Hampton University Develops Global Leaders through Academic Excellence

By Sydnie Baker

From a young age my parents instilled in me the power of thinking globally. I attended a

prestigious preparatory school from 6th to 12th grade where I interacted with people from

different cultures. I was also afforded the opportunity to participate in various camps across the

country that exposed me to a diverse group of people and perspectives.

In high school I was accepted into the Concordia Language Village program that allowed

me to be immersed in the Spanish culture and language right here in the United States. Upon

entering Hampton University, I quickly declared Public Relations as my first major. The Scripps

Howard School of Journalism and

Communications is a superb program that

develops credible and well-rounded journalists. It

offers a plethora of opportunities including,

internships, student organizations, and practical

experience.

During my first semester, I reignited my passion for the Spanish culture and language. As

a Communications student I recognized the growing population of Spanish speaking people in

both the national and international business world. The percentage of Spanish speaking

immigrants is exponentially growing throughout the United States. The media sometimes fails to

represent all cultures or target that particular

audience. There is a need for those people to have

fair representation and that requires good

communication. I hope to use my education to

serve those communities that cannot help themselves. After learning a tremendous amount in

my Spanish classes I embarked in the process of becoming a double major. As a current senior, it

is clear that this was one of the best decisions of my life because it challenged me to go beyond

what was expected of me.

One of the graduation requirements for Scripps Howard students is to complete an

internship in their majors. The Foreign Language department requires students to intern at a

Spanish speaking organization or study abroad.

During my junior year I thought it would be an

amazing opportunity to intern in a foreign country to

fulfill both graduation requirements. My double

major challenged me to set higher academic goals

and raise the standard of excellence on Hampton’s campus.

I applied to the Institute for the International Education of Students’ Intensive Internship

program and was accepted into the small program of 25 students from around the country. Upon

my arrival, I had an interview at the Barcelona Bar Association with executives from the

Training and International Departments. Once I obtained the position I started working at the

association daily after my classes. I learned invaluable information through interacting with

native Spanish people. My ability to speak and write

in Spanish strengthened tremendously. I experienced

an immense personal transformation as well over the

summer. Working and studying in Spain validated

my future ambitions of becoming an international

Public Relations professional. The world became a

lot larger in my eyes yet I realized how similar we are humans regardless of our cultural,

economic, and ethnic differences. I developed a compassion for all people and became more

sensitive to the world’s need for better communication. Hampton University, the School of

Liberal Arts, and Scripps Howard are graduating international leaders who will impact the world

for generations to come.