Sonja Perakis is a doctoral candidate ('11) in Agricultural Economics at Michigan State University. She earned a BA from CU in Economics, French Literature and International Affairs, but her interest in international agricultural development was piqued during a semester abroad in Northeastern Brazil. Since graduating she has worked in the Philippines and Switzerland and volunteered in West Africa. Her research as a graduate student is based in Mali, West Africa. She plans to work for the US Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. Last year she took on a second full time job — as Julien's mom!

Hola,

Well, as it is, I have one month left until graduation! And with a degree in Studio Arts, minor in Technology/Media studies too, we will see what comes out of it all. As for my real life education, I spent a good chunk of time traveling all around Ghana during my SIT program in "Arts and Culture". I am keeping my hears and eyes open to any and all travel/work opportunities after school finishes. And I always look to generate ideas, collaborate, and create something with others so if y'all have an idea for something big, let me know, let's make it happen.

Daniel

Thanks for the e-mail! Steve Smith here, from the first SHIP class: 1997-8. (Was that really 11 years ago?) I'm attaching a semi-recent photo.

The latest with me is that after over 7 years in Washington, D.C., I'm living in New York City now (in Park Slope, Brooklyn) and working at a communications agency working for environmental causes and green technology companies.

Not sure if there's anything else you guys might be curious about — just let me know! Hope everything is well in SHIPland!

All the best,
Steve

I studied at the University of Lancaster in Britain. Later, I went back to the UK and earned an MA at the University of Leeds. I'd be happy to talk with anyone headed to either location, or about Britain generally. I wound up going into academic librarianship. Anyone else take the path to the Ivory Tower?

Liza Hensleigh is the Lead Study Abroad Advisor at the University of Colorado-Boulder. She earned her BA from CU in International Affairs and Women & Gender Studies, during which time she studied abroad in Nicaragua, Uganda, Rwanda, & Tanzania. She has traveled in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, France, East Africa, & Southeast Asia. She is passionate about helping students study abroad and is a member of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. She has participated in a young professionals exchange in Mexico, and looks forward to further professional development experiences.

I've been living in Paris, France since graduating from CU - and I love it here!! Currently I work for a large law firm, doing international marketing. I also play for a national level water polo team, which has allowed me to travel all around France and Europe. This summer I led a work camp in rural France, and spent a month in Gabon (Central Africa). I'm always so happy when SHIPsters stop by in Paris on their way to international adventures to say 'Hi'!!

Since graduation, I have been working for PricewaterhouseCoopers as a consultant for financial services firms. I live in New York and absolutely love the diversity of people, cuisines, and experiences the city has to offer. My fondest memories of SHIP include taking Introduction to International Relations with Steve Chan and spending my nights and weekends with my fellow SHIPsters who were among my best friends in college. I encourage all SHIPsters to enjoy college, study abroad, and maintain your relationships with the people you meet.

Since my time at SHIP, I have continued to love learning about the world and cultures. I studied abroad through SIT to Kenya where I studied Swahili, Islam, and lived in a Sudanese Refugee Camp for a month researching and living with both Kenyans and Sudanese. Now I am back in Boulder working and enjoying being outside in the beautiful Colorado mountains. I am applying for the Peace Corps Masters Program and will hopefully go back to Kenya and pursue my PhD in Anthropology with an emphasis on Sudan and East Africa.

Katherine is in the final stretches of her undergraduate degree in anthropology and international affairs. Vigorously working on her thesis related to discourse analysis and the perceptions of Iran in the U.S., Katherine hopes to finish it in the upcoming months and graduate in May 2009. After that, hopefully there will be a trip to Tajikistan.

Hi SHIP!

I was a SHIPster in 2005-06 and a mentor and summer orientation leader in 2006-07. I'm a senior Japanese major and will be graduating in May 2009 and getting my secondary Japanese teaching license after that. I am still adjusting to life in the U.S. after my year studying abroad in Tokyo, Japan, from which I returned in August 2008. I am loving life at home in Colorado while spreading the magic of studying abroad I found while living in Japan.