On the Job: Jake Richfield BS ’27

Rising junior political science major Jake Richfield BS ’27, spent three weeks of his summer at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, through the UK Fulbright Summer Institute scholarship. He focused on The Troubles and learned about ethnic conflict and conflict transformation, specifically looking at how conflicts begin in societies and how addressing root causes can facilitate long-lasting solutions. Richfield applied through the Critical Language Scholarship Program and worked with the Office of Fellowships on his application essay and interview.

The Role:

Fulbright Summer Institute Scholar

Describe your program in three emojis:

😀 (smile)

👀 (eyes)

🚶 (walking)

The Day-to-Day:

I wake up around 7:30, get ready, have breakfast and then I take a walk. It was a 20 minute walk from the accommodation the university had to the building we had our classes in. We’d have an hour and a half-long lesson and then we'd have a short break. After, we’d have another lesson for an hour and a half, have a lunch break, and then another hour and a half lesson, and then for the rest of the day, it was up to us to do whatever we wanted. Some days, there were special trips or other events going on.

Go-to snack or drink in Northern Ireland:

Scones! Also, a falafel place nearby campus. 

Something you learned abroad that you wouldn’t at home:

I don't think I would have really understood the conflict in Northern Ireland if I didn't go. And I know it's very broad, but just staying in Belfast, there's probably 100 different flags associated with the conflict. Depending on the flags you see in the neighborhood, you can very much tell whether they were Unionists or Nationalists during the conflict and still today even, but it's more political now rather than violent. The city is just so divided, and it's something that you can't really understand unless you see it yourself and really understand it's very much geographical in a way and not just the religious conflict that it’s often understood to be in America. 

Favorite places you’ve traveled to:

Our trip to the North coast – We went to Dunsany Castle and Giant’s Causeway

Tips for the next applicant:

The big thing I'd say is just keep applying to programs. From my first application to my second, I learned so much. I'd also say, definitely work with professors in the Office of Fellowships, because having that second set of eyes on it really helps.