Erica is especially looking forward to her internship

Hi! My name is Erica Petropoulos and I’m a junior at the University of Connecticut.  I’m double majoring in Political Science and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies, with a minor in Studio Art.

I decided to participate in this program for a multitude of reasons. The internship program highly interests me and getting the opportunity to work hands-on in a field of my interest would be an indispensable experience. I’m very passionate about social justice issues and sexual violence prevention, and I would love to work with members of the community and help educate people about these topics.

I hope to grow both as a person and a student through my study abroad experience. I am a strong feminist and I believe that looking at situations through an intersectional lens is key. I believe that studying abroad will broaden my perspective regarding social justice issues and allow me to grow as a feminist. Studying abroad will undoubtedly put me out of my comfort zone; however, I view this as a largely positive thing. I hope that my time in Cape Town will challenge me in new ways and contribute to my growth as a global citizen.

Now that I’ve been accepted for the program, I’ve had lots of different thoughts come into my mind! I feel excited, curious, and a little anxious all at the same time. I can’t wait to immerse myself in a different culture and learn about the history of South Africa. I’m especially looking forward to my internship because I’ve been passionate about social justice issues for quite some time; however, I haven’t had the opportunity to get hands-on experience in the field.

I’m very excited now that I’ve been accepted into the program, and I can’t wait to see what’s to come in the following months!