Student Profile

Jordi V. recipient of the Gen. R. Zajtchuk, MC, USA & Col. J. Zajtchuk Odyssey Scholarship

Jordi V. ’20

Hometown: Alachua, FL

“I would like you to know that the impact of what you have done is more deep and expansive than you probably know.”

How did your summer experiences clarify your career or academic interests (for example, a Metcalf internship or research opportunity)?
Over the summer, I worked in communications at Argonne National Laboratory in the Energy & Global Security directorate. For me, doing an internship in communications, and especially in a laboratory, was interesting precisely because it is not my exact area of interest. My area of interest is in international relations and history, so on its face this internship was not directly related. The reality was that this internship helped me realize the degree to which different professions are interconnected. For example, one of the projects I worked on was helping with the writing and editing of the talking points for a speech, which the head of the directorate was going to give in Washington, D.C., at the Aspen Institute. Much of the content of the speech, which was about the U.S. nuclear energy development policy, related to the field of international relations, such as the implications that this policy has on global nuclear nonproliferation. Even when working on content that had nothing to do with my direct areas of interest, I always felt that I was gaining and improving skills that are useful and applicable in any profession, such as writing. In essence, my internship opened my eyes to a broader range of professional aspirations, while developing skills that will allow me to be a good candidate for this broad range of professions.

Please describe how you are choosing your course of study. Have there been clarifying moments in your Core classes or particularly inspiring professors who are helping identify your academic passions?
I came to the University with an interest in international relations and history, and my experience here has only strengthened that interest. I would not say that my experiences in my Core classes have necessarily focused this interest, but they have certainly made me think about it from many different perspectives. Some of the Core classes I have taken, such as Biotechnology for the 21st Century and Power, Identity, and Resistance, have had implications for politics, economics, and biology that all relate in different ways to my fields of interest. Some of the registered student organizations (RSOs) that I am part of have also had a positive effect in sharpening my academic and career focus. Still, I am not yet certain about my final area of specialization, although every class I take seems to give me a different perspective and a different avenue to look down.

What activities are you involved with outside the classroom?
Outside of the classroom I try to have a balance of activities that are supplemental to my academics as well as activities that are purely recreational. I colead a research cohort on the topic of NATO and EU security for EUChicago. EUChicago is the University of Chicago branch of European Horizons, a student-run think tank focused on EU-related topics. For my research cohort, I lead weekly discussion sessions on topics related to EU security. EUChicago also has a research and writing element. This last quarter I led the writing of an article on the topic of the security status of the Baltic states and the role that the EU can play. Another RSO I am a part of is the Maroon Project on Security and Threats, MPOST. MPOST holds weekly meetings that range from discussions to career information sessions to professor debates. MPOST deals with some similar themes as EUChicago, but I find it enjoyable to be in a leadership role in one while being just a member of the other. These two RSOs have helped me focus my academic and career interests toward my goal of working in the field of international relations. Besides these academic RSOs I participate in the Chicago Basketball League in the spring. Basketball has always been something I enjoy, and I think it is a good way to spend some of the time I have that isn't focused on academics.

If you could speak directly to the person whose gift supported your scholarship, what would you say?
Oftentimes people donate to a cause or volunteer their time without ever knowing what the real effect of what they have done has been. I would like you to know that the impact of what you have done is more deep and expansive than you probably know. You will never be able to read or hear from all the people that this scholarship effects, but you should know that even at my individual level, I have benefited immensely from the experience and career consciousness that I have gained through the Odyssey Scholarship Program. It is not just a financial support system, it is also a preparative program. By that I mean that the skills and thought processes with regards to one’s career that it provides are of tremendous value. I will always be grateful to people like you who think with the future in mind and seek to make a difference. Thank you.