I have a smile. Stretched from ear to ear.
In JANUARY I applied for a very competitive scholarship called the David L. Boren National Security Education Project. (Yeah, it's a mouthful.) The NSEP scholarship gives you $20,000 to study abroad and only one person at USC received it last year (160 total in America). If you get it, you have to work a year in the Dept. of Defense/Homeland Security Dept./Intelligence Dept.
Essentially, it's 20k and a guaranteed job when you graduate. And bragging rights.
At 9:20 today, I became a 2005 NSEP Scholar.
This is big for four reasons:
a) Between this and what USC gives me, I don't have to pay for school next year.
b) I have a job when I graduate.
c) I get my name engraved on a wall. (the Wall of Scholars! oooo.)
and almost more importantly...
d) I finally feel like coming to USC was the right decision.
Not that I ever regret coming to USC. It's just been difficult to justify this as a $30,000 a year experience (and that's AFTER the scholarship I normally get). ESPECIALLY this semester, where I've had class only three days a week.
But honestly, I don't know if I would have received this award if it weren't for the letter of recommendation the director of the IR department wrote me. This is the same letter that scored my summer fellowship in Tokyo. And only at USC would I have made this connection (the director, Dr. Lamy, taught my intro class last semester). USC = Dr. Lamy, and Dr. Lamy = door opener. So, if I remember my math correctly, USC = doors. And doors are worth it.
Looking ahead, this newfound booty means that I'm coming home for sure this Christmas, even if it costs an arm and a leg. And I have February and March off, so I'll probably be able to squeeze some traveling $$ outta the folks.
On a less celebratory note, I'm in the final stretch (literally!) and ready to come home. Classes ended last Thursday. Here's what's coming up:
-I have tests on Friday and Monday, and my final editing project due on Tuesday.
-On May 11th, I'll be volunteering at the Japan-America Society dinner at DODGER STADIUM. It's dinner on the field with the most important Japanese people in Los Angeles (plus the president of Waseda University!). I better bring some business cards...
-May 12th is when I get my name engraved! I also get to meet the university president (again), which is nice. (Random fact: The president of USC invented microwave buttons and made millions).
-May 13th -- COMING HOME with Julia. We'll hit up Portland that day, and I should be pulling into good ol' Seattle on the 14th. Finally.
Here's the deal: I'm home from the 14th through the 29th, let's make the most of it.
Love,
Derek