Γειά σου (Yah-Soo)!My name is Kaitlin Parris, but everyone just calls me Katie or KP. I am a junior at American University and am currently studying abroad in Greece at the American College of Thessaloniki. I am from the greater Philadelphia area, but more specifically, Conshohocken, a small town just one square mile in size right off I-76.
As a political science major, I chose to study in Greece because it is the home of political theory. I have always enjoyed learning about ancient philosophers like Plato and Socrates. I remember the first time I learned of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave during my honors English class in my freshman year of high school. It truly encapsulated all of the things that I had already been thinking about and inspired me to rethink the way I move through life.
The main reason why I love my major is because of the people aspect! I find it so fascinating to see how choices and actions made by people based on their day-to-day lives can impact the course of an entire nation! This is precisely why I am also dual-majoring in African American/ African Diaspora Studies. It is a field of sociology that I feel most connected to, especially being a young Black woman as well as the daughter of immigrant parents.
Want to know more about how you can study or intern abroad when you are a college student? The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Learn more about the scholarship by clicking here!
