Join us in recognizing some of the top Kennedy Center students of the class of 2025. We'll be highlighting some of our valedictorians to hear about their experiences at BYU.
Isaac Theobald, originally of Papillion, Nebraska, is the 2025 valedictorian for the Middle East Studies/Arabic program. He completed the social sciences track in the major; he also earned a second major in Arabic Language and a minor in Modern Hebrew. He is currently in Morocco completing his Arabic Flagship capstone program; when he returns home, he plans to continue to develop his Arabic skills while applying to graduate programs this upcoming year.
What drew you to your program?
After I completed high school, I spent some time working construction, and it was during that time that I became friends with a young Syrian refugee who did not speak any English. He was from Aleppo, and he fled the region with his family because of the war that ravaged his city and country. I did not have many opportunities growing up in Nebraska to meet many people from that part of the world, and it shocked me how similar we were. Even though we struggled to communicate sometimes, we quickly became friends, and I realized that I wanted to learn Arabic and study this part of the world to be able to make a difference in the lives of the people of the Middle East.
I had always wanted to complete my undergraduate degree at BYU, but I didn’t always know what I wanted to get my degree in. I remember one day printing out a list of all the available degrees offered at BYU and started to circle which majors I could see myself enjoying. Once I got closer to the bottom of the list, I saw Middle Eastern Studies/Arabic, and I instantly went online to look at the degree requirements. Looking at all of the classes I would take confirmed my decision that this was the program that I wanted to be a part of.
What were your favorite classes?
A class that I really enjoyed was actually the Introduction to Middle East Studies class (MESA 201). This class helped me realize how much there was to learn about the Middle East, and it also introduced me to many of the topics and issues that would come to define my undergraduate years.
Another class that left a big impact on me was Middle East Politics (POLI 357) taught by Dr. Joshua Gubler. This class helped me to find my own thoughts and opinions and be able to lay them out in a clear and logical way. It also introduced me to many of the seminal works that influenced scholarship in Middle East studies.
Were there any professors that made an impact on you?
There are so many! Dr. Kirk Belnap and Dr. Ahmad Karout were so influential in helping develop my Arabic language abilities. Dr. Kevin Blankinship and the aforementioned Dr. Joshua Gubler were huge components of my success in the program as well. And finally, Monica Richards, BYU’s fantastic Modern Hebrew professor, helped expand my horizons past the Arabic-speaking world and into another culture of the Middle East.
Did you participate in any study abroad programs?
I actually had the opportunity to take part in two studies abroad during my time at BYU. The first was BYU’s Intensive Arabic study abroad in Jordan in the fall of 2022. This was an incredibly influential turning point in my life, and my life changed forever when my son was born when I returned. In regard to the second study abroad, I am currently wrapping up my year-long Arabic Capstone study abroad in Meknes, Morocco as part of BYU’s Arabic Flagship program. This program has been an incredible experience for me and my little family, and it has expanded my Arabic language abilities and helped me form many meaningful relationships outside of the United States.
To those who are considering your program, what would you say?
My advice for students considering the major would be to first realize that small growth over time will be huge by the time you graduate. For example, it’s often the little vocab practice five to ten minutes every day that will have the greatest effect on your language ability. Secondly, try to find ways to connect what you are learning in class to your life! Make friends with some of the Muslim students, try some Middle Eastern cuisine, or ask a professor for a booklist from Middle Eastern authors. There are so many small but meaningful ways that you can connect with Middle Eastern culture and enrich your studies! And lastly, this program is difficult and challenging, and there will probably be times when you get frustrated, and that is totally normal, but your time in this program is so special and provides opportunities that really sometimes only come once in a lifetime. Try to make the most out of them and you won’t regret it!