Global Scholars Program at American University

Thanks to all alumni, students, and faculty who attended our 10-year celebration this past weekend!

Congratulations seniors!!! We had a great time at our graduation brunch today, with the classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 celebrating in person. 🎓

We had a great time at our annual holiday brunch this morning! ☃️ We have missed this special event so much that nearly every current student attended. Good luck with your finals and have a restful break!

Happy Halloween from our first years!

Trivia night tomorrow night!! Come play for the chance to win GloScho merch 🕺🥳

Happy Juneteenth! In addition to celebrating this historical event, we should all reflect and educate ourselves to be antiracist every day. There is a long way to go to achieve racial equality in the U.S. and around the world

Our next senior spotlight goes to Miranda Baumann! Miranda had a primary focus on Justice, Ethics, and Human Rights and a secondary focus on PGSCR with a Minor in Spanish Language and a certificate in Spanish Translation. Her fondest memories from AU have included interning as the Detained Adults Program Intern at the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition in D.C., interning at Ozone Drive in Madrid, Spain, and volunteering as a virtual English as a Second Language Instructor at the English School Salamanca in Salamanca, Mexico. During her undergraduate career, she also had the opportunity to conduct research on young entrepreneurs in Latin America for the U.S. State Department in its Diplomacy Lab and present an independent research project on UN discourses on genocide at the 2021 National Conference of Undergraduate Research. Miranda is also grateful for the opportunity to study abroad in Brussels and Madrid and to cover local concerts and interview musicians as the Music Editor of The Eagle!

We can’t see what else you accomplish, Miranda! Congratulations!

Next up for senior spotlights is Elyssa Dalaker! Elyssa concentrated on Justice, Ethics, and Human Rights in SIS. As a Global Scholar, Elyssa went to Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, the UK, and Ireland! Her favorite memory while abroad was living in a homestay in Brussels with fellow GloScho Wyatt. In the fall, Elyssa is going to Yale for a Master’s in public health! She hopes to focus on mental health disorders in refugee populations.

We could not be more proud of you, Elyssa! Congratulations!

Next up for our senior spotlights is Vicky Brown Varela! Vicky focused on Environmental Sustainability and Peace, Global Security, & Conflict Resolution and the Middle East & North Africa. One of her favorite experiences at AU was serving as Director of Communications for the Latinx & American Student Organization (LASO). She also enjoyed fulfilling her childhood dream of learning Arabic, a language she hopes to continue studying in the future. At AU, Vicky also had the opportunity to conduct ethnographic research with Nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica, and represented AU at the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) and had her work published in the NCUR Proceedings. After graduation, Vicky plans on working on an Indigenous Bríbrí eco-project in Costa Rica and then applying for a masters degree in Visual Anthropology for the following year.

We can’t wait to see what else you can accomplish, Vicky! Congratulations!

Continuing with our senior spotlights, our next one goes to Anneli Sánchez Ortiz! Anneli focused on Global Economy for undergrad, and switched to US Foreign Policy during the MA program. Anneli’s favorite memory with the GloSchos was their night out in Seville, and the one time Professor Hardig wore a santa suit! While at AU, Anneli got to intern as a legal interpreter for the WCL, which completely changed her perspective on US foreign policy goes. After graduation, Anneli plans to come back to AU in the fall to finish my Master's degree and then go on to a PhD!

Wow, wishing you the best of luck with the rest of your studies at AU, Anneli! Congratulations!

Our next senior spotlight is on Mimi Reitz! Mimi focused on Peace and Conflict Resolution in the Eurasia region. One of her favorite experiences at AU was a 10 day study abroad trip to Russia through the Carmel program. Mimi also took an extra long exchange to Paris when she stayed there during the pandemic. In fact, Mimi spent most of her time at AU abroad! Mimi also had the opportunity to intern in the Cultural Programs Division of the State Department. After graduation, Mimi will be teaching abroad and learning Russian in Moscow!

What an amazing journey, Mimi! Congratulations!

Up next for senior spotlights is Kate Jasenski! Kate focused on East Asia and Foreign Policy & National Security, but she is also interested in international social welfare and global governance. Her favorite things at AU have been visiting so many of the embassies, being part of the Language Exchange Program every semester (Mandarin, Cantonese, and Korean), and being a part of the Korean Student Association. After graduation, Kate will be working with an Professor Hershberg at the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies doing research on Chinese involvement in Latin America. She will also be participating in virtual CLS Chinese this summer, and starting an English teaching Fulbright in Korea in January.

Wow, way to go, Kate! Congratulations!