Mohandas Gandhi, W.E.B. Dubois, T.S Elliot, Sylvia Plath, Emma Watson, Michael Douglas, Marian Wright Edelman, Christiane Amanpour, Kofi Annan… do any of these names sound familiar? You are most likely to say yes.
All of them are worldwide known celebrity figures in their fields of profession. Among them are Nobel Peace Prize winners (Annan, always proud), Oscar winners, dreamy poets, ground-shaking national leaders, prominent human rights activists, provocative journalists… And this is only a small sampling of names I scooped out from the pool...of awesome celebrities, yes, but there is another element that brings them together:
They all were once study abroad “returnees”, having spent a portion of their education away from their home countries and/or home universities!
They all were once study abroad “returnees”, having spent a portion of their education away from their home countries and/or home universities!
Sarah McNitt, a study abroad advisor at University of Iowa, began this list of “celebrity study abroad returnees” as her blogging project. Her list is quite diverse and categorizes people based on their profession. These professions range from air & space engineers to political scientists, from artists to physicians…
Another interesting category she created was fictional characters (!) who studied abroad, such as Hamlet, Fleur Delacour (Harry Potter Series), Sunshine Gorazon (Glee), Doctor Leo Spaceman (30 Rock), and Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby). I was especially thrilled to see a Harry Potter character in the list, given I secretly desired to be admitted by Hogwarts at the age of 11 like many other HP fans out in the world. Fun facts.
Another interesting category she created was fictional characters (!) who studied abroad, such as Hamlet, Fleur Delacour (Harry Potter Series), Sunshine Gorazon (Glee), Doctor Leo Spaceman (30 Rock), and Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby). I was especially thrilled to see a Harry Potter character in the list, given I secretly desired to be admitted by Hogwarts at the age of 11 like many other HP fans out in the world. Fun facts.
I do not know about you but I was very inspired by seeing such a looooong list of people who once were also students, like us, especially like us, who experienced life in different cultural settings and/or with different academic institutions. And look how many of them have become worldwide known people, who have proven exceptional success in their professions!
I obviously do not mean it in the way that all of us will choose similar paths and must be “overachievers” in our fields. My biggest takeaway from this list was that I made a good choice pursuing education on the international level, and take the risks to expose myself to different cultural realities to construct a more sophisticated worldview. Let me know if you agree/disagree by commenting below!
I obviously do not mean it in the way that all of us will choose similar paths and must be “overachievers” in our fields. My biggest takeaway from this list was that I made a good choice pursuing education on the international level, and take the risks to expose myself to different cultural realities to construct a more sophisticated worldview. Let me know if you agree/disagree by commenting below!
For fun, I have compiled a few names that I thought would interest the readers of this blog. For more, make sure to check Sarah McNitt's blog.
People Who Studied Abroad #593:
Penelope Cruz, actor
From: Spain
After training extensively in ballet in Spain, she studied theater for four years in New York with Cristina Rota.
People Who Studied Abroad #6:
W.E.B. Du Bois, author, historian, civil rights activist
From: United States
Received a fellowship to pursue graduate work at the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany
People Who Studied Abroad #39:
Christiane Amanpour, journalist
From: Iran
She attended New Hall School in Essex (United Kingdom) and earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Rhode Island (United States).
She attended New Hall School in Essex (United Kingdom) and earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Rhode Island (United States).
People Who Studied Abroad #483:
Jennifer Granholm, former Governor of Michigan and political commentator
Jennifer Granholm, former Governor of Michigan and political commentator
From: Born in Canada, raised in the United States
While pursuing her B.A. in political science and French at the University of California-Berkeley, she studied abroad in Bordeaux, France.
From:Russia
Studied Slavic and Romance languages at Trinity College, University of Cambridge
Studied Slavic and Romance languages at Trinity College, University of Cambridge
From: India
He majored in biology at Stanford University (United States), then won a Rhodes Scholarship and earned a DPhil in immunology at Magdalen College, University of Oxford (United Kingdom). He went on to receive his M.D. from Harvard Medical School (United States).
He majored in biology at Stanford University (United States), then won a Rhodes Scholarship and earned a DPhil in immunology at Magdalen College, University of Oxford (United Kingdom). He went on to receive his M.D. from Harvard Medical School (United States).
People Who Studied Abroad #319:
Michel Foucault, philosopher
Michel Foucault, philosopher
From: France
He studied for his doctorate at the University of Uppsala (Sweden) between 1954 and 1958, but his thesis was rejected there(!!!!!). He returned to France in 1960 after teaching at Warsaw University and the University of Hamburg, and completed the doctorate in France in 1961.
He studied for his doctorate at the University of Uppsala (Sweden) between 1954 and 1958, but his thesis was rejected there(!!!!!). He returned to France in 1960 after teaching at Warsaw University and the University of Hamburg, and completed the doctorate in France in 1961.
People Who Studied Abroad #435:
Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese pro-democracy leader
Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese pro-democracy leader
From: Burma
When her mother was appointed Burmese ambassador to India and Nepal, Aung San Suu Kyi studied in New Delhi at the Convent of Jesus and Mary School and graduated from Lady Shri Ram College with a degree in politics in 1964. She continued her education at St Hugh’s College, University of Oxford (United Kingdom), where she earned a B.A. degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics in 1969. She completed a PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies (United Kingdom) in 1985.
Fictional Character Who Studied Abroad #10:
Bart Simpson, The Simpsons
From: Springfield, Oregon
From: Springfield, Oregon
Exchange student in France.
"Homer: Always remember that you’re representing your country. I guess what I’m saying is… Don’t mess up France the way you messed up your room.
—-
Bart: Hey, mister. You gotta help me. These two guys work me night and day. They don’t feed me, they make me sleep on the floor. They put anti-freeze in the wine and they gave my red hat to the donkey.
French Policeman: (gasps) Anti-freeze in the wine? That is a very serious crime.
—-
Bart: Hey, mister. You gotta help me. These two guys work me night and day. They don’t feed me, they make me sleep on the floor. They put anti-freeze in the wine and they gave my red hat to the donkey.
French Policeman: (gasps) Anti-freeze in the wine? That is a very serious crime.
Note: Bart’s 'exchange program' to France involved a little more grape-stomping and sleeping in hay than the average study abroad student will encounter."
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