Name: Lee-Ann Sims
Major: Global Studies
Minors: Political Science and Spanish
Graduation: December 2018
On and off campus involvement while at UNL:
Off campus involvement - CARE USA, Nebraska State Capitol Legislative Page, Volunteer ESL Teaching Assistant at SCC
On campus- Educational Talent Search, Student Support Services, Nebraska CARE, UCARE Research
I choose to be involved these opportunities because of my interest in politics and international affairs. I found that getting out into the community and being involved helped me build skills based on real life experience. I was also able to establish a community that supported and encouraged me every step of the way at UNL.
Memories of your time at UNL:
My fondest memory of UNL was actually before I became a student there. I got to hear political activist Angela Davis speak on the importance of diversity and remembering where you come from. It was such an amazing and inspirational experience.
My favorite Professor is Emira Ibrahimpasic. I really enjoyed both courses that I took with her, an entry level global studies class and my global studies capstone. Emira is always willing to help students apply to fellowships and other post graduate activities. She encouraged me to apply for several opportunities that really changed my life.
What have you been up to since graduation?
City Year: After graduating from UNL I applied for City Year in Washington, DC. I applied to the program because I wanted to gain more experience working in a leadership position. The application process involves an essay, letters of recommendations, and an interview. To prepare I did research about the program using the City Year website and found potential interview questions online. City Year has several great benefits including a stipend, relocation support, university partnerships for scholarships, encourages and assists you with plans after the program, and an education award that goes toward paying of loans or pursuing higher education. One of my favorite memories at City Year was with my 5th grade class. We did a lesson on black cowboys and the students were very excited and interested. My partner teacher reached out to a black cowboy and set up a surprise for him to come to the school to talk about his life. He came to visit the school decked out in cowboy gear with his family and his horse. It was an experience that none of us will forget.
Fulbright: Before graduating from UNL I applied for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant position in Kazakhstan. The application process was pretty rigorous. It includes several essays and letters of recommendations. Some countries require interviews as well. To prepare I reached out to Dr. Damuth, the Fellowship Director at UNL, and to Emira Ibrahimpasic, my global studies professor at UNL. Both of them worked with me to develop a really amazing application. A few benefits of the Fulbright program are funding that covers the cost of living in the host country and 12 months of non-competitive eligibility hiring status with the federal government when you successfully complete the program. Unfortunately, my time in the program was cut short early on due to the COVID-19 outbreak. However, I was still able to make some great memories. One of my favorite memories was having dinner at the house of someone from the US Embassy in Kazakhstan. In their front yard there was a huge igloo that was built with the help of the entire neighborhood. I got to crawl inside and spent some time conversing with Foreign Service Officers and my cohort about what to expect and look forward during our time in Kazakhstan.
Rangel Fellowship: I applied for the Rangel Program when I was in City Year trying to figure out what my plan was for the future. The application for the Rangel program is incredibly challenging. There are numerous essays, letters of recommendations, and submission of other documents. If you make it through the application process, there is an interview as well. That being said it is important to reach out to people around you for advice on the application and essays. I worked with Emira and Dr. Damuth on my application for the Rangel Program. My advice for the application is to make sure you carefully answer the questions that are being asked and do some research on what a career in Foreign Service actually looks like. I just started the Rangel Program this summer with an internships that focused on professional development and congressional affairs. This summer really helped me realize that Rangel is a family. They really support and encourage all of us. I am truly grateful to be a part of the program.
What are you doing now?
I will be starting at Tufts University in the Master of Law and Diplomacy program in this fall. My concentrations are Comparative Politics and Public International Law.
Advice for current students:
My first piece of advice is take a course that you are really interested in even if it doesn't match your degree requirements. That experience can lead you to other amazing opportunities. I took a Russian class because I really wanted to learn a new language and eventually it led to me become a Fulbright ETA in Kazakhstan.
My second piece of advice is, if you are thinking of applying for something just do it. Stop doubting yourself and apply. Even if the application frustrates you and you want to give up try to push through and complete the process. You might get some rejections, but the application process can be really informative and help you figure out what you want to do with your future. It is always worth it to apply! I got rejected from several different scholarships and fellowships in the past, but I learned from the process. I kept applying for different opportunities until I was able to find a program that recognized my potential. Rejection is okay! In the end I got be apart of programs I really enjoyed.
My last piece of advice is to use the people around you as resources. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. The worst someone can do is say no and if that happens just keep moving forward!