Originally posted: June 2014
Our first Corbett Fellow, Issac Stockdale, will spend next year studying at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. Isaac is currently a junior Political Science major with an Art History minor.
Isaac has enjoyed his diverse experiences at UW and is excited to broaden his perspective through studying at UBC. Isaac is highly involved on campus. He is an editor at the Jackson School Journal of International Studies, a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, and he plays on a rugby team. He also participated in the VISIONS ’13 expedition on board the UW-operated research vessel Thomas G. Thompson. Of all his experiences, it was studying abroad in Prague that renewed Isaac’s interest in politics and international relations and led Isaac to Canada.
Isaac says studying abroad expanded his horizons and made him curious about Canada. When Isaac first visited Vancouver, BC with friends for a week he experienced an emotional response to being in such a “beautiful and amazing” city by the mountains and the sea. Isaac could picture himself living in Vancouver and so when he read about the Corbett Fellowship he felt it was “meant to be.”
The Corbett Fellowship’s emphasis on creating cohesion in the Cascadian region stood out to Isaac. Studying in Prague and learning about the European Union’s cohesive economic group caused Isaac to consider NAFTA and other attempts to integrate multiple countries in North America. Furthermore, the Corbett’s commitment to break down barriers and misunderstandings between Canada and the US resonated with him. After his first study abroad, Isaac realized that “the job pool is not just in the US.” He hopes that the Corbett Fellowship will give him an anchor to Canada and broaden his perspective on opportunities for his future career. Isaac will begin his studies at UBC in September.
The Gary & Consuelo Corbett Canada-U.S. Fellowships Program is a partnership between the UW and the University of British Columbia that provides an opportunity for exceptional UW undergraduate students to spend a full academic year at University of British Columbia in Vancouver. The Corbett Fellowships Program offers a fellowship award of $7,000 for two semesters (September through April).