Spotlight Current Student Spotlight: Tori Vestal

Tori Vestal is a current first year student in the Patterson School. She is majoring in Diplomacy and dually pursuing a certificate in Global Health. She received her BA in Foreign Languages and International Economics from the University of Kentucky May 2022 before joining the Patterson School in August.

Tori was awarded the Lexington Herald-Leader Fellowship for Spring 2023. The aim of this fellowship is to retain excellent Kentucky students from minority and poverty backgrounds in the local community. The fellowship provides a $6,000 stipend, tuition scholarship for the spring term, and student health plan enrollment. 

Upon graduation, she desires to pursue work within international organizations, aid, and humanitarian programs like USAID, the United Nations, Food & Agricultural Organization, and Doctors Without Borders. "I am currently an interpreter and translator with Kentucky Refugee Ministries and I additionally conduct research within refugee and immigrant health" Tori said.

Her current career aspirations consist of blending her abilities and interests of languages, international relationships, government, education, economy, environment, health and wellness, and helping people adjust and acclimate into society. She achieved these through serving as a Kentucky Refugees Ministries (KRM) interpreter and translator. Some secondary areas of interest include medicinal and agricultural skills that impact global health. She said she has enjoyed serving in the Office of Medical Education, assisting in training future physicians for professional practice and assisting the Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) at the University of Kentucky's Horticultural Research Farm. Additionally, she serves as a US Student Ambassador & Citizen Diplomat for an international organization titled The People's Accords, promoting digital diplomacy.

In five years, she envisions herself working in international outreach overseas, utilizing the multiple languages she speaks (Arabic, Spanish, Mandarin, French, and Russian) to connect and engage populations. "I can also envision myself pursuing a medical or doctoral pathway and earning another degree and blending my knowledge and passion of global health. I strongly see myself in a humanitarian organization or mission" said Tori.