Samantha Tancredi's Hutchison Leads Fellowship Takes Her All Over the World

Reflecting on her fellowship experience and how Hutchison helped her prepare, Samantha said: “I definitely felt prepared and supported by Hutchison's history department - it inspired me to pursue a social-science related fellowship. When I was in 10th grade, Mr. Robinson taught me AP U.S. History, and I fell in love with the intersections of law and history. Mr. Robinson also worked with me in my United States Government and Politics class, and this course prepared me for what I would be doing over my summer.”

Samantha's first fellowship experience was studying international business at Louis Dreyfus in Geneva, Switzerland. She worked with the company’s corporate lawyers and shadowed the businessmen and women in commodities, spending most of her time in the sugar division surveying sugar market trends. She worked with the company’s CEO to learn about historical trends and how the market fluctuates. With many languages being spoken all around her, she was continuously surrounded by people with different perspectives, ideas, and backgrounds.

From Geneva, Samantha traveled to Washington, D.C., where she worked in the House of Representatives for Tennessee Congressman David Kustoff and was often the only female in the room. She learned about public policy and the legislative branch, lead tours, and attended congressional meetings. Samantha even witnessed the Jeff Sessions hearing and met a variety of U.S. congressmen and senators.

After her time in D.C., Samantha traveled to Seville, Spain, where she studied Spanish literature and culture. While staying with a host family, Samantha heard their political views and perspectives on the United States and observed the high importance that family plays in Spanish culture. Samantha also explored the study of law on an international stage while learning about how religion and culture impact daily life in Spain.

Samantha then returned to the United States to study the intersection of law and psychology at Vanderbilt University. She also participated in Vanderbilt's mock trial program.

We're proud of Samantha's diligence and commitment in pursuing a unique fellowship. Way to go, Samantha!