Jupiter, FL (September 1, 2009)

The Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University has a long history of excellent students gracing its halls, and this tenth anniversary year is no different. Heather Chase, a student concentrating in International Studies with specialties in North Africa/Middle East and Latin America, has been a shining example of what it means to be a Wilkes Honors College student. Since arriving at the college, Heather has been a volunteer with Corn Maya, a non-profit organization that provides immigration services, translation, emergency services, and education for immigrants concerning their rights and responsibilities in American society.

During her sophomore year, in 2007-2008, Heather received the prestigious National Security Education Program David L. Boren Scholarship to study in Morocco. She attended the Al-Akhawayn University in Morocco where she took classes in Arabic, Comparative Politics, and the Politics of the Middle East. The Boren Scholarship also came with a year-long government service requirement, which Heather began meeting by working at the American Embassy in Rabat, Morocco. She was an intern at the Embassy for 11 weeks where she was active in the Political Section.

“That experience gave me the opportunity to learn what it’s like to be a Foreign Service Officer, both from an employment perspective and in terms of living overseas for an extended period of time. One of the most interesting aspects of the job was the chance it provided to talk with the regular employees, most of whom had families and young children. My main projects for the Embassy were research and reporting on human rights abuse and reform in Morocco and Western Sahara, as well as an individual project on the political role of music festivals.”

In true Wilkes Honors College tradition, Heather impressed everyone during her internship. “Judging from the written evaluation that her direct supervisors did on her performance, her work at the embassy was stellar,” said Dr. Miguel Vázquez, Associate Professor of Hispanic Literature. She was also able to enjoy the work that she was performing. “I loved the work that I was doing, and the people I worked with. They were always willing to help and give me direction or more challenging assignments if I asked for it. They ensured that the internship consisted of far more than just making photocopies. I actually learned a great deal about both Morocco and the Foreign Service.”

Partly because of her internship, Heather plans on entering the Foreign Service someday, perhaps even within the next year or so. She is also considering various graduate school programs in International Relations, Foreign Policy, or Middle East Studies. “I had planned on applying to the Foreign Service even before the internship, but the experience has confirmed for me that this is what I want to do.”

Heather believes that FAU’s Wilkes Honors College has provided a truly unique experience for her that has helped shape her future. “The small community of the HC has been great and allowed me to create my own plan for my four years, which I don’t think would have been possible on a larger campus. The professors and administration here all know me by name and can write amazing recommendations for whatever program I’ve decided I want to try, and they support the untraditional path I’ve chosen. For highly motivated students who really want a challenge, the college is an unbelievable opportunity.”

Byline: Tamara Howard