WKU News

For Debs Ishimwe, studying Chinese wasn’t just an academic choice – it was a calling rooted in curiosity and cultural appreciation. “During COVID, I dabbled in Chinese dramas, and it got to a point where I was like, I need to understand without subtitles,” she says with a smile.

A graduate of Tates Creek Senior High School in Lexington, Kentucky, Debs was part of the International Baccalaureate program, where she took Spanish, French, and Chinese. But Chinese stood out. “It is a critical language, and I feel like knowing it has its value,” she explains. Visits to WKU during high school, including two trips to learn about the Chinese Flagship Program, solidified her path. “I met the director and felt like I could see myself there. That helped make my decision clear.”

Today, Debs is majoring in criminology with a focus on legal studies and law, alongside Chinese. “I’ve always known I wanted to go into law since I was 10 years old,” she reflects. Reading Sherlock Holmes sparked her analytical thinking, but as she grew, her purpose deepened. “I started leaning more towards immigration law. I want to help people find opportunity in other countries and understand what they can and cannot do.”

This summer, Debs is studying abroad in Taiwan in an 8-week immersion experience, a step she intentionally accelerated to keep her timeline aligned for law school. “I wasn’t required to go to Taiwan yet, but I wanted to [be eligible for] Capstone earlier. I do want to go to law school after Capstone and didn’t want to mess up my timeline.”
Getting there took resilience. After not receiving the Critical Language Scholarship she initially applied for, Debs felt discouraged. “I had already given up completely,” she admits.

But encouragement from WKU mentors kept her moving forward. “Lindsay [Houchin] kept sending emails saying, ‘apply for Fund for Education Abroad, apply for Freeman, apply for Gilman…’ and a talk with Dr. Peng (Flagship Director) where she broke it all down for me and said, ‘don’t give up until you’ve tried all your options’.” That persistence paid off: Debs was awarded both the Benjamin A. Gilman and Freeman Asia scholarships to support her summer in Taiwan in spring 2025 semester.

Adjusting to life abroad has felt unexpectedly natural. “I don’t think I was ever scared… when I arrived, it felt like home somehow,” she says. Her professors’ passion and care for students have made an impression. “Their faces light up when they see people who want to receive their culture. It’s beautiful.”

Growing up as the second oldest of nearly twelve siblings, leaving home was an adjustment. “It was very difficult going from being responsible for so many of my siblings to just having to worry about myself,” Debs shares. Yet her first year at WKU helped her grow into her independence. Honors social activities, Catalyst Cohort, Elevate Faith Ministry, and becoming an RA shaped her experience. “I feel like being in Honors helped a lot. Honors-track M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan really helped because before classes, you got to meet people. And Catalyst… I honestly don’t know if I would be here if they didn’t have it.”

One highlight was returning to Tates Creek to promote the Flagship program as an ambassador during Fall Break. “It felt full circle. I went back to my comfort zone, bringing them my newfound self.”

Looking ahead, Debs will continue Flagship courses through junior and senior years, with her Capstone abroad planned for 2027-2028, before applying to law school. She hopes her journey shows others what is possible. “I reached a point where I completely did not believe this was possible for me. I want to work with anyone willing to help students see that opportunities like this exist.”

Her advice is clear: “Do not give up until you’ve tried all your options. This happened in its own timeline, and it made me realize that I do not need to worry about failing because ‘failing’ can lead to even better opportunities.”