Ella Erdahl ’25 receives Shansi Fellowship to Indonesia

What will you be doing this summer, thanks to the Shansi Fellowship?

For the next two years, I will help facilitate cross-cultural and interlingual exchange at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. 

What are you looking forward to the most?

I applied for the Shansi Fellowship because of the opportunity to teach English abroad. I was really drawn to the ability to be part of cross-cultural exchange and engagement in a time where political situations, particularly in the United States, are so tense. I think it’s really important to continue to engage with foreign cultures and languages, and through my time at Oberlin, I gained great passion for teaching secondary languages. I’m excited to be able to take part in the effort of increasing bilingual education around the globe. 

How does your Shansi Fellowship align with your areas of study at Oberlin?

As a Comparative Literature major, I have a lot of experience in and passion for foreign languages. The Shansi Fellowship allows for intensive language training where I look forward to the chance to gain proficiency in a new foreign language to be able to engage with their literary and artistic traditions. 

What’s the best advice you’ve received from an Oberlin mentor?

Kim Faber has been a great source of information and advice as I’ve pursued secondary language education. She’s taught me the value of total immersion, not only for my students as they work toward proficiency, but also for myself as a life-long learner, educator, and friend. 

You were the recipient of several awards, but decided to accept this fellowship. Why?

With Shansi, I’ll be able to be abroad for two years instead of just one, giving me a chance to settle down and find my groove without having to be scrambling to figure out what I’ll be doing as soon as I get home. The support for language learning through Shansi also attracted me, as I already know Spanish and am eager to add more languages to my repertoire. Additionally, the privately-funded Shansi Fellowship through Oberlin made me feel more confident and secure in going abroad than the federally-funded Fulbright and the challenges it’s facing with our current government. I will definitely consider applying to Fulbright again in the future! 

What advice would you like to give incoming students?

Don’t chase prestige. Do things because they look interesting and you’re passionate about them, not because they will look good on your resume. I think that’s how you find the opportunities that work out, the friends that stick, and get the fullest rewards out of your Oberlin education. 

Connect with Fellowships & Awards to learn more about the fellowships and awards opportunities available to students.