Kenton Thibaut
My name is Kenton Thibaut. I'm graduating this May with a dual degree in International
Studies and Political Science, and with minors in Asian Studies and Chinese. I spent
a year abroad in Chengdu, China at Sichuan University in 2009. I loved my Asian Studies
minor because of the wide range of classes to choose from--I was able to take classes
that I simply wanted to take because of my interest in China, and Asian Studies gave
me an excuse to learn everything I wanted about it! The humanities and language focus
of the minor really helped me to gain a better understanding of Chinese culture, and
having this knowledge definitely helped me to adapt to living in a new cultural environment
while abroad. I hope expand my knowledge and experiences of China in the future, perhaps
in International Law or UN work. I know that my Asian Studies minor really helped
me to tailor my education according to my interests; It really aided me in discovering
my passion. If you have any interest in Asia, are thinking of studying abroad, or
are thinking about getting involved in the region in your future career, I highly
recommend pursuing an Asian Studies minor!