This impressive senior was recently awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to spend 10 months teaching and mentoring students in Ecuador! Meet Jordyn Dezago ’15!
Class Year: 2015
Majors: French and Francophone Studies, Comparative Literature
Minor: Spanish
Hometown: Red Hook, NY
HC: Why did you decide to attend HWS?
JD: I honestly think I just liked the vibe. I came for an overnight visit because I was interested in playing soccer, and between hanging out with the team and meeting other students, it seemed like a place I could see myself at. Plus I really liked the emphasis on studying abroad!
HC: What led you to apply for the Fulbright U.S. Student Award?
JD: A lot of people who probably knew me better than I knew myself told me to apply for it. I also met some pretty cool Fulbright students, including William Smith alumna Molly Krifka, who was working in Peru while I was studying abroad there. But overall, I think it came down to me wanting to go back to Ecuador.
HC: What was the application process like?
JD: It was probably one of the most stressful things I have ever had to do. Scott MacPhail is my hero, but at the time when he was making me write and rewrite my application essays (for good reason, I guess), I wasn’t too happy!
HC: How do you feel about being selected for such a prestigious award?
JD: I’m still in denial, and I probably will be until I get on the plane. When you apply, they tell you to just act as if it never happened and to just move on with your life, so that’s what I was doing. It seemed like the most impossible thing, and I can’t believe it happened to me. I’m also just really grateful for the amount of support and love that I’ve been getting from people all over campus and beyond. It is really meaningful to hear how happy people are for me.
HC: Has teaching always been a passion of yours?
JD: Both of my parents are teachers and coaches, so I was pretty adamant about not ever going into the field of education. I realized how much I loved teaching around my sophomore year, and I’m really happy I’ve found a way to pursue that opportunity outside the field of conventional teaching.
HC: What led you to choose Ecuador?
JD: After studying abroad in Ecuador and Peru, I knew I had to go back to South America as soon as I could. I had some really life-changing experiences in Peru, but for the entire four months that I was there, I was just thinking about how much I missed Ecuador. I guess that’s how I realized that I needed to go back.
HC: What do you hope to accomplish during this program?
JD: For my community engagement project I hope to establish a mentoring/tutoring program between the university students that I will be teaching and local public schools in the area. I want to work towards more equal opportunities in education.
HC: When do you leave for Ecuador, and how long will you be there?
JD: I don’t have the exact dates yet, but around September/October. The program will last for about 10 months.
HC: Do you have any plans for what you will do after the program has concluded?
JD: Probably Grad School?
“Favorites”:
Class at HWS: Creative Writing with Vinita Prabhakar, or Beyond Colonialism with Dean Gallouet
Spot on Campus: Bozzuto Boathouse
Place in Geneva: I have too many favorites!
Celebrity: Beyoncé
Movie: Pulp Fiction