Global Studies

The year 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of Professor Joel Deichmann’s Contemporary Europe course, which included travel to the European capitals of Berlin and Prague. This long-standing program combines rigorous academic study with an immersive educational model featuring meetings with government officials, site visits to leading organizations, museum and cultural excursions, and “living lectures” delivered by local experts. Designed to accommodate students balancing study abroad with other academic or athletic commitments, the May-term format provides a flexible yet intensive international experience. Completion of such an experience is a requirement for International Affairs majors and minors. Looking ahead, the program will expand in 2027 with a course on Tourism and Transportation, including travel to Poland and Munich.

Professor Zhizhen Lu inaugurated the Spring 2026 offering of IB 200: Introduction to International Business with an embedded service-learning component. In partnership with Ardsley, a local women’s sporting goods company, students engaged directly with contemporary challenges of the global economy while developing foundational knowledge in international business. The International Business Program prepares students for leadership roles in global contexts by integrating in-depth study within a Business major and an internationally oriented Arts & Sciences major. Through this dual-degree structure, along with a culminating capstone experience, students cultivate advanced analytical, strategic, and communication skills essential for navigating the complexities of international markets. A required international experience further enhances students’ cultural competencies and global awareness. For additional information about the program, interested students are encouraged to contact faculty advisors Professor Summer Marion (Global Studies) or Professor Naveen Sunder (Economics.)

Public Policy major Maddie Powers presented her research at the 2026 Pi Sigma Alpha National Student Research Conference in Washington, D.C. Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, hosts this annual forum showcasing outstanding undergraduate scholarship. In her paper, “Income and Identity,” Powers examines the relationship between economic precarity and presidential voting behavior, with particular attention to shifts toward the Republican Party among working-class white voters in the post-2008 period. Employing rigorous econometric analysis alongside a strong conceptual framework, her work contributes meaningfully to ongoing scholarly debates regarding the foundations of contemporary political alignment. Powers developed and refined this research in collaboration with Professor Joshua Yesnowitz of the Global Studies Department, adapting her honors thesis for conference presentation.