Student Spotlight: Ruby Moore-Bloom '17

Hometown: Berkeley, CA

Concentrations: Middle East Studies & Anthropology

What was the focus of your academic studies at Brown?

At Brown I concentrated in Anthropology and Middle East Studies. Following my Junior semester abroad in Morocco, I became especially interested in themes of linguistic anthropology, migration, displaced peoples, and transnational identity. Based on volunteer work at the Dorcas Institute in Providence, I am writing an Anthropology honors thesis that explores the role of ESL classes for refugees and immigrants seeking to achieve self-sufficiency.

What will you be doing following graduation?

After graduation I hope to work either as a teaching fellow in a middle school or in ESL classes for adults. Further down the line, I hope to take time to travel and live in an Arabic-speaking country.

How did your brown MES experience influence your academic and intellectual interests/passions/trajectory and influence your future goals/dreams?

The Middle East Studies department at Brown gave me an invaluable interdisciplinary academic experience. I found myself surrounded by classmates and professors who consistently made me think critically about the world around me. My MES experience has pushed me to continue learning Arabic and has been a wonderful and complementary focus alongside Anthropology.

Interview by Kutay Onayli '17.