Bonjour!
My name is Charlotte and I am one of Loyola’s Global Ambassadors this year. Wherever you are in the world, I hope that my blog entries will inspire you to come and study at Loyola University in Chicago, a university and a city with which I fell in love!
I grew up in Marseille (France), a city at the crossroads of various cultures by the Mediterranean Sea. I graduated from the Universite Aix-Marseille with a major in English and American Studies, then decided to come to Loyola University Chicago as an exchange student to specialize in American Studies. I was convinced I would go back to France to get my PhD in American studies then teach in a French University, however my experience at Loyola University Chicago reminded me that life never unfolds the way we plan it. Fascinated by the differences which exist between educational systems throughout the world and how these systems shape our minds, I returned to LUC for another M.A., enrolling in the Cultural and Educational Policy Studies program to study Comparative and International Education. This will be my last year at Loyola University Chicago and I can say that studying at Loyola University Chicago has been a transformative experience.
As soon as I arrived in Chicago, I felt at home! I feel so blessed to be here. I live by Lake Shore campus in Rogers Park, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Chicago and, from my window, I can see the beach, the wonderful Lake Michigan, and the Lakefront trail on which I love to ride my bike at sunrise. This gives me the energy I need to accomplish my work during the day!
~ Sunrise by Loyola's Lake Shore Campus ~
I am now done with my coursework but need to write my master’s thesis. I also work for various organizations on-campus and off-campus, such as the International Club and RefugeeOne. The International Club is like a second family. This is the first community I joined when I arrived at Loyola and I immediately felt very welcome there, as I’m sure you would! Fostering intercultural dialog and understanding is my passion, and it is a real privilege to be the president of the International Club this year. Feel free to ask me any questions you have about this wonderful club! As for the refugee family I mentor through RefugeeOne, they have also become my second family. This experience actually changed my life. And, while I was not sure about the type of job I would like to have in the future, I now know I would love to work with refugee communities around the world.
It is thus clear that my education at Loyola didn’t stop in the classroom. This university, whose core mission is social justice, offered me many opportunities to get involved with communities beyond its campus, become a leader, and hopefully make a positive difference in the world. In other words, my education at Loyola has transformed me so that I can transform the world.
So what are YOU waiting for? Come to Loyola and, together, let’s make the world a better place!