Hisham Srour intends to go to law school, which is perhaps not at all unusual for someone with a Government major. He knows that his minor in Philosophy will also be put to good use as a lawyer. Plus, whether or not he remains in Texas or practices in a major city like DC, Hisham realizes the value of his second major, Spanish. Not just because of the increasing numbers of Spanish-speaking citizens in the United States, but also given that so many misunderstandings among individuals from different cultures are compounded by the misinterpretation of language. Hisham’s Liberal Arts education is helping him carve out a personally-fulfilling career path, one in which he wants to “make a good difference” and do “what’s right.” This laudable goal has also been underpinned by Hisham’s strategic use of study abroad and internship experiences.

For example, taking part in a 6-month exchange program in Argentina, the credits from which contributed towards his Spanish major, additionally exposed Hisham to a different perspective about world issues.

“Every day I think about human rights atrocities and violations that are being perpetrated around the globe, which is why I worked for the National Domestic Violence Hotline as an advocate, answering calls from all kinds of victims and becoming aware of the differential resources made available to them, depending on whether they were male or female, gay or straight,” explains Hisham. “While living in Argentina I was comforted to find support for many of the political views that I hold, such as realizing that not all Palestinians are terrorists or have links to Al Qaeda. In Argentina I was exposed to a deeper level of political thought and more global perspective than I’ve seen so far in the US.”

For Hisham, it is not enough to understand something on an intellectual level -- he has to feel it on an emotional level. That way he is able to determine what it is he considers to be “right,” and therefore worth fighting for. But how does having a Liberal Arts education potentially make us better people?

“The thinking behind that, for me, is self-discovery,” says Hisham. “Go to other colleges, like business and engineering, or take the Pre-Med route and you have your entire program laid out for you, pretty much set in stone. With the Liberal Arts degree plan you have to figure out what you want to do to fill the requirements. The freedom to make personal choices supports the sort of self-discovery that, I believe, will make me a better lawyer. After all, there’s probably no other time in our lives in which we’re able to take courses or explore career paths, stumble or fail at them, and it not be a major set-back. As such, my Liberal Arts education keeps me grounded, because I learn from the humility of falling down sometimes.”

Hisham’s next internship experience will be at the American Bar Association’s Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities (IRR), where he will have the opportunity to attend Supreme Court oral arguments and Congressional hearings, plus write reports and maybe even pen an article for their magazine. After he has completed his education, Hisham wants to clerk for a judge, with the ultimate aim of becoming a federal judge himself.

“That’s where the real change takes place, since federal judges can force an entire Congress to vote a certain way,” adds Hisham. “And we need people in those roles who are morally sound and have a Liberal Arts background, from which they have developed a broader perspective on the world. But to truly see what is going on beyond their own national boundaries I think it’s vital for students to take advantage of study abroad opportunities, and international internships. Certainly these experiences have helped me take off my “US shades” and understand that living in a privileged country, as we do, doesn’t give us exclusive rights to determine what’s good and just.”

Explore Your International Options
Córdoba, Argentina Internship Program
EUSA London Internship Program  [PDF]
International Internship Scholarship for Liberal Arts Students
International Opportunities  
UT Study Abroad Office