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• Student Spotlight: LB Fullerton, international studies

An interview with LB Fullerton, international studies major

Laura Fullerton, who goes by LB, was born in England. As part of a military family, Fullerton has lived all over the globe. Her exposure and experiences as a child living in Germany, Northern Ireland, and Oman, among others, ignited a curiosity and fascination in Fullerton, and now she is majoring in international studies with a focus on Asian studies.

"Traveling and learning about different cultures and languages is what stemmed my passion for international studies," Fullerton said.

In our interview below, we asked Fullerton, currently a junior, about her major, her favorite class, and what she plans to do after graduating with her degree in international studies.

Would you please tell us about yourself, and how you chose your major?

I am an international studies major with a concentration on the Asian continent. As an international studies major, I get to take intriguing classes such as Chinese Film, Korean Culture, and Peoples and Cultures of Asia. International studies majors are required to take two years of a foreign language and your language choices depend on the region you choose to focus on. For Asia, your choices are Chinese, Japanese, and Korean—I have personally chosen Korean.

Why Korean?

I chose Korean because after I graduate from Auburn, I hope to go to graduate school and focus on North Korean studies. I am particularly interested in North Korea's political system, underground economy, and how we can use geospatial imagery to track movement within the hermit kingdom.

What would you say is a "selling point" about international studies? (Or, why should someone major in it?)

My selling point on international studies is that it helps develop a global perspective, which is important in our rapidly globalizing world. It allows us to understand different cultures, languages, and norms to help build a gap between countries.

What has been your favorite class (or professor), and why?

My favorite class so far would be Peoples and Culture of Asia with Dr. Gaetano. This is my favorite class because we are learning about something I wasn't originally interested in but have found to be a new topic of interest. Dr. Gaetano also does a good job at expanding on the vast region of Asia and all the people it holds. Many people think Asia just covers the countries in East Asia but this isn't the case, so we have even focused on things such as the caste system in India.

What do you like to do in your spare time at Auburn (if you have any spare time?!)

Ha ha! Free time is a luxury during this semester as I am taking 21 credit hours and have an internship. I also belong to a few organizations, including the Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project, the International Buddy Program, and the Korean Language Club. I do like to spend what time I do have though with friends, as I think it is very important to have a balance with school and social life.

Tags: Interdisciplinary Programs Students International Initiatives