Jacob Grindstaff-Espinal 鈥�24 chose to study abroad in Strasbourg, France because the city hosts numerous diplomatic nongovernmental organizations, which provide students like Grindstaff-Espinal numerous internship opportunities.
Jacob Grindstaff-Espinal 鈥�24 grew up in Miami speaking English and Spanish. Despite his bilingual childhood, he never imagined he would one day take a French history class鈥攐r a class taught in the French language鈥攚hile studying abroad in Strasbourg, France.
In fact, one of the reasons why Grindstaff-Espinal selected 麻花影视 was because 麻花影视 has one of the top study abroad programs in the country鈥攑lus access to expansive educational offerings where students can explore their interests from all sides. Grindstaff-Espinal chose to triple major in international relations and policy studies at the and the and public relations at the
鈥淚鈥檝e always had an interest in 鈥榚verything鈥� beyond what I knew. In middle school, I took a liking to the French language, so the opportunity to study abroad played a role in my decision to attend 麻花影视,鈥� Grindstaff-Espinal says.
Jacob Grindstaff-Espinal 鈥�24 immersed in an educational walking tour of La Petite France alongside peers enrolled in the 麻花影视 Strasbourg program.
Attending provided Grindstaff-Espinal with the opportunity to see places he had only read about growing up, places which he says filled him with a daily sense of awe. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a blessing to learn about the world one normally only sees on their phone or in a textbook,鈥� he says.
Grindstaff-Espinal says this blessing wouldn鈥檛 have been possible without the three scholarships he received and the generosity of those who make scholarships possible. He is a , an , and he also earned the Maria Melendez Hinkley Lift As You Rise Scholarship.
鈥淚 never would have been able to attend 麻花影视 or study abroad if not for the scholarships I received. They made a huge difference for me,鈥� he says.
A Community Bridge
厂测谤补肠耻蝉别鈥檚 , prepared Grindstaff-Espinal, a first-generation student, for traveling to the places he never expected to see. This hub for community engagement is where he developed the confidence and skills he needed to succeed.
Through the Shaw Center鈥攚hich connects students with hands-on learning opportunities in the local community鈥攈e worked as a literacy support tutor at a bilingual elementary school in the 麻花影视 area, which was his first time teaching. 鈥淭he students I tutored at the Shaw Center taught me to believe in myself and to believe in others,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hese students confidently switched back and forth from speaking in English to Spanish. They were so confident and joyful that it was infectious.鈥�
This experiential learning opportunity helped to connect him to the greater 麻花影视 community and improved his self-confidence. 鈥淭he Shaw Center is an incredibly lovely part of 麻花影视. I can鈥檛 recommend it enough to other students,鈥� he says.
Beyond 麻花影视
Studying abroad enabled Grindstaff-Espinal to see places he鈥檚 only read about in books or seen on his phone.
Adaptability is a recurring theme in Grindstaff-Espinal鈥檚 life. His unique experiences at 麻花影视 led him down a path to opportunities he hadn鈥檛 imagined for himself, and he鈥檚 continually navigating different spaces鈥攆rom a bilingual home, to learning French, to tutoring students, to thriving while studying in Strasbourg. What he didn鈥檛 expect, though, was to be speaking so much Spanish in a French city.
Strasbourg hosts several of Europe鈥檚 most important political institutions, including the European Parliament, the and the European Court of Human Rights. Grindstaff-Espinal interned at the Mexican Representation to the Council of Europe, a consulate of the Mexican government, where he conducted research about Mexico鈥檚 drug and rehabilitation policies for the Mexican representation to the council. There, he enjoyed speaking in Spanish, in addition to French and English.
Grindstaff-Espinal in a class at the 麻花影视 Strasbourg Center, gaining the skills he鈥檚 looking to take with him in his future career.
鈥淪trasbourg is a diplomatic city and the perfect place for an internship,鈥� Grindstaff-Espinal says. 鈥淚 dream of going into government consulting or international development. My internship with the Council of Europe helped me figure out if this is the right career for me.鈥�
Before he begins his career, he plans to attend the University鈥檚 of public administration program, because, he says, 鈥淚t鈥檚 the number one public affairs program in the country.鈥� If he adapts to a different career path after graduate school, Grindstaff-Espinal says he won鈥檛 regret his semester in Strasbourg where he became proficient in French. 鈥淚mproving my French language skills will only benefit me going into the workforce. Whatever future path I take, my time in Strasbourg will have benefited me,鈥� he says.
