CIEE Latin America Fellow Spotlight: Margeaux Z. Stapleton
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Meet the CIEE Leading Change in Latin America Student Fellows!
Follow along as CIEE sends 100 student leaders on a fully-funded semester abroad through the CIEE Leading Change in Latin America Fellowship. In this series, we spotlight Fellows as they immerse themselves in Latin American culture, grow as leaders, and prepare to make an impact worldwide.
Name: Margeaux Z. Stapleton
School: Wofford College
Major: Biology and Spanish
LATAM Location: Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
Q1: How do you hope your language skills develop while living in Latin America?
I hope that by fully immersing myself in the language, especially surrounded by local students, I will return to my home university a much more confident Spanish speaker. I also hope I will be able to learn a little bit of Dominican slang for fun!
See more: Margeaux studying abroad in Santiago de los Caballeros
Q2: What does receiving this Fellowship mean to you personally?
Receiving this Fellowship is such an honor for me. One of my favorite leadership positions on campus is giving tours to prospective students. During those tours I often highlight our study abroad programs because I am so passionate about study abroad as a whole. This Fellowship is allowing me to be a tour guide in Latin America, and I hope throughout my time as a fellow, I can help to convince even just one student to step out of their comfort zone and study in Latin America!
Q3: What do you hope to learn during your semester abroad?
Aside from improving my language skills, I hope to really be able to lean in and learn what it is like to live in the Dominican Republic as a local. I hope to learn the cultural norms, local cuisines, and so much more!
Q4: How do you think learning a new language can change the way you see the world?
In my previous travels, I have learned that even knowing just a few words of a local language can completely change your experience in that country for the better. Being able to speak the language fully opens up more doors than you could ever imagine as you can truly get to know the locals and the culture firsthand.
Watch here: Margeaux finds a study spot in Santiago de los Caballeros
Q5: In what ways do you hope to grow as a leader during this program?
I hope to improve as a leader of a broad audience that comes from various backgrounds and cultures. I hope that during this fellowship program, I will be able to lead by example as I showcase my experience in Latin America, while also acting a resource for prospective students.
Become a Latin America Student Fellow
Your turn to make an impact in Latin America starts here – apply for the CIEE Leading Change in Latin America Student Fellowship today!