THE GLOBAL LEARNING MEDALLION PROGRAM AT FIU
MY MEDALLION EXPERIENCE
The Global Learning Medallion program at Florida International University had many benefits. Through the program I was able to meet new people from all over the country and the world. I attended events that opened my cultural perspective, and took some classes I would never have considered otherwise. Overall, this is a great program to participate in while attending FIU.
MEDALLION ACTIVITIES
My Experience
FIU LANGUAGE DAY
The 3rd Annual FIU language Day event was a wonderful experience! There were more than 300 students, faculty, staff, and alumni present with three different venues to attend. I was able to participate in language trivia, language conversations, language karaoke, and information gathering from student clubs and academic organizations. I was able to meet new people from different cultures and learn more about them. It was a great day for bringing people together and appreciating diversity.
TUESDAY TIMES ROUNTABLE
Tuesday Times Roundtable was a weekly event hosted by the Global Learning office in which articles from the New York Times were used as the basis for a discussion on new topics every week. This was probably my favorite activity since there were a variety of topics brought up, and students were free to chime in and express their opinions. Although I was only able to attend a few of these, they were my favorite events.
ONE FAMILY’S CHOICE AGAINST GENOCIDE: LEARNING HARMONY FROM RWANDA
In Carl Wilkens discussion on his experience in Rwanda, I was able to learn about the history of the country and the genocide that occurred there not too long ago. Mr. Wilkens was very kind to all who attended and engaged in great discussions.
During my medallion program, I completed an internship for the Immigration Law Office of Theodore Texidor for my capstone experience. My internship included filling out asylum applications, speaking with clients in Spanish to get information on their background and biographical information, filing papers into cients' files, and participating in staff meetings about how to perform better at the office. Through this internship I was able to learn a lot about the immigration process in the United States and practice my Spanish language skills.
GLOBAL LEARNING CLASSES
WOMEN IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
This class included the analysis of problems facing women in developing countries, focusing on gender and cultural issues and their relationships to economic development. The project I completed with a partner in this class focused on women's development in Iraq which is unfortunately very poor compared to other more developed countries.
HONORS SEMINAR: THE POLITICAL CYCLE
This class, provided by the honors college, gave insight on local American politics. It also required me to complete an internship with any candidate running for congress. My internship was for Democratic candidate Annette Taddeo. This class allowed me to broaden my view of local politics and the people who keep things moving in local communities.
REFLECTION
My personal experience
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Through my global learning experience, I was able to understand more where other people come from and to always respect others voices and opinions no matter how different they may be. As long as people are civil and peaceful in expressing their views, we should always give others a chance to speak to us and share their opinions.
GLOBAL AWARENESS
There were many things I learned through the medallion program that I would not have learned in a class room. By directly speaking and listening to people from other parts of the world, I understand why there are so many global issues in politics, law, and other domains. I also feel that I was exposed to many organizations that give hope to anyone who wants to see change in the world and make it happen.
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
There were so many organizations that the medallion exposed me to that I was not even able to participate in all of them. One of my favorites was the Globemed program which helps disadvantaged people in Central America get access to healthcare. Organizations such as these are essential to others even if its just a small amount of people. Any change counts. I definitely feel more motivated than ever to go out and help improve whatever part of the world I can.
ABOUT ME
I am currently a student at FIU finishing my undergraduate degree. I chose to get a degree in International Relations because I believe it is one of the most important topics to learn about in today's world. Politics, whether it is good or bad, run the world. Global politics have an even greater influence on the world from impacting the environment to affecting a small village in the middle of nowhere. This is why it is of great interest to me. I am also interested in human rights and am even considering getting a law degree with a focus on international law to become more involved in the fight for international human rights. It would be amazing to work for an organization such as the United Nations. I feel that I still have a lot to learn about myself, but also feel that I have made a lot of progress in my personal and professional development, so far, thanks to my education at FIU. I am glad to be able to continue my studies here to become a successful and active citizen in this world.
Post Medallion Plans
I will graduate from FIU with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, a minor in economics, and a certificate in national security studies. My plans after graduation include continuing the job I recently got at an immigration law firm here in Miami. I will also complete a paralegal certificate through the University of Miami, and begin my masters degree here at FIU in global affairs.
GET IN TOUCH
Address:
Office of Global Learning Initiatives
Florida International University 11200 SW 8 ST, PC 245
Miami, FL 33199
Email:
Phone:
8138174195