{"id":26176,"date":"2013-03-26T08:49:39","date_gmt":"2013-03-26T13:49:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.olemiss.edu\/?p=26176"},"modified":"2014-09-23T08:29:23","modified_gmt":"2014-09-23T13:29:23","slug":"national-merit-finalist-finds-croft-institute-honors-college-fill-the-bill-for-international-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web20.olemiss.edu\/news\/wordpress\/national-merit-finalist-finds-croft-institute-honors-college-fill-the-bill-for-international-career\/","title":{"rendered":"National Merit Finalist Finds Croft Institute, Honors College Fill the Bill for International Career"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Honors College student Shruti Jaishankar taken for upcoming SMBHC brochure. Photo by Kevin Bain\/Ole Miss Communications<\/p><\/div>\n

OXFORD, Miss. \u2013 University of Mississippi junior Shruti Jaishankar of Ridgeland could have attended any college on her long application list in 2010 when she graduated from St. Andrew\u2019s Episcopal School as a National Merit Finalist.<\/p>\n

In choosing her college destination, Jaishankar held at least two convictions: She knew she wanted to study international relations in preparation for her long-term goal of joining the Foreign Service and working for the U.S. Department of State, and she was seeking an environment with other students who are serious about becoming the best they can be.Upon learning about UM\u2019s Croft Institute for International Programs, she was sold.<\/p>\n

\u201cI decided to attend Ole Miss because of the Croft Institute,\u201d she said. \u201cI always knew that I wanted to study international relations, and Croft offered me the opportunity to attend an elite program for a fraction of the cost of other prestigious international relations programs.\u201d<\/p>\n

“We are thrilled to have a student of Shruti’s caliber in the Croft Institute,\u201d said Kees Gispen, Croft director. \u201cI have taught her and seen her in action in other classes and, based on that, I can say with confidence that it’s easy to imagine Shruti as a future Foreign Service officer or in any one of a wide variety of responsible international service positions.”<\/p>\n

Upon closer look at the university, Jaishankar also was attracted to the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, which she thought would add value to the package.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth Croft and the Honors College have allowed me to study with students that take their education as seriously as I do,\u201d she said. \u201cThey have given me the opportunity to travel and interact with great minds, such as Attorney General Eric Holder and famed poet Robert Haas, and pushed me to stretch my mind and have made college rewarding and fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for travel, Jaishankar spent summer 2011 studying in Quito, Ecuador, and she is enrolled this semester at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso in Chile. Her Ole Miss tuition covers her expenses, and she is earning academic credit, with majors in international studies, political science and Spanish. She thinks it\u2019s a good deal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think studying abroad is the best experience a student can have while finishing an undergraduate degree. It allows you to see America through the lens of other countries and leads to a greater understanding of how the world works. The United States is not alone in the world, and it\u2019s important to develop relationships with people from different countries so we can become truly thankful for the privileges we may take for granted, while also learning to understand the flaws of our own society.\u201d<\/p>\n

She chose Chile for her study destination because she plans to write her honors thesis about how American electoral laws compare with those around the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince my concentration in Croft is in Latin America, I chose Chile because it has a unique electoral system with a fascinating history, and I also wanted to experience the rich Chilean culture and travel to regions like Patagonia.”<\/p>\n

She expects to get a firsthand look at the country\u2019s culture while living with a host family and commuting to classes at the PUCV.<\/p>\n

Jaishankar is slated to graduate from Ole Miss in May 2014, with bachelor\u2019s degrees in both international studies and political science. She hopes to land an internship with the White House or the Department of State, before continuing her education.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to eventually apply to a (juris doctor\/master\u2019s) program, where I\u2019ll finish a law degree and a master\u2019s in international relations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Besides her academic enrichment and travel abroad, Jaishankar has been rewarded in other ways since arriving on the Oxford campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cOle Miss has taught me to interact with people from many different backgrounds and all walks of life,\u201d she said. \u201cI truly think I\u2019ve become a kinder person after spending so much time among the warm and welcoming Ole Miss community.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information, visit the Croft Institute<\/a>, Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College<\/a> or UM Study Abroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

OXFORD, Miss. \u2013 University of Mississippi junior Shruti Jaishankar of Ridgeland could have attended any college on her long application list in 2010 when she graduated from St. Andrew\u2019s Episcopal School as a National Merit Finalist. In choosing her college destination, Jaishankar held at least two convictions: She knew she wanted to study international relationsRead the story …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26177,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,137,221,1076,199],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nNational Merit Finalist Finds Croft Institute, Honors College Fill the Bill for International Career - Ole Miss News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/news.olemiss.edu\/national-merit-finalist-finds-croft-institute-honors-college-fill-the-bill-for-international-career\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"National Merit Finalist Finds Croft Institute, Honors College Fill the Bill for International Career - Ole Miss News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"OXFORD, Miss. \u2013 University of Mississippi junior Shruti Jaishankar of Ridgeland could have attended any college on her long application list in 2010 when she graduated from St. Andrew\u2019s Episcopal School as a National Merit Finalist. 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