Triple major fosters family connection through degrees from ASU
Hannah Bradley. Courtsey photo
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable fall 2024 graduates.
The decision to continue her education at ASU was easy for Hannah Bradley, whose ties to the university run deep.
“I hoped to be closer to my mom and family as I pursued my education,” she said, “and wanted to experience the campus as she once did.”
Her mother, Stephanie Bradley, graduated from ASU in 2000 with a degree in psychology. Bradley says her mom is her role model, cheerleader and best friend.
She followed her mom’s footsteps to ASU, graduating this fall as a triple major, with bachelor’s degrees in anthropology, English (linguistics) and East Asian studies (Korea), as well as a certificate in Korean studies.
During her undergrad, Bradley was nominated to join Phi Beta Kappa and also received the New American University–Provost’s Award and the John and Sandra Koo Scholarship Award.
Looking forward, Bradley will return to ASU in the spring, pursuing a master's degree in emergency management and homeland security at the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.
“I'm excited to see what experiences and knowledge I'll bring to this program after graduating with my bachelor’s,” she said of her next steps.
The School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies reached out to Hannah to learn more about her time at ASU.
Question: What was your "aha" moment when you realized what you wanted to study?
Answer: After taking different language classes in high school, I became fascinated by the patterns I'd see across languages, along with so many unique qualities inherent to different places, cultures and histories. Language as a form of communication as well as an intricate reflection of culture continues to be an important subject of interest for me.
Q: What's something you learned while at ASU (in the classroom or otherwise) that surprised you or changed your perspective?
A: Being exposed to so many different discourses and ongoing studies in academia really changed my perspective and shed light on how important these conversations truly are. There are so many different people and stories in this world, and it's important to learn about experiences beyond our own.
Q: Which professor taught you one of the most important lessons you've learned at ASU? What was the lesson?
A: After taking the majority of Korean language and culture classes at ASU, I built up a lot of good relationships with all of the professors in the program. They truly care about what they teach and the students they have. The most important lesson I learned from all of them was to be passionate about what you study. The passion that I had during my teenage years persisted to become the foundation of my passion for higher education and language learning.
Q: What's the best piece of advice you'd give to other students?
A: I would tell students to be ambitious — within reason, of course. College on its own is a place to truly discover yourself, your beliefs and how you view the world. However, I would also tell students to challenge themselves in learning as much as they can while at ASU. Not only are there so many unique classes to take, but students are also able to deeply engage with so much about the world at a young age. It's important to remain mindful, however, especially as stress and life can affect so much.
Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?
A: With the plethora of issues we have right now, it's difficult to choose just one. However, I am deeply concerned by the sheer extent of human trafficking and how it perhaps isn't given enough attention in media as it should. The U.S. remains one of the largest places for trafficking rates, and this is truly abhorrent. I believe we, as human beings, need to work on tackling this issue as it is one of the most important of our time.
Q: Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about your time as a student at ASU?
A: I really loved growing up, learning and graduating at ASU. Truly, it was a wonderful experience that challenged me, brought me closer to my friends and family, and provided me with a remarkable education.
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