I’m a homebody. I love to stay at home, curled up in a corner listening to my three favorite songs on repeat. But the fall 2023 semester was all about taking chances and opening every door of opportunity. On a whim I applied to a study abroad program and soon after found myself traveling 6,298 miles to Tokyo, Japan. Armed with the largest suitcase I could find and a couple hundred in Japanese yen, I was prepared to gamble it all on claw machines and gachapons (a mystery toy vending machine). What I wasn’t prepared for was how much insight I would gain as someone pursuing a degree in English.
The purpose of this study abroad was to analyze the differences in Asian and American superheroes via different lenses. Through movies, animation, and comics, a group of 19 other students and I spent three to four weeks extensively studying this topic, our curiosities growing and our minds expanding. I became an English major with one important goal: to enter the media and film industry. I wanted to write for blockbusters and generate ideas for upcoming TV shows. So how does my trip fit into all of this? Networking.
ISABIRI is a multi-level Japanese company that specializes in music and most notably, anime. My group had the honor to meet up with the director behind it all in their headquarters in Chiyoda, Japan. In an hour, we learned about the company itself and the many jobs within the animation industry. Jobs such as scriptwriting, character design, and generating ideas were integral parts of the industry that sparked my interest. At the end of the lecture, we had time to mingle with the director and some of the employees. Speaking with them really honed my interest in the media industry and exemplified the specific skill sets needed to approach this industry. It also made one thing clear: they were desperately searching for screenwriters and artists. Because of ISABIRI, I now have a focus for my years of studying: becoming a scriptwriter/screenwriter. Even though ISABIRI opened up a door for my future, I was still confused on where my skills lie in the expansive world of the media industry. But my questions were answered when my cohort visited the videogame company, Keywords Studios. Keywords Studios is a videogame service company that provides everything under the sun from game-ready scripts to casting voice actors for their scripts. We had the opportunity to speak to employees one on one and I soon realized that I could see myself scriptwriting as one of their employees, working on games side-by-side with artists, engineers, and game designers. In one month, I discovered what I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing.
I don’t regret a single day that I experienced in Tokyo, Japan. I would have never been able to gain all of this insight without the help of Sigma Tau Delta’s Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship. Through assisting with funding my trip to Japan Sigma Tau Delta helped me discover how best I could utilize my English degree after graduation. All I had to do was bite the bullet and step out of my comfort zone and into another country. I listened to the carefully articulated words of those who worked in the animation and video game industry and realized one crucial thing—the art of writing and English belong everywhere.
Aahana Goswami
Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship Recipient, Spring 2024
Alpha Upsilon Chi Chapter
University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Study Abroad Scholarships
The scholarship provides funding for the purpose of studying in a program that furthers the applicant’s engagement with Sigma Tau Delta’s mission. Students may apply for either a Long-Term or Short-Term scholarship. Applicants should demonstrate academic scholarship and chapter service; they also must explain the relevance of their study abroad program and activities to fostering the discipline of English, including literature, language, writing, or literacy.
Long-Term Study Abroad Scholarship
The Long-Term Study Abroad Scholarship provides up to $3,000 for students studying for a full academic term or year in a certified, undergraduate program outside the country in which the nominating chapter is located.
Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship
The Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship provides up to $1,500 to support participation in an undergraduate study-abroad program of less than an academic term. The program must be a certified, undergraduate program outside the country in which the nominating chapter is located.
Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
- Currently an undergraduate student
- Plan to study abroad in a certified undergraduate program for all or part of an academic term
All applications will be submitted via the AwardSpring Online submission process.
Application Deadline: October 13 through November 3, 2025, 4:00 p.m. CT
Past Study Abroad Scholarship Recipients
Fulfilling a Fantasy Dream with a Study Abroad
Lo Spirito Impressa: A Study Abroad Experience
Publishing, Passion, and Paris: My Study Abroad Experience in Paris
Studying Abroad: From Museums to Host Moms
Study Abroad, Or How to Succeed during the Unexpected
Study Abroad Scholarship Sparks Creativity in Nottingham
Study Abroad Scholarship: English Education in Maastricht
Study Abroad Scholarship: Royal Holloway-University of London
Study Abroad and Diversify Your College Experience
On Studying Abroad
Summer Stories from Abroad
Sigma Tau Delta
Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society, was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University. The Society strives to
- Confer distinction for high achievement in English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies;
- Provide, through its local chapters, cultural stimulation on college campuses and promote interest in literature and the English language in surrounding communities;
- Foster all aspects of the discipline of English, including literature, language, and writing;
- Promote exemplary character and good fellowship among its members;
- Exhibit high standards of academic excellence; and
- Serve society by fostering literacy.
With over 900 active chapters located in the United States and abroad, there are more than 1,000 Faculty Advisors, and approximately 9,000 members inducted annually.
Sigma Tau Delta also recognizes the accomplishments of professional writers who have contributed to the fields of language and literature.
