By Keisha Frasier
Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership Scholar, 2009
Temple class of 2011, School of Communications and Theater, Broadcast Journalism major
Keisha went to Oviedo, Spain with Temple University’s summer study abroad program. For a month she was immersed in Spanish language art and lifestyle. After an intense week of traveling and touring Madrid, going from Cathedral to Museum, she moved to the city of Oviedo. There she took six credits in Spanish Grammar and Film. She was able to learn about the different types of Spanish that exist in Spain while appreciating famous Spanish directors. She spent her time studying and mingling with the locals throughout nearby towns. She ate typical Spanish dishes and learned the history of Northern Spain. Keisha returned to the states excited to use what she learned along with her journalism values to influence others.
I am Broadcast Journalism major and my focus area for the Vira I. Heinz program is Arts and Culture. I hope in the future to use writing and film media to convey different messages and tell different stories to others. Some stories news relevant, other stories I’d like to tell would be true life documentaries. I’d like to better understand people, since I will be working with them all the time in my career. People make the news. People tell the stories. I want to incorporate elements of arts and culture into my documentaries so that viewers can really feel immersed in another’s life story.
My time spent in Spain helped me to really feel empowered to travel more. Yes, I feel more open-minded to different people and their religions, foods and traditions. Yes, I feel like I’d hope to use the Spanish language to reach and un-heard voice. Yet, I feel that my international experience has helped me to most importantly feel free. I feel so apart of my country and my culture, but I also feel like just a piece of the puzzle and more a part of the whole world. I realize now how connected we all are in history and how we affect one another in such a huge way. I feel empowered to provoke change across the oceans to other cultures. I hope to take my passion for journalism and filmmaking and be able to affect the world.