Sajana Blank `08

The African Studies minor was an integral part of my academic trajectory as a student at St. Lawrence.As a Global Studies major, with a concentration in African Studies and South Asian Studies it was a natural decision for me to pursue a minor in AFS.As a prospective student I was very attracted to St. Lawrence University because of the opportunity to study on the Kenya Semester Program.I began taking courses in African Studies as early as my first semester on campus in order to adequately prepare myself for the KSP program the following year.Planning far in advanced allowed me to develop very clear and obtainable academic and personal goals for my four years at SLU.I was fortunate to study off campus in Kenya and India as well as return to Kenya on a travel research grant through the Center for International and Intercultural Studies.For me, the most valuable component of the Kenya program was my Independent Study with Mathare Youth Sports Association, MYSA.This organization reaches out to youth in one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements through sports and the arts.It was from my experience teaching dance and acrobatics to underprivileged youth that I was able to narrow down my interest in African Studies.I received a research grant to return to Kenya as a junior and begin research towards my Global Studies honor thesis tilted: The Plight of Underprivileged Girls: Reevaluating Gender Inequalities through Grassroots Initiatives in Kenya and North India.The AFS capstone allowed me to share my passion for East Africa and my research and travel experiences with my peers and stay up to date with current events.My interests in international development, study of Kiswahili and my passion for international travel can all be attributed to the work I did as an AFS minor at SLU.

In the summer of 2008, after graduating from SLU, I co-led a high school group on a Putney Student Travel Community Service Trip to rural Tanzania.  The following fall I resided in Burlington, Vermont where I worked at a local community center as the Refugee and Immigrant Outreach Specialist and Mentoring Coordinator.Although I did not expect it, I have found myself back in beautiful Canton, NY where I am the Assistant Director of Off-Campus Programs in the Center for International and Intercultural Studies.I oversee all of the non-European programs that are offered at SLU including the Kenya Semester Program, and love sharing my own experiences with the students I work with.Having an opportunity to return to my alma mater has been an invaluable experience and has allowed me to give back to the St. Lawrence community in a valuable way!I hope to pursue a masters degree in international studies, or peace and social justice with a focus on East Africa and continue working in the international education or a related field.