The members of the Student Advisory Board are very excited to represent all the International Studies Program’s students. This board will act as a liaison between students and faculty to ensure that the students’ needs are met and their voices heard efficiently and effectively. Since its foundation less than a decade ago, the International Studies Program has grown very quickly and is without a doubt a popular choice for undergraduates.

Yet there is always room for improvement. With a growing student body it has become difficult for students to know who else is a fellow major. What is everyone else studying? Who is interested in the same regions and concentrations as I am?

The student board will work towards bridging the gap between students and making the program more cohesive and personable. Moreover by bridging the needs of the students with the requirements of the program set forth by the faculty and the program staff, the board will promote communication among students especially regarding overseas experience, and career-related choices. By doing so the board will be generating a more productive and friendly atmosphere for all International Studies students.

Members of the 2011-2012 advisory board are: Robert Ellis, Keely Bakken, Laura Johnson, Aileen Ottenweller and Allison Yates. All International Studies students are encouraged to contact advisory board members with questions, suggestions and concerns.

Robert Ellis
Robert Ellis is a junior from Connecticut pursuing a double major in International Studies and Germanic Studies and a minor in Dutch Language. He is studying International Studies and foreign languages to gain a better understanding of the different people of this world we live in. His ultimate goal is to work abroad for the United States Department of State in order to help Americans travelling abroad foreigners seeking contact and business with the United States. He believes that the International Studies program at IU is a great eye-opener and thought provoking schedule of courses; perfect for anyone seeking a future in politics, government and non-governmental work.

Keely Bakken is a junior from Las Vegas, Nevada, double majoring in International Studies and Spanish and double minoring in Linguistics and Central Eurasian Studies-Turkish. Aside from the I.S. Student Advisory Board, she is also the secretary of the student-led International Studies Student Association and a member of the Student Advisory Committee for IU's Office of Scholarships. She has traveled a bit on her own, such as to Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and Costa Rica, and will be participating in a Department of State Critical Language Scholarship for Turkish this summer. After that, she plans to spend the year abroad studying in a university in Istanbul. Post-graduation, she hopes to work in political or media analysis, utilizing her foreign language skills.

Laura Johnson
Laura Johnson is a junior at Indiana University double-majoring in International Studies and Political Science and minoring in French. Laura was born and raised in La Porte, Indiana where she attended La Porte High School. Laura hopes to spend a semester in Rennes, France, and to later attend graduate school. She also hopes to have a volunteer service experience after graduation.  She plans for a regional focus in Western Europe, with a thematic concentration in Nations, States, and Boundaries. At IU, she also participates in the campus chapter of Invisible Children, and is a member of the Willkie Judicial Board. She enjoys catching up on the news, history, and spending time with her friends and family.