Admissions Counselor Natalie Baker Merrill: Landscapes of Learning

“Many times I have mentally traced the path I took north from Kathmandu, climbing into the Himalayas and beyond, onto the Tibetan plateau. I think of the vast, ever-changing landscapes and peoples that I encountered as I traveled east to Lhasa, the capital, and further east past the sharp southern turn of the Tsang-Po River and into the vast forests of Po-mi. Stories, thoughts and emotions flood my memory when I think of this journey. I am reminded of what lured a young, ethnocentric American from the mountain-less state of Indiana onto the roof of the world…”

And so began my journey to and with the SIT Graduate Institute. These words, taken from my SIT graduate admissions essay, highlight my experiences overseas with the SIT Study Abroad Tibetan Studies Program (Fall 2001). Three years later, having been lured here by many factors (notably, the fantastic admissions team at the time and SIT’s commitments to justice, service, and a responsible global citizenry) I was here on campus working towards a degree in Service, Leadership and Management.

Natalie Baker Merrill on “The Roof of the World”

Natalie Baker Merrill, continued

As a student in the Program in Intercultural Service, Leadership and Management (PIM) Program, I found a challenging (in a good way!) academic and social landscape. My fellow students were from 60 different countries and my faculty were experienced and knowledgeable – clearly experts in their respective fields. I found the experiential learning model to be a natural way of learning for me and I valued the non-traditional approaches to study (for example, non-lecture courses and team assignments).

In the end, I most definitely came away with book knowledge (theory and history and vast amounts of new information about the world we live in) and with a plethora of opportunities for practical skills application, but what I cherish most from my degree at SIT are the deep relationships with my peers and honed abilities in personal reflection and self-discovery – which continue to impact me on a daily basis even today.

My SIT journey continued with a practicum focused on grassroots political organizing and NGO management with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) before moving on to work in refugee resettlement in Providence, RI. My capstone then focused on conflict-sensitive development in Kenya and I completed my degree in May 2007.

Natalie on graduation day

For two years, while completing my degree and until last month, I worked at the SIT Graduate Institute within Student Services. As Student Advocate, my role was to provide support and guidance to students as they encountered challenges throughout their on-campus phase. I was available to hear student concerns and help to ensure that they were addressed by faculty, staff or the administration. And now, as I take on my new role at SIT, working as an Admissions Counselor for the Program in Intercultural Service, Leadership and Management, I hope to be able to pass along to you my unique knowledge and perspectives from many years of experience with SIT.

Self-discovery and the knowledge that comes with it guide us down our paths in life, directing us at every turn. Seven years after my initial journey with SIT Study Abroad, I still see myself on the same journey- my life’s journey of meaningful work in the world. Everyday I continue to reap inspiration and direction for my path from my exposure to and experiences with people I’ve met through SIT.

In my time here, through all the ups and downs mirrored by the hilly Vermont landscape, I have gained a greater awareness of the world, the systems that foster change and power in it, and the needs of some of the many peoples who make it their home. I have made friends and contacts in many regions of the world and I have been humbled and blessed by my interactions with them.

It is my sincere hope that I will come to know you as a fellow traveler upon the SIT landscapes of learning. Brattleboro is, according to Rudyard Kipling and me, one of the most beautiful places on the planet and I look forward to meeting you here on the path one day.

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