Radhika Arora

“From a young age, I became interested in learning languages and exploring the cultural differences that shape the way we think about the world. The CLS Program solidified those interests and inspired a clear career pathway for me.”

Radhika Arora’s interest in the Middle East started when she was selected for a summer internship program with the U.S. Department of State as an undergraduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. On the Iraq Desk, she worked on programs for Iraqi youth and professionals, which sparked her interest in the Arabic language.

The following summer, Radhika interned at the Department of State again, but this time at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan.

“It was great to have the opportunity to work in Amman in my interest areas like economic development, renewable energy, and refugee issues. It was the first time I was able to practice Arabic in an immersive environment, and it set me up well for the CLS Program.”

The following summer, Radhika joined 25 other students from across the United States to study Arabic in Meknes, Morocco on the CLS Program.

“The CLS Program cemented my interests in social impact and learning languages. I know I will continue to cultivate relationships abroad by learning languages, and I am forever grateful for the opportunities the CLS Program gifted me.”

Now Radhika is a Business Analyst at Deloitte, a multinational professional services network. In her free time, she is a part of the Deloitte Language Initiative, a group to promote language learning.

“Our Arabic group has around 20 participants, many of whom are native Arabic speakers. Our firm has a presence in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, so this group connects us on a deeper level to the challenges we address, environments we operate in, and people we work with.”

In 2019, Radhika traveled to Cambodia to support anti-human trafficking NGOs by facilitating workshops and cultivating cross-cultural relationships. She is passionate about social and economic justice, and is motivated to continue to travel abroad with Deloitte’s international programs.