Word to the World
Voices from UCLA Humanities share how the division’s academic rigor and creativity offer a global lens
By Kayla McCormack and Jonathan Riggs | Art by Katie Sipek
December 12, 2024
Note: This is an excerpt of an article that originally appeared as part of the Fall 2024 UCLA College Magazine.
More than just a guiding principle, “Word to World,” the motto of the UCLA Division of Humanities, conveys how all disciplines in this area connect us to one another across geographic space and chronological time. In countless ways, the humanities open up vibrant avenues of travel, study, collaboration and creativity around the globe.
Study abroad can have a major impact on students during their time at UCLA. Hear from students about their study abroad experience below, and read more about the UCLA Division of Humanities in the College Magazine.
STUDY ABROAD
For humanities students, the world outside the classroom holds the richest lessons. Whether strolling through Madrid’s historic parks, savoring the flavors of Seoul or standing before timeless works of art in Copenhagen, the immersive experience of studying abroad offers transformative learning moments. For a select group of UCLA students, this experience is made possible by the Komar Shideler Study Abroad Scholarship, which funds such opportunities for undergraduates in the humanities.
Beyond academic learning, scholars who study abroad increase their cross-cultural understanding, develop language skills and build personal resilience as they adapt to life far from home.
For David Montoya, a history and Spanish major, the experience was life-changing. His time exploring cities throughout Spain allowed him to engage with various cultures, traditions and languages. He met new people, navigated cities and expanded his culinary horizons by trying local specialties.
“Traveling broadens your perspective of the world and how interconnected history, culture and language are,” Montoya said. “This experience deepened my academic knowledge and inspired me to continue exploring and learning from different cultures.”
In 2016, professors Ross Shideler and Kathleen Komar recognized the importance of making these experiences accessible to more students. They established a scholarship in their names to support humanities students studying abroad, particularly undergraduates who are pursuing studies in comparative literature and Scandinavian languages or who participate in programs in Scandinavia. The scholarship supported a first cohort in 2019; since then, 13 students have benefited from it.
“We give to support the study of languages and literature at UCLA because we need to understand other cultures and traditions now more than ever,” Shideler and Komar said.
Ensuring Bruins from all backgrounds can participate thanks to scholarships that ease their financial burden inspired these donors and others like them.
“Scholarships such as the Komar Shideler are critical to fostering interest in the humanities at UCLA,” said Magdalena Barragán, executive director of UCLA’s International Education Office. “The number of students who major in humanities has decreased overall at UCLA over the past decade, so funding like this encourages students and creates opportunities for exploration and experiential learning.
“For several years, for example, the scholarship has made the ELTS travel study program ‘In the Footsteps of Hans Christian Andersen’ a reality for students who could not otherwise afford to participate,” she added. “Through this program, students learn about the fairy tales and work of the renowned Danish author in an immersive manner that furthers their learning and understanding of the author.
“Incomparable experiences supported by scholarships are essential to create globally minded and intellectually curious Bruins,” Barragán concluded. “These unique learning opportunities are kept viable and available to all through this type of financial support.”
Claudia Chen, who graduated in 2024 with majors in comparative literature and Asian languages and linguistics, was able to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea as a recipient of the Komar Shideler scholarship.
“Because of this scholarship, I was able to worry less about the financial costs of this study abroad experience, whether tuition-wise or the extra costs like flight, food, et cetera,” said Chen. “This also helped me maximize my experience in Korea by allowing me to explore more places, cultural events and more, without having to worry as much about how to afford it.”
Komar Shideler alumna Kendall Vanderwouw said her time studying in Copenhagen gave her the confidence to live abroad. She graduated from UCLA in 2024 and is currently living in Sweden, where she is pursuing a master’s in applied cultural analysis in a joint program at Lund University and the University of Copenhagen.
“It feels so difficult to push yourself to go out into the world,” said Vanderwouw. “But once you do it, you realize what you’re capable of and you can figure it out. You really grow the most as a person when you put yourself in uncomfortable situations.”
Meet four of the Komar Shideler Scholarship recipients:
Kendall Vanderwouw ’24
Copenhagen, Denmark
Vanderwouw graduated with degrees in anthropology and linguistics and a minor in Scandinavian studies. During her time abroad, she studied mutual intelligibility in Scandinavian languages — that is, how linguistic similarity affects how people who speak Scandinavian languages understand each other.
“I speak Swedish, so I wanted to experience firsthand how that understanding comes about,” she said. “Trying to speak to people in Denmark using Swedish was a very interesting experience, and I think it gave me a much deeper understanding than I would have gotten anywhere else.”
Claudia Chen ’24
Seoul, South Korea
Chen graduated with degrees in comparative literature and Asian languages and linguistics. During her time in Seoul, Chen studied English under the context of Korean culture.
“It was quite the eye-opening experience to hear about well-known English texts through the perspective of native Korean students, who had a different outlook on society and morals than I was used to,” Chen said. “It really opened my mind up to considerations outside my own upbringing and American bubble, and I not only learned much about the texts I read in an academic sense, but I was also able to develop a deeper social understanding of literature in general.”
David Montoya ’23
Granada, Barcelona and Madrid, Spain
Montoya graduated in 2023 with degrees in history and Spanish. During his time in Spain, Montoya was able to immerse himself in Spanish language, culture and history.
“Exploring historic sites like the Alhambra in Granada and the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona gave me a deeper understanding of and appreciation for Spanish culture,” he said. “Additionally, interacting with Spaniards and communicating in the language broadened my communication skills and allowed me to make the cultural and historical elements more meaningful.”
Gabrielle Lopez ’27
Copenhagen, Denmark
Lopez is set to graduate in 2027 with a degree in world arts and cultures. Studying abroad gave her the opportunity to explore a variety of disciplines, from Scandinavian literature to ancient Nordic literary traditions to exploring gender roles in Scandinavian society.
“My biggest takeaway was just how intertwined so many different disciplines are with one another,” Lopez said. “And how important it is to consider different perspectives and approaches when exploring certain social or cultural questions or issues.”
Read more about how UCLA Humanities’ academic rigor and creativity provide a global lens for students in Word to the Word, part of the Fall 2024 College Magazine.
Jood Simbawah