Spotlight Stories: Sophia Farajallah, FASP Class of '20

Sophia had just started her higher education at Georgetown University when she chatted with us. With a love for languages and ice skating, Sophia is taking on big life pursuits; a career in law, politics and linguistics alongside her training in competitive figure skating. 

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you now?

I am currently a student at the Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service where I plan to study international politics and linguistics. After graduating I plan on pursuing a law degree and a career in international law. I am also a competitive ice dancer and am continuing to train and compete while studying in Washington. 

What was the inspiration to go into your field of study and did any of the experiences at FASP helped nurture that interest? 

Languages are my biggest passion next to skating and I figured international politics and linguistics would be such great fields to apply my knowledge to. FASP definitely helped nurture that interest because it exposed me to so many languages at such a young age, and gave me the opportunity to achieve fluency, which is an invaluable skill in really any industry, but especially in international politics and law.  

How has attending FASP impacted you personally and academically? 

Academically, FASP prepared me for everything and anything. It was rigorous and strict, but that just meant that I learned to be organized and manage my time from a very young age. Personally, FASP opened many doors for me, allowing me to connect with so many people from different backgrounds, and also giving me the advantage of bilingualism which has expanded both my personal and academic pursuits. 

How do you see a bilingual, multicultural education showing up in your life today?

Given where I see my career going, a bilingual and multicultural education is central to my life. The field of study that I have chosen inherently asks for you to look at the world from multiple different lenses and the exposure that I had to that at a young age has prepared me to continue doing so throughout my entire career. Speaking more than one language also means you can connect with so many more people, and the more people you can learn from, the more multicultural your perspective becomes. 

What is your most vivid memory of FASP?

One of my most vivid memories of FASP is the field trip that we took to the Magic Gardens in Philadelphia. I just remember it was so beautiful, and to this day (even though I have not been back since that trip) I still recommend it to people who are going to Philly. Another one, and this is a little random, but the color-coordinated system that we had for our folders and notebooks for each different class has stayed with me even after graduating from FASP. That is one habit that has never left me and that I continue using to stay organized.

What words of wisdom can you impart on current students of FASP?

It is really hard to see your progress while it is being done, and I know that FASP is demanding, but it is so worth it in the end. I remember thinking I had so much more work than all my friends that went to other schools, but now I feel like FASP taught me so many things that I could not have learned anywhere else.