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Message from the Acting Chair, Dr. Jonathan Weiler
 After a year and a half of largely remote teaching and learning, Fall 2021 represented a welcome return to the classroom for the overwhelming majority of our students and faculty. Seeing the campus bristle with life and energy throughout the beautiful fall here in Chapel Hill has been a welcome reminder of what a vibrant community UNC is.
Global Studies welcomed fifteen new students to its MA program this fall, and hundreds of undergrads repopulated classrooms in the Global Education Center and elsewhere on campus. After two years under the steady leadership of our former Chair, Arne Kalleberg, we will be welcoming a new Chair, Banu Gökariksel, for the spring semester. We continue to work with our wonderful joint faculty to ensure that both our undergraduate and graduate programs adapt to our ever-changing world and meet the needs and interests of our students. Additionally, we are making plans to ensure that the Curriculum can do its part to contribute to the successful launch of a new General Education curriculum, slated to launch campus-wide in Fall, 2022.
None of these efforts would be possible without the work of our fantastic teaching faculty, Carmen Huerta-Bapat, Erica Johnson, Michal Osterweil and our awesome staff members, L.E. Alexander and Zach Ward.
We do not yet know exactly how the university will respond in Spring 2022 to the evolving pandemic. But we remain hopeful that the vitality of this fall’s return will continue next semester.
Wishing everyone a restful and restorative holiday season.
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Congratulations Fall 2021 Graduates!
The Curriculum in Global Studies congratulates our Fall 2021 BA graduates on this important milestone in your lives and the perseverance you have displayed during these unusual and trying times. We look forward to following your future journeys and the ways in which you will impact communities across North Carolina, throughout the United States, and around the world.
Yacine Alazadi
Elizabeth Anne Barnette
Alexandra Catherine Bejarano-Benning
Simon Carter Cawley
Lucas Gabriel Delrosario
Julia Fish
Anoova Guthikonda
Sophia Ballou Hastings
Emma Rae King
Meghan Alexis McGuire
Nereida Rodriguez Cruz
Emily Caroline Sartin
Saskia Xiomara Staimpel
Hailey Anne Darlyne Trudeau
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Global Studies Summer 2021 Funded Student Experiences
After a call for applications and competitive selection process, the Curriculum in Global Studies was able to provide summer 2021 funding to some of our outstanding undergraduate and graduate students to conduct research, complete an internship, or engage in globally-orientally studies.
Click on the links below to see individual student reflections about their summer experiences.
Nathalia Contreras-Pardo
Maria Jose Cuenco
Ludmila Leveque
Blake Ryan
David Gagnidze
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Ten Global Studies students inducted into Phi Beta Kappa
Two hundred and twenty-three UNC students were recently inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most honored college honorary society. Of those two hundred and twenty-three, ten were Global Studies majors. The names of our inductees appear below and we offer them our sincerest congratulations on this wonderful recognition.
- Megan Anderson Busbice, a senior with English and global studies majors and an Hispanic studies minor, of Holly Springs, North Carolina.
- Maeve Cook, a senior with economics and global studies majors, of Stafford, Virginia.
- Elizabeth James Cummings, a senior with public policy and global studies majors and a Spanish minor, of Asheville, North Carolina.
- Daniel De Campo Bonomo, a senior with business administration and global studies majors, of Mooresville, North Carolina.
- Grace Elizabeth Enright, a senior with political science and global studies majors, of Portola Valley, California.
- Julia Fish, a senior with global studies and public policy majors and a women’s and gender studies minor, of Hillsborough, North Carolina.
- Laursen Victoria Lancaster, a senior with global studies and political science majors and a Spanish for the professions minor, of Silver Spring, Maryland.
- Juhi Aashish Modi, a senior with global studies and public policy majors, of Cary, North Carolina.
- Miya Celeste Salmeron, a senior with political science and global studies majors and a Spanish for the legal professions minor, of Hillsborough, North Carolina.
- Isabel Williams, a senior with global studies and political science majors and a religious studies minor, of Issaquah, Washington.
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Global Studies Welcomes New Cohort of MA Students
Global Studies welcomed a new cohort of MA students on August 13th. This group of 15 marks the 8th class admitted into our graduate program since its launch in Fall 2014. The dynamic group came from across the country and world during these unusual times and have invigorated our classes and campus with their energy and intellect.
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Global Studies Discussion with Emilie Bruchon
 On November 4th, the Curriculum in Global Studies and the Russian Flagship Program hosted a discussion with alumna Emilie Brunchon. Emilie serves as the Deputy Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and spoke on how her globally oriented education has been infused into her professional life. While at UNC, Emilie double majored in French and International Studies, then went on to obtain her Master's degree in International Affairs at George Washington University. Subsequently, she became a Presidential Management Fellow, where she completed a two-year training and leadership development program through the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Emilie shared how her career as a Public Affairs Officer has given her the unique opportunity to practice existing skills in a variety of circumstances and develop new tools across her journeys in the State Department. While she primarily focuses on education and cultural and exchange programs, she also works on financial management and security policy. In focusing on bringing foreign students to the United States, through prestigious academic programs like the Fulbright, Emilie helps to identify up and coming young governmental officials, activists, and journalists. These programs are vital to strengthening democratic institutions in Kyrgyzstan.
Prior to working in Bishkek, Emilie's 15 years in the field has taken her all over the world. This includes assignments as a political officer in Paris, a consular officer in Bangkok, a public affairs officer in Oslo, working in Washington D.C. in policy relating to the Balkans, and serving under Secretary of State for pubic diplomacy. This has lead her to develop critical language skills in Thai, Norwegian, and Russian. In graduate school, she was awarded a Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS) Scholarship to study German (UNC students are able to apply for FLAS funding through our area studies centers).
Global Studies is grateful for Emilie and the many other alumni who share their vast experiences and insight with our current students.
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Alumni Spotlight: Dedren Snead (BA '12)
 Dedren Snead graduated in 2012 with a bachelors in Global Studies and Asian Studies, along with a minor in Entrepreneurship. He is the founder of Subsume Media, an Atlanta based studio growing into a global community of artists, writers, and maker talents dedicated to portraying inclusive narratives, drive collaboration, and bring passionate projects to life. He also currently serves as a 2021-2022 Shuford Innovator in Residence here at UNC.
We asked Dedren to reflect on his time in Global Studies as well as offer advice for our current students. His responses are below.
What are some of your fondest memories during your time as a major in our program or as a UNC student generally?
My fondest memories during my time were the walks to class on our beautiful campus, the optimism of the days to learn something new, and the sense of belonging I eventually embraced over the years as I overcame a lot of self-doubt of where I could fit in within the world.
The feeling of that massive airplane taking off from Raleigh to take me to Japan, having never traveled much past Eastern North Carolina growing up. I knew the same kid wasn’t coming back home. And I was right.
I recall those very early mornings sleeping on the floor with my back to Aratake Sensei’s office door in New West, holding my homemade Kanji flash cards tightly, having practiced the most rudimentary of questions in newly formed Japanese mind. Ever stoic and professional, in those extra study hours, she shared a quiet kindness with me, as I looked to the trees waving at me outside her office window, searching among their leaves for answers to her rigorous questions. Even as a student struggling to keep up, working three jobs and catching two buses from Durham to await her every day, there was an optimism not just of my studies, but of me and my future I truly never had before. I’ve always tried to sincerely honor her considerations in my personal and professional life, and while I never did become a Japanese salaryman in Tokyo (but came close!), my mind blossomed with possibilities, and I’ve enjoyed many chapters of great fortune and experience I would have never dreamt possible. While the hundreds of Kanji characters may have faded over time, my time with her remains the best sentiment of my Carolina experience. She saved my life.
What made a globally oriented education attractive to you initially?
My passions to learn about history and culture were what began my interest in a globally oriented education, having has a very remote view of the world from where I was raised. As I looked deeper into the opportunities that Carolina offered as an incoming transfer student, I realized that I wanted to find out more about other places, and to in discovering more about them, perhaps learn more about myself. From Economics to languages, historic context, and the state of the future, I found that shifting my emphasis to a more global point of learning gave me an advantage in pursuing the opportunities I truly desired. It was more than just Study Abroad, it was being able to see value in different and unique perspectives, something that has served me well in my career path, and in life itself.
How has your globally oriented education informed your personal and professional pathways since graduation?
I can honestly say that being a part of the Global Studies program offered a world new of possibilities, that I could not have imagined. My experiences and professional work in the global economy have touched Sales, Marketing and Social Entrepreneurship, and allowed me to be an asset wherever my talents have led me. Being global in my educational studies expanded the palette of career choices and avenues for progress much more than I expected, and I couldn’t suggest more that anyone of any field of study find a way to embrace this advantage in any form they can.
What is one word of advice you would give to current students majoring in Global Studies?
Be confident in your place within this world we all share. Your personal story, your perspective, and your willingness to grow translate more prominently than any language skill or cultural insights can among the people you will meet along your path. While the world is a massive space geographically, humanity is a small, intimate, tiny little thing we all share and value. You’ll see we are so much more alike as time grants you the experiences to know, and the wisdom to understand. The world wants to know who you truly are, why you are here and what you are capable of. Don’t be afraid to show it and embrace the spaces you want to be included in wholeheartedly. It can take you wherever you want to go.
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Alumni Spotlight: Christina Lee (BA '17)
Global Studies alumna Christina Lee is a Senior Consultant with Deloitte based in Washington, D.C. She has lead multidisciplinary teams in the expansion of learning and mentorship opportunities related to innovation strategy, and in the development of global leadership curriculum for non-profit organizations around the world. Christina graduated from UNC in 2017 having double majored in Global Studies and Political Science with a minor in Anthropology.
We asked Christina to reflect on her time in Global Studies as well as offer advice for our current students. Her responses are below.
What are some of your fondest memories during your time in our program or as a UNC student generally?
I loved that as a Global Studies major, I could design my own destiny - the interdisciplinary nature of the major electives meant I could dabble in Russian language, learn about Buddhism in Southeast Asia, and of course - study abroad in London and Geneva, all coming together for a well-rounded understanding of how politics, religion, economy, and culture influence international affairs.
What made a globally oriented education attractive to you initially?
As the daughter of first-generation immigrants, I grew up immersed in two different cultures. I experienced first-hand how language and culture influence decision making, and wanted to explore that at a higher level, especially in the context of social impact.
How has your globally oriented education informed your personal and professional pathways since graduation?
I'm currently applying to graduate programs to pivot from my current career in public sector consulting to corporate sustainability, which is inherently a global and multifaceted challenge that demands private sector action. The intersection of business and environment is a space where global orientation is critical, especially for international corporations with far-flung supply chains and customers.
What is one word of advice you would give to current students majoring in Global Studies?
I chose to study abroad during the summer so I didn't miss out on campus life for a semester, even though that meant the direct tuition exchange wouldn't apply. I recommend this approach, because there are scholarships out there to help fund your international experience - the Center for Global Initiatives is a great place to start your search for funding opportunities! There's no other time in your life where your entire job is to just learn and absorb everything around you, so take advantage of it!
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Support the Curriculum in Global Studies
We are very grateful for all gifts to the Curriculum in Global Studies to help students pursue global opportunities, near and far.
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