Kathleen Doolittle
2020 Gilman Scholarship Recipient
Hometown
Munster, IN
Major
Brain and Behavioral Sciences; Spanish
College
College of Health and Human Sciences; College of Liberal Arts
At first, Spanish was only a minor during my freshman year of college. Now I’m majoring in Spanish because I knew if I stopped there, I would start forgetting everything. My Brain and Behavioral Sciences major influenced this decision because I am aware of what it takes for someone to learn something new, improve a skill, or break a habit. This is reflected by neuroplasticity: a phenomenon describing that the brain is designed to change its structure to accommodate the progress of learning. A long-term change in the brain depends on the amount of mass practice and repetition done to develop and strengthen new neural connections. That’s why learning Spanish is so rewarding to me; it is firsthand experience with neuroplasticity. Furthermore, the research of language formation in the brain has become a prominent interest of mine as I reflect on my personal experience in learning a second language. I am excited to live in a Spanish-speaking country and avoid using English because that is the most effective way for me to improve my Spanish fluency.
Last summer I studied abroad for six weeks in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. By the end of the program, my host mom told me that my Spanish had improved. However, I believe it was mostly my confidence level that became stronger because after four weeks I had finally gotten accustomed to living there.
The Argentine Universities Program I plan to engage in as a Gilman Scholar is sponsored by IFSA-Butler and allows me to design my own course schedule that fits my own academic focus. I am determined to go to Argentina for a full semester so I can focus all my energy on practicing Spanish as much as possible and taking advantage of other opportunities in Buenos Aires. I expect to struggle to communicate during the first month of living there. Yet, I know that this is part of the process of learning a second language and adjusting to a different culture. I am looking forward to learning more about myself as I take on this mental, emotional, and rewarding challenge.
As I’m traveling and learning new things, I will have a journal on me at all times to reflect on my experiences. It is my belief that the ideology of language encompasses all the social problems in the world. It affects how we think, how we communicate, and how we function in our everyday lives. Writing in a journal can help me sort through memories and reflect on what I am learning. I am ready to challenge myself by studying in the Argentine Universities Program, fully immerse myself in Spanish, and, ultimately, find my way to a fulfilling career and life.