Student Summer Spotlight: Kiwi Kiwinda (GSAS '26)

This summer, I went to Kenya to continue my Kiswahili studies through the Fulbright-Hays GPA Swahili Summer Abroad administered by Howard and Pwani Universities. It was an amazing, once in a lifetime experience that has strengthened my Swahili, enriched my cultural appreciation, and built lasting relationships with people on the trip with me and in Kenya. Immersion is paramount to language acquisition, so the Swahili Summer Abroad program was the perfect opportunity to test and improve my speaking skills. Reading books and articles in class was useful, but speaking with people in Kiswahili gave me hands on experience with how the language is used in everyday life in Kenya. The Swahili Summer Abroad was specifically helpful because we spent four weeks each in Nairobi and Kilifi which exposed us to different dialects within the country. 

As someone who is returning to Kenya to conduct research, the Swahili Summer Abroad was an excellent opportunity to make personal and professional connections with local students and scholars in a way that I never would have been able to otherwise. An integral part of the program is your assigned language partners both in Nairobi and on the coast. In small groups, you can talk in Kiswahili with local college students and even plan trips together. The students are friendly and welcoming. Also, most of the instructors were professors and graduate students from local universities in Kenya. For people who plan on returning to Kenya for graduate-level research, this means that you have an unparalleled opportunity to expand your professional network in the region opening sources, study opportunities, and new ways thinking. 

The community of scholars coming from the U.S. is very diverse. There were several people with Kenyan ancestry, but even among us who had relatives our families were from different parts of the country. The program admits people for universities across the United States, so this was a great opportunity to meet other Africa-focused scholars who want to experience Kenya rather than simply reading about it. I made many lifelong friends and have even met a few for coffee after coming back to the States. Overall, the Swahili Summer Abroad is a fantastic opportunity to build your Kiswahili skills while on a life-shaping journey.