Jenny Strugnell

2018 Newman Family Scholarship Recipient

Jennifer Strugnell is a junior pursuing a degree in International Studies with a focus on Global Security, and a certificate in Afro-American Studies. She was born in Madison and graduated from West High School after three years. Between high school and university, she spent a year traveling, starting in Western Europe, and spending time in Bali, Indonesia, and New Zealand. While traveling, Jenny developed a love of learning about other cultures and experiencing new ways of life. Despite these obvious connections to International Studies, Jenny remained adamant that she would pursue a degree in Environmental Science. However, after taking International Studies 101 with Erica Simmons, and International Studies 402 with Stephen Young, she knew that pursuing the major was the best option.

Starting at the beginning of her sophomore year, Jenny had the opportunity to intern in the Institute for Regional and International Studies at UW–Madison. She has worked closely with the Arabic, Persian, and Turkish Language Immersion Institute (APTLII), and was named the coordinator of the program in January 2018. Through working with APTLII, Jenny has gained a better understanding of the ways in which people relate to language learning and the diverse connections between history, language, and culture, both domestically and abroad.

Throughout the past three years, Jenny has taken classes on global poverty, cultural practices, and criminal processes, and has cultivated a passion for legal systems both domestically and abroad. Jenny is particularly interested in West Africa and the African diaspora. As she moves toward graduation next year, Jenny hopes to pursue a career focusing on civil and human rights. Ultimately, she would like to spend several years working in civil and human rights organizations, domestically or abroad, with the goal of attending law school once she has decided exactly what area of the field she would like to work in.