Morgan Chadderton B.A., Modern Languages, Linguistics & Intercultural Communication (French and Russian) Minor: Political Science Summa Cum Laude Hometown: Edgewood, Maryland Plans: Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, Kyrgyzstan
As the first member of my family to attend university, I was not quite sure what to expect, but I knew from my first campus tour that UMBC would be a place where I could succeed.
Morgan Chadderton’s time at UMBC has been defined by an intellectual curiosity driving her to pursue a broad range of interests in the social sciences and humanities. From day one at UMBC, she says, “I was encouraged to go beyond the usual single-degree path, as well as to conduct research, explore new subjects, study abroad in two countries, and get involved with student life.”
Chadderton, a Humanities Scholar in UMBC’s Honors College, received a highly selective U.S. Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship that provided her an opportunity to study in Kyrgyzstan in June 2016. She also completed a study abroad in Lyon, France, and continued to excel academically at UMBC. She is graduating with a perfect GPA, has been inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, and received the Overall Academic Achievement Award in the modern languages, linguistics, and intercultural communications department.
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Through each new educational and leadership experience, Chadderton found opportunities to grow. She shares, “As a Humanities Scholar, I felt I belonged to a community of like-minded people. As a member of the Honors College, I was able to explore interdisciplinary topics and learn from new perspectives. As president of Russian Club, I was able to share meaningful cultural exchanges.” Chadderton also served as a conversation partner for the English Language Institute, helping English language learners practice their conversational skills, and served as a note-taker for students with disabilities in courses on American government and politics, and Soviet civilization and culture.
Ultimately, Chadderton says, “I found all of these opportunities promote the same concept: everything can be a learning experience.” She looks forward to soon returning to Kyrgyzstan as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, before beginning a graduate degree in Slavic languages and Russian studies.
Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
Tags: CAHSS, Fulbright, HonorsCollege, International Stories, MLLI, Undergraduate Research