Staten Island Resident and Student at Loyola University Maryland wins William Jefferson Clinton Scholarship

2016 May 10

Loyola University Maryland student, Frank Musuruca, 2018, has won The William Jefferson Clinton Scholarship at the American University in Dubai for summer study.

Musuruca and Sirois will be in Dubai from the beginning of May to the end of June, taking classes and trips with fellow college students. The scholarship was created by President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Presidential Foundation to provide American students an opportunity to study in the Arab world.

Musuruca, an international business and finance major with a minor in information systems from Staten Island, N.Y., is looking forward to experiencing Dubai as a student and tourist. He plans to visit the Burj Khalifa and ride a camel. He also hopes to shadow at a financial firm while there.

"After studying Arabic for three years, I could not think of a better way to culminate my experience than by traveling to the Middle East to practice it first-hand," Musuruca said.

Musuruca's ultimate goal after graduation is to work in Dubai's world finance district. At Loyola, he works in the office of international programs and is a member of the Arabyola culture club.

Sirois, a Spanish major and Latin American studies minor from Dennis Port, Mass., studied Arabic during her first and second year at Loyola and is excited to improve her language skills this summer. During her time in Dubai, she plans to take Middle Eastern studies classes to learn about the culture.

"I am looking forward to seeing how Dubai, a city that has really only been around for about 50 years in its current modern state, mixes with many cultural influences," Sirois said.

She has previously studied abroad in Spain. At Loyola, Sirois is a Spanish tutor, and works with GreyComm Studios. She also volunteers at the Asylee Women Enterprise, and previously volunteered at Esperanza Center. After graduation, Sirois plans to join the Peace Corps.

"I have a strong passion for service and want to continue it in an environment that allows me to use the language skills I have gained through studying at Loyola," she said.