Got Global Interests?
Sara Napierkowski SMC '14 is the program's first graduate. She combined her Global Studies major with a second major in Italian.
"I was first attracted to the interdisciplinary nature of Global Studies. The core courses fit together like a puzzle to explain globalization yet exposed me to many different areas. I always knew that I wanted to do something with business, and the Global Business Administration concentration allowed me to incorporate my interests in both majors."
Sara studied in Rome during sophomore year and never stopped exploring the city day and night. This pictures her on The Spanish Steps.
D
evelop Global Skill Sets!
Kaitlyn Rabach ‘15 did not miss any opportunity to broaden her intercultural competence. Fall semester '12 she studied abroad in Morocco at Al Akhawayn University. She spent spring semester '14 in Washington DC at American University in conjunction with her Political Science major.
Over two summers she served as a mentor to international students at a Study of the United States Institute (SUSI) hosted by the College and sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
“I met young women leaders from all parts of the world and learned about many different issues facing their countries in terms of women’s issues, economics, and human rights,” Rabach said. “The SUSI program opened my eyes to the many injustices the world faces, and it also showed me that many Americans do not know what goes on outside of their own borders. The global studies major will allow me to further explore such international issues.”
Ally Emmett, a 2022 GLST graduate who studied abroad in Seville, Spain is currently working as the lead case manager of a transitional foster care program serving unaccompanied immigrant children and preparing to begin a Master of Social Work program.
“The opportunity to pursue research driven by my own curiosity was an exciting part of my GLST experience. Through my anthropology concentration, I was especially encouraged by Dr. Haynes to explore the questions and topics that interested me most, leading to my senior comp looking at gender and the Spanish language. My GLST major helped me understand how culture, institutional systems, and individual experiences intersect, influencing the way people understand and navigate the world. In my current role, I examine how global patterns lead families to make the decision to immigrate to the United States and navigate policy changes that affect the families I serve, which my GLST major has helped prepare me for.”
“I'd encourage students who are curious about the world and enjoy thinking across disciplines to study GLST. Part of the major's appeal to me was that I couldn't pick just one discipline to focus on! GLST helped me develop my love of travel and language learning while challenging me to think critically about the world around me.”
See and Experience the World for Yourself
All students completing the Global Studies major or minor participate in Saint Mary's College study abroad programs. If a student is not able to participate in a semester length program, she may participate in summer and semester break programs totaling a minimum of five weeks.
Prepare for Global Careers
Global Studies programs will lay the foundation for careers in a wide range of globally oriented fields. These include opportuntities with both public and private sector organizations as well as the vast and growing world of non-profit agencies, institutions and foundations, research centers, public interest groups, and non-governmental development agencies.