursuits, she loves to experiment with various baking recipes, attend concerts, and spend time with her golden retriever Luke Skywalker. She is living with a host family in Paris during her first semester, which has done wonders for her conversational French. Jessica hopes “to eventually pursue a career in social justice law, international business, or in the non-profit sector.” She has “always been passionate about the welfare of others” and hopes to utilize her time in France as a foundation for a possible career path abroad.