- Scholar:
- Caitlin Nettleton
- High School:
- Washington International School
- Home Town:
- Washington, District of Columbia
- Area of Study:
- Anthropology, Near and Middle Eastern Studies
After growing up in Mali, West Africa, Caitlin was used to people looking, acting, and being different. The lasting effect would be that diversity and a belief in unity through diversity would always be a part of her past, present, and future.
As one of the founding members and president during her junior and senior years of her high school's Gay Straight Alliance, Caitlin concentrated on making her school a safer and more welcoming environment for everyone. By promoting activities such as the National Day of Silence and discussions pertaining GLBT community issues, Caitlin felt that slowly, but surely, her school was moving away from simple tolerance, towards acceptance.
Caitlin also focused on unity through diversity and personal development through AFS Intercultural Programs, a high school exchange program. Her involvement with AFS included participating in local activities and fundraising events, hosting foreign exchange students, and, finally, being an AFS exchange student herself, spending six weeks in Egypt as a 2007 AFS Arabic Summer Language Institute Scholar, and living for 10 months in Turkey (2008-2009). This experience has stretched her limits, confirmed her desire to study anthropology and awakened a passion for the Near and Middle East. Especially after her stay in Turkey, Caitlin hopes to continue her previous research on the dichotomy of Eastern and Western Turkey and the historical and current struggles it represents.
Through GSA and her international experiences, one thing Caitlin has learned above all is to seize opportunities and make the most of them. She is incredibly excited to seize the opportunities which the Robertson Scholarship presents and become part of a group of motivated, passionate students who work to forge both local and international understanding.
Other activities and accomplishments: International Student Union, Peace Builders' Club, The Cappies: Critics and Awards Program, Theatre, Chorus, Softball (Captain), Cross Country, Basketball, Senior French Award, Senior Head's Award, Senior History Award, The National Society of High School Scholars, AFS Awards for Excellence, ISA 2006 Youth Leadership Seminar in Accra, NAIS 2007 Student Diversity Leadership Conference
