This year brought some exciting changes and new chances to make the most of my college experience. In the spring I braved my Econ course requirements (and came out on top!), took a fascinating class on French crime writing, and continued my Global Health studies. My global mental health course was taught by two incredible women from the National Institute of Mental Health. Through their connections, we welcomed over 10 guest speakers from organizations such as the NIMH, United Nations, and World Health Organization. We heard about their research in the field, simulated case studies based on their experiences, and talked through the process of implementing health policy when it demands international cooperation. With the promise of warmer weather I also rejoined GW’s club lacrosse team, and had so much fun getting outside and immersing myself back into the sport. My school requires that we live on campus for 3 years, but as Fall 2023 saw the beginning of my senior year I was finally able to move into an apartment. While the dorms will always hold a special place in my heart, living in an apartment building has brought a sense of calm and “adultness” that is quite nice! I was able to bring my keyboard and some other instruments from home (and a framed map of the Vineyard, of course), and I found that the ability to create a space of my own has brought a refreshing sense of personal growth. I also joined a new theater group, GW Shakespeare, for their production of The Winter’s Tale. It was such a wonderful and dedicated community to be a part of, and solidified my belief that Shakespeare nerds actually make life more fun. Winter’s Tale was truly a highlight of 2023; as such, I thought it only appropriate to use my character portrait as this year’s photo! I know that 2024 will bring more new chances and exciting things, and as always, I am endlessly grateful to MVYouth for the chance to experience them.
Zephrine Thompson - George Washington University
The fall semester of my third year at The George Washington University passed in a heartbeat! This semester has been entirely offline, which returned a comforting sense of near-normalcy; aside from in-person classes, extracurricular clubs were able to offer their full range of events, and it felt like new opportunities to explore D.C. that had previously been closed (venues for food, music, art, and more!) appeared every day.
My course highlights for this semester were absolutely my Public Health and French courses. Public Health is fiercely interesting, and I’ll actually be declaring a Global Public Health concentration soon! I plan to minor in French, but Fall 2022’s “Writing Women” was my favorite of the courses so far. It focused on female French writers through the 19th and 20th centuries, including literature such as Colette’s La Vagabonde and Sand’s La Petite Fadette; our discussion focused strongly on the female experience and what it meant to be a female writer, which overall led to an incredibly thought-provoking semester!
Outside of classes, I continue to be a member of the Chi Omega sorority, and recently took two lovely new members as Little Sisters! I also went on fun trips with our outdoor activities club, and played the role of Sandrine in our student theatre company’s production of Almost, Maine. In September, I was trained as a server at a restaurant on campus. While occasionally challenging, it has been an exciting new experience, and ultimately provides a nice balance to my spare time. In addition to finding new friendships in the staff, I’ve had fascinating conversations with professionals of various fields (including a few diplomats) that end up at my tables!
I truly had the most wonderful semester yet, and for that (and so, so much more), I am unfathomably grateful to everyone involved with MVYouth: to the community that organizes it, to the donors who sustain it, and to Lindsey who tells us how proud she is in every email. I am so excited for next semester, and I am so grateful to you all for making it possible!!!
Zephyrine Thompson - George Washington University
My first semester at the George Washington University was very different from how I always imagined it would be. Because of the pandemic we were unable to move to campus, instead completing the entire semester online. Although it would have been fun to move to DC, I found that having online classes actually presented me with opportunities I wouldn’t otherwise have had: I spent the semester with an awesome family on the Vineyard, living and taking classes in their guest house and nannying for them outside of class time. In addition to this, I quickly discovered that the online aspect of my classes didn’t diminish how interesting they were! As an international relations major, my classes encompassed international and comparative politics, mathematics and politics, and a wildly challenging (but super cool!) Arabic language class. I was able to meet and talk with several of my professors during their office hours, and made some great friends in my smaller classes as well. One of my favorite things about this semester was the amazing line-up of virtual speakers presented by George Washington University. At the beginning of the semester, I had the opportunity to attend a webinar with Supreme Court justice Stephen Breyer- everyone was asked to submit a question before the event, and mine was one of the questions chosen! Listening to a Supreme Court justice answer my question was one of the most surreal things that has ever happened to me, and it made me so grateful to be at George Washington University. Thank you from the bottom of my heart MVYouth, for supporting me in my academic career and opening the door to all these incredible experiences. Thank you for all that you do, and I can’t wait for next semester!