Claire Wilson ’13 is a scholar on a mission.
Earlier this year, Wilson received a $3,000 grant from The Mary W. Johnson and J. Stanley Johnson Student Research Awards for her work in Jordan. Scripps awards Johnson summer research grants to support student-initiated, interdisciplinary projects.
Wilson, a junior majoring in Middle East and North Africa studies, said she had a “fantastic summer in Amman, Jordan.”
“I taught English in an orphanage for six weeks and wrote my research on adoption policy and the orphan community in Jordan,” wrote Wilson, 20, in a recent e-mail to Scripps.
For her research, she collected data from various agencies and experts, including educators and social workers.
“In a culture where family is the most important social institution, this seriously marginalizes orphans, particularly children born out of wedlock,” she explains. Teaching at the orphanage “proved to be a really great learning experience for future field work in the Middle East.”
Her experiences at Scripps prepared her for her time in Jordan.
“I wanted to teach because I absolutely love working with children,” she says. “The CORE III curriculum emphasizes the use of interactive teaching methods. My days at the orphanage did not reflect your standard classroom experience. I taught students English through games, songs, dancing and the arts.”
Wilson wanted to study in Syria this fall, but her plans changed after her study abroad program canceled its classes due to Syria’s tense political climate, said Neva Barker, the director of off-campus studies.
Instead, Claire enrolled in Arabic courses at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.
She then applied to go to Cairo, but she had to scuttle those plans after her classes were, again, canceled because of Egypt’s political instability.
“She takes it all in stride,” Barker says.
Next semester, Claire will pack her suitcases yet again to continue her pursuit of Middle Eastern studies in Lebanon. She’ll be one of two Scripps students taking classes at the American University of Beirut. She’ll blog about her adventures for Scripps this spring.
“Claire is a pioneer,” Barker adds. “She’s very organized, always upbeat – very positive about everything – and she worked very hard to find a program that would support studies in her major while abroad.
“We’re hoping the third time is the charm with Beirut.”