Jordyn White

International Experience Country:
Costa Rica
Cohort Year:
2022
Home Institution:

Washington & Jefferson College

Bio:
Jordyn White is currently a dual major, studying political science and international relations at Washington & Jefferson College. Upon the completion of her 4-year degree, she is looking to pursue her master's degree. In obtaining her master's degree, Jordyn will be focusing on international affairs. She has the goal of becoming a foreign service officer, to assert her voice on the world stage. In achieving this goal, Jordyn has participated in Junior Statesmen of America, where she learned civil debate and political conflict resolutions. She has also been a part of global and domestic outreach programs, such as Bridge of Hope Global, Toys For Tots, Cancer Society, and Growing in God Ministries. Jordyn strives to be a molder of consensus rather than a conformer to popular opinion.  
International Experience Summary:

Jordyn White, a rising Junior at Washington and Jefferson College, attended a five-week summer program in Heredia, Costa Rica, where she studied at the Universidad Nacional Costa Rica (UNA). During her five weeks, she took three courses: dances of Latin America, Government and politics in Latin America, and Spanish conversation and oral skills. Through these courses, Jordyn was able to learn how to perform dances like the merengue and bachata, but additionally, gained historical and political knowledge about all Latin American countries, while also bettering her pronunciation of the Spanish language. One of Jordyn’s main goals while in Costa Rica was to improve her pronunciation. Through her university, she was able to get involved in organizations on the UNA campus, such as intermediate volleyball and the language exchange program, where Tico’s and Americans can meet and practice each other's language with one another. 

In addition, to Jordyn’s on-campus activities she used her free time to truly explore Costa Rica. On the weekends, Jordyn and some of her other cohort members would plan trips to see attractions and experience more of the culture across Costa Rica. She traveled to places like La Fortuna, Puerto Viejo, and Manuel Antonio. These places expanded her perspective of the country, as every area embodied its own culture, like in Puerto Viejo, where there are more Afro-Latinas and even a different language is spoken. This experience has allowed Jordyn to expand her knowledge about the region and open herself up to more future travel experiences.

Community Engagement Experience Summary:

CEE Title: “ Let’s Get in the Know: The Secrets to Studying Abroad”

Let’s Get in the Know: The Secrets to Studying Abroad was a cultural experience designed to bridge the gap between international students and domestic students at Washington& Jefferson College. The goal was to establish a study abroad experience on our campus for students to engage in a global perspective. The expectation was for students who had never studied abroad before to engage in all the feelings and cultural adversity one may experience when abroad. The purpose of our CEE was to make the uncomfortable, comfortable and form our understanding of culture into knowledge rather than a way of division. We used the panel-style template to demonstrate this knowledge. Additionally, we invited the international students that we host on our campus to answer questions pertaining to their current study abroad experience. We asked questions that helped us understand their global outlook. We pushed to understand their reasoning for coming to our institution, as well as the biggest comparisons between their home country and here. The knowledge we learned was truly personable to their individual stories. Many of our panelists spoke two to three different languages and had lived in over two countries prior to coming to our institution. Their stories were eye-openers and created an enlightening dialogue about obtaining a global perspective, and how Americans should aspire to have a more well-rounded understanding of different cultures. Overall, this CEE invited domestic students to desire more knowledge about the world and put themselves in positions where their uncomfortable can become comfortable.