Hobart and William Smith Feature DIS ILA Winners

Hobart and William Smith honored five of their former DIS students, praising them for receiving the Intercultural Leadership Award (ILA) while in Denmark.

DIS Students in Copenhagen

February 8, 2012

Rachel Hinnenkamp, Lynn Hu, Stephen Mugel, Leila Peraro and Casey Sherwin were all recipients of the DIS Intercultural Leadership Award, which honors students who make a special effort to immerse in Danish society and culture, be it through different housing options, classes that reflect global and local trends or through immersion options throughout the semester.

"First I was an outsider, and magically I became an older sister," Leila Peraro told the Hobart and William Smith website. "I realized that if you decide that you are not going to try and understand others, then you are always going to be lost in translation. It was not easy to reach this point, but when I made myself uncomfortable, I began feeling more included."

Lynn Hu added: "Taking the initiative is the most important lesson I learned while studying abroad. Denmark has so much to offer in terms of academics and other opportunities. I learned that if I do not take the initiative to meet others, nobody else will do that for me."