Majors: Global studies
Minors: French
Graduation date: May 2020
Why did you chose your major?
Some of my favorite things about majoring in Global Studies are the opportunities it gave me. I was originally an International Business major but felt like it wasn't giving me enough cultural experience as I wanted. The Global Studies department really opened my eyes and pushed me out of my comfort zone to pursue one of my dreams of being able to travel to different countries and learn about several cultures.
Involvement
Global Engagement Intern for IANR: Truthfully the internship helped me decide where I wanted to study abroad (Morocco). The internship gave me the chance to do a proposal on the higher education crisis in the M.E.N.A regions and how to move forward from the issue.
Study Abroad in Morocco: I wanted to improve my French but I knew that I didn't want to go to a European country. I was really set on finding something that would work with my region specialization (Africa and Middle East) and it was perfect. It was an experience that I wasn't expecting and I learned so much that I still use to this day.
Teaching Assistant for PIESL: I knew that maybe one day I would like to teach English in another country and thought this was my chance to finally get some experience. It was also a fantastic way to meet some international students and learn about their culture!
Legislative Intern for Senator Megan Hunt: An internship that helped open so many doors and also strengthened my desire to work in policy. I learned so much from the Senator and her office that I believe I will continue using throughout my career.
Since graduation
After I graduated, I became a financial assistant on a congressional campaign for former Senator Kate Bolz. This job really expanded my knowledge on working in politics and how a campaign works. It was also an interesting position because it was all during the 2020 elections! After the elections ended, I accepted a position with Planned Parenthood as an Advocacy Strategist. It was extremely rewarding work as I got to work with so many people in the advocacy community and fight for keeping abortion rights in Nebraska. I chose this path because I knew that I wanted to gain more political exposure and truly get hands-on experience on how to fight for the rights I'm passionate about. This past summer I decided to accept the position with the TAPIF (Teaching Assistant Program in France) program in Bordeaux, France because I knew that I want to work in foreign policy someday. This program is giving me the opportunity to continue improving my French speaking and writing skills but is also giving me more international exposure.
Advice for current students
My advice is to step out of your comfort zone. It can be scary knowing that you will be travelling to another country and leaving a lot behind, but it might be the thing to help you decide what you want to do in life. You will meet so many people, learn new things and experience so much that could benefit you and your decisions.
