Intern Spotlight: Lorna Strachan

This is the fourth in a series of spotlights on our summer 2017 student interns.  Learning Life’s students this summer assisted with research, curriculum development,  outreach, and family and youth events for our Citizen Diplomacy Initiative (CDI).  Lorna Strachan, interviewed below, helped with academic literature research, curriculum development, international learning activities with our youth, and more. 

Where were you born and raised?

I was born and raised in the Silicon Valley of California, south of San Francisco. My hometown is Santa Clara.

What school do you attend, and what is your year and major there?

I go to George Washington University in Washington, DC.  I am a rising senior double majoring in Dance and International Affairs with a concentration in Europe and Eurasia.

Lorna Strachan
What do you like to do in your free time?

I have been a dancer for most of my life, so in my free time I dance and choreograph for my student ballet group Balance as well as for the Dance Department at George Washington University.

Is there a life experience you have had that has particularly shaped you thus far?  If so, what is it, and how has it shaped you?

The experience that has shaped me the most in my life so far was the experience of auditioning for and being rejected by college dance programs my senior year of high school. While it was incredibly disheartening, it taught me how to move on from rejection and find new paths that I may not have thought of before. I was able to come to GW and learn about styles of dance I did not know about before and probably would not have been exposed to had I attended a university with a very rigorous dance program.

What are your career plans?

I hope to work somewhere with interest in the European Union, whether it is a consulting firm, a non-profit, a European agency, or some part of the US government.

Why did you choose to intern with Learning Life?

I am passionate about the importance of global knowledge and access to information about international issues, so I was drawn to Learning Life because we get to teach kids and families tools that lead to important values like tolerance and curiosity about the outside world.

What is the most beautiful place you have seen on Earth, and why is it so beautiful?

I have seen lots of beautiful places but probably my favorite is the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Kauai is lush and green, with tall mountains and steep cliffs that lead to soft sandy beaches.