A year in Japan, a summer in India, and a search for new perspectives led transfer student Sophie Rasmussen to pursue anthropology and international studies at OSU
Sophie Rasmussen
By Halle Sheppard, CLA Student Writer - March 25, 2026
Traveling internationally is a coveted opportunity that broadens horizons both personally, culturally, and academically, as well as takes you to places you’d never expect. For junior Sophie Rasmussen, her journeys across the world led her to find a home at Oregon State University’s College of Liberal Arts, double majoring in international studies and anthropology.
Ultimately, arriving at the School of Language, Culture, and Society, as well as the Honors College, amusingly began in a psychology class at Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC).
“While in [Philomath] high school, I took a few psychology courses at LBCC,” said Rasmussen. “I loved learning about how people operate and the history of how people perceive behavior, but the part that didn’t quite stick was the clinical aspect of psychology. I didn’t like the idea of putting people in boxes or defining them by one thing.”
Not able to envision herself in a medical setting, Rasmussen still wanted to explore how the brain worked and reasons behind a person's decision-making, but from a more social and historical perspective. This pursuit shifted to her current course of study in anthropology.
Originally starting her collegiate career at Southern Oregon University (SOU) in Ashland, Rasmussen entered as an anthropology and sociology student through SOU’s unique joint degree program. At first, she was planning on pursuing deeper studies in sociology, but a series of courses in cultural anthropology began to take over.
“I loved learning about the different philosophies of life and how that affects people’s perception of the world, which connected my interests in psychology, anthropology, and philosophy.” Studying cultural anthropology naturally fueled her interest in studying abroad, which eventually took her to both South and East Asia.
In summer 2024, SOU’s Democracy Project brought students to India, where Rasmussen and her peers in the Honors College experienced a unique, hands-on immersion of Indian democracy, politics, and civil society, as well as an opportunity to engage with professionals, academics, and local communities.
“It was fascinating,” said Rasmussen. “As India is a young country politically, I loved seeing how it was both similar and different from American democracy—unique, but drawing inspiration from foreign governments.”
Over the summer spent in India, Rasmussen was already planning her next study abroad experience; this time it would take her even farther and longer.
“Aside from India, I’ve experienced a lot of Western culture through travel, and I wanted to undergo something different, especially as someone who desires to go into the field of anthropology. I feel I cannot be a good anthropologist if my only frame of reference is from Western culture. It's so limited and hard to see from other people's perspectives if you haven’t stepped in their shoes.”
Rasmussen eagerly seized the opportunity and spent her entire sophomore year at the Nagoya University of Foreign Studies in Japan, primarily in language-intensive courses. Her time devoted to learning Japanese “rewired” her brain and changed her perspective of the world through language. During her second semester, Rasmussen even tested into the upper level of Japanese classes, a gargantuan feat, adding more complexities (and alphabets) into her repertoire. She also took up Kendo and Iaido sword fighting, as well as Taiko drum lessons. When her mom came to visit over winter break, they spent a week hiking the historic Nakasendo Trail between Nagoya and Tokyo, stopping at post town inns along the way.
“My confidence in not only speaking Japanese, but also in myself, grew immensely,” said Rasmussen. “I was determined to not feel ashamed for things I was working on. By the end, I wasn’t afraid of having to ask for help or speaking casually with people in Japanese.”
When Rasmussen’s transformative time in Japan was coming to an end, she began to rethink returning to SOU for her junior year. Having been living near the bustling city center of Nagoya, Rasmussen recognized that both SOU and the town of Ashland were looking a little too small for comfort.
“I love the school [SOU] and I love the people there, but I couldn’t see myself returning to Ashland after having this time in Japan.”
Growing up in Philomath, she originally wanted to expand her horizons and find a smaller university outside the Willamette Valley. SOU was the right fit for her at the time, but during her experience abroad, she began to reconsider OSU and the opportunities it offered.
“What intrigued me was the international studies program,” said Rasmussen. “It occurred to me that anthropology is often viewed through a Western lens. Studying topics outside of the U.S. and the West has provided me with a much different perspective on how to perceive my own culture. That perspective shift has been really important to me in my growth.” As OSU’s international studies double-degree program is one of the few on the West Coast, she decided to enroll in the College of Liberal Arts and Honors College upon returning from Japan.
While Rasmussen hasn’t been at OSU for very long, she’s enjoyed classes in the School of Language, Culture, and Society that have expanded her own views, such as Associate Professor David Lewis’ Contemporary Native Issues (ANTH 472), which opened her eyes to “all things ‘American’” she didn’t know previously and led to a greater understanding and critique of U.S. history. The Honors College has supplemented her coursework with unique colloquia classes and provided an added amount of responsibility and expectations with the faster pace. Her international experience is also tied into her honors thesis, the focus of which is still murky, but something along the lines of the “movements of foreign philosophies in culture through art.”
In terms of post graduation ideas, Rasmussen is taking it day-by-day, intentionally remarking, “I have no idea. I’m focusing on what I need to get done now. I’m going to flow wherever the world takes me.” While no plans have been made, Rasmussen has been enriched by her international experiences and educational journey, and is ready to use her skills wherever they may lead her.