Katera Powell

Katera Powell

Stellenbosch Study Away Program

Hometown: Moultrie, GA

Majors: International Affairs, Political Science

College: School of Public & International Affairs

Career goals: I aspire to become a lawyer and use my future Juris Doctor degree to create and oversee projects that promote economic growth and social mobility in low-income and high-risk areas around the globe.

Class of 2020

*EL Scholarship Recipient

Katera traveled to South Africa to study at Stellenbosch University.

"My study abroad trip to South Africa was enriching, eye-opening, and took my breath away.  I grew as an individual.  I learned more about my fears, reevaluated biases, and digested concepts I would have never imagined existed.  I expanded my professional network on a more global scale."

"I was able to engage in a once in a lifetime experience on a continent others may overlook. I interacted with a multitude of different people with varying viewpoints regarding the history of the land, and how they would like to see the country progress. I got the pleasure of working with young students by aiding them in their studies and teaching them team-building skills.

Everything that I learned in the classroom came to life when I volunteered in the township of Kayamandi. The effects of the apartheid are very much real and present, and I often felt emotionally overwhelmed by all of the information I had to process. Although the history of South Africa is hard to digest, it forced me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to observe the resilience of the people and appreciate their ability to fight for change. The one-on-one interactions I had with locals had great impacts on my perspectives, and I can’t put a price on the information I retained from those encounters."

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STELLENBOSCH STUDY AWAY PROGRAM