Henry Milander

About
Henry Milander is a recipient of the Summer 2015, Summer 2016 and Summer 2017 Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship. The award provides undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students with financial support to develop fluency in less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) and expertise in the regions in which these languages are spoken. Every year the Center for Global Studies awards between 12-15 fellowships to UW students. Click here to learn more.
I am an undergraduate student in my Senior year, majoring in Finance, Political Economy, and Arabic. My academic work and interests focus on developing a better understanding of economic development and what roles businesses and governments play in the process. Thanks to FLAS, I was able to study Arabic at a higher level this summer in Fez which put me in contact with articles and concepts formerly beyond my reach and enabled me to experience relationships and conversations at a deeper level. The increased critical awareness of the region and improved language skills will aid me in eventually pursuing a Masters in Development Economics at the Doha Institute, Qatar. Receiving the FLAS was critical in delivering the intensity and immersion needed to eventually undertake a Masters taught in Arabic. Following this program, I would ideally work for entities in line with the Foreign Service, Global Reporting Initiative, Danish Refugee Council, and USAID. In these roles, I hope to add nuance to development policies by researching community-level, socially-conscious business practices and the prevalence of conspiracy theories in the region. I am happy to say FLAS has been instrumental in both opening up these career paths to me, as well as furthering my ability to pursue them.