Ana Stambolic ’21 was named last spring as a 2021 Yenching Scholar and was awarded a full fellowship to pursue an interdisciplinary master’s degree in China studies at Yenching Academy of Peking University in China.
Yenching Academy offers scholars a wide array of humanities and social sciences courses about China and aims to build bridges between China and the rest of the world. “Receiving this fellowship means a great deal to me because it will allow me to continue broadening my horizons culturally and intellectually,” said Stambolic, who graduated summa cum laude with majors in political science and human rights studies. “Because Yenching Academy is focused on interdisciplinary research and collaborative work among an international cohort, it will allow me to deeply engage with my research interests in international relations and global governance.”
Hailing from the city of Užice (Sevojno) in the Republic of Serbia, Stambolic was attracted to Trinity by the college’s urban location and its academic and co-curricular offerings. “I wanted to attend a school that is located in a city and complete internships and fellowships while studying at Trinity,” she said. “Moreover, I was certain that I wanted to pursue a human rights major, and Trinity is the first [liberal arts] school in the U.S. that started offering this major.” Before coming to Hartford, Stambolic graduated from UWC Robert Bosch College, a United World Colleges international boarding school in Germany.
While at Trinity, Stambolic conducted research with the Political Science Department, served as an international student mentor and as a Big Sister in the college’s Big Sister-Little Sister program, and worked in several campus offices. She studied for a year at Oxford University’s Mansfield College and completed internships at the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Washington, D.C., and the Hartford office of U.S. Rep. John Larson. In addition, Stambolic is a recipient of the Trinity College Class of 1922 Award for outstanding work in her academic field and of a Davis Project for Peace grant.
When considering the possibilities for graduate studies after completing her bachelor’s degree this spring, Stambolic, who is interested in a career in international relations and diplomacy, was drawn to Yenching Academy’s emphasis on multiculturalism, interdisciplinary research, and international cooperation. “I consider these things essential in responding to some of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century—the U.S.-China relationship in particular,” she said.