Dakota Shelton ’21 Receives U.S. Department of State Scholarship to Study Abroad in Chile

At Hutchison, I was a part of Gov Club leadership, which kept me deeply involved with both national and international politics. Additionally, through taking Mr. Francis’s AP Comparative Government and Politics class, I became interested in relations between the United States and Mexico. It helped me realize that I wanted to study abroad while in college. I also took Spanish every year at Hutchison, which gave me a great foundation to continue in college.

I chose Chile because of its recent constitutional referendum and the Estallido Social, a series of massive protests that led to reforms in various areas including healthcare, wages, and taxes. It was a great opportunity to get a close look at the political process in Latin America and a society’s reckoning with its past of dictatorship and imperialism.

My schedule here is much more slow-paced than my one at Tulane, which has allowed me to take in the entirety of the experience. On a typical day, I have 1-2 classes, go to lunch with my friends from class or my program, go to my yoga class (which I’ve taken up here), and I like to try out new places. One of my favorites has been the Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral, a cultural and performing arts center.  

My biggest challenge studying abroad has been feeling disconnected from friends and family at school and home. Overcoming that has come with building a life and routine for myself here and staying in contact. I also have learned how to take time for myself. When you’re abroad, you feel this pressure to fill your days with activities or travel to negate some of the culture shock or isolation you feel from simply being far away from your normal life. Learning that it is okay to allow myself the space to recharge has been invaluable.

Hutchison gave me the ambition to pursue anything I want, the passion to see it through, and I learned to always think about how my work can impact the communities I work with. Without Hutchison allowing me to explore and cultivate my interest I wouldn’t be where I am today.