La Verne Student Traveling to Middle East on Fellowship

Christian Rodriguez has never been outside of the United States. Up until a year ago, he had not even been on a plane.

“I had a panic attack on the flight back. The flight attendant had to give me a pill,” he said.

But the University of La Verne senior plans to get used to traveling soon. He wants to be a United States ambassador one day. And he will be traveling more than 8,000 miles to the Middle East on a Qatar Exchange Fellowship in late November.

The prestigious Model Arab League program, offered by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, will expose students to the culture, government and history of Qatar, considered the richest nation in the world per capita.

Rodriguez, an international studies major with a minor in history, will fly to Washington D.C. on Nov. 27 to attend a seminar in preparation for the fellowship. From there, he will travel to Qatar for a 9-day trip.

He pursued the fellowship with the encouragement of La Verne Model United Nations Advisor Dr. Juli Minoves-Triquell. Minoves-Triquell, a former ambassador, says such fellowships are valuable because they open students’ minds, give them new experiences and expose them to different cultures. It is fitting for La Verne to have a representative in Qatar, since the University is the official host for Model Arab League competitions, which draw 100 to 150 students from around Southern California.

Upon their return, fellowship participants will share their knowledge about Qatar at various events.

Rodriguez says this trip will only be the start of what he hopes will be a successful career in foreign relations. His adviser also has a positive outlook on his career.

“I think Christian has the potential to become a diplomat, both for his character and his interests in terms of international affairs,” Minoves-Triquell said. “I think he would be a good candidate.”

Rodriguez wants to join the Peace Corps after graduation so he can teach English overseas. From there, he plans to apply for the University of Southern California’s master’s program in public diplomacy and eventually join the U.S. Foreign Service.

He is also planning another long trip in January. This time, he will be heading to Cuba for an education class. It is exciting he says, because it means that in two months, he will be exposed to both monarchy and communist regimes in two very different countries.

“I want to see the world from a different perspective,” Rodriguez said.