Alumni Spotlight: Erika Myszynski (BAIS ’12)

Erika Myszynski (’12) at work

Working with Woods Bagot Architects has been an incredible experience. I crafted my own position as the Design Intelligence Coordinator to support our Global Design Director. My international studies education and experiences abroad have been paramount within a global firm, where I am expected to catch a pulse on our globally significant projects on any given day. Having an international knowledge-base has empowered me to drive a global firm forward and apply uncompromising design on an international scale. Each day I work with architects and design leads that contribute to cutting-edge development in five regions and that is stimulating!

Welcome to the 2016-2017 Academic Year! A Message from the Chair

Welcome to the 2016-2017 academic year! It is hard to believe the summer has flown by and it is time for classes to begin again. The faculty and staff of the International Studies Department are delighted to welcome back our returning undergraduate and graduate students! We are also so thrilled to welcome to the International Studies family over 60 new undergraduate majors and 38 new graduate students. Together you are part of a vibrant community of approximately 300 students, faculty, and staff that call International Studies at the University of San Francisco (ISatUSFCA) home.

International Studies Global Potluck Dinner, Spring 2016

I am often asked by students, parents, and employers what benefits there are to an undergraduate or graduate degree in International Studies. There are many answers I can give to this question, but the one I want to mention today concerns the big picture reality of the world we live in and why a degree in IS is essential to address these problems.

Anyone paying attention to the news over the summer can probably identify a number of global issues that need new solutions, concrete action, and dedicated advocates. So many events occurred across the globe this summer that provide a clear demonstration of why an interdisciplinary, multi-method, knowledge and skills-based education in International Studies from the USF is an excellent choice. Just some of these include: the ongoing war in Syria and the corresponding refugee crisis; the attempted coup in Turkey and the crackdown on the freedom of expression and due process rights; the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom to pull the country out of the European Union; the continued dispute over the islands in the South China Sea; the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio and the spread of the Zika virus; the United Nations admitting responsibility in the cholera outbreak in Haiti; and the United States Presidential elections.

Each of these events contains multiple facets touching on issues of development, human rights, environmental justice, culture and identity, power dynamics, international law and organizations, the global-local connection, the global economic system, and relationships between a variety of state and non-state actors. Tackling any of these issues from the perspective of a single disciplinary lens, while able to provide some valuable insight, is not enough. The issues facing us today are complex and solutions are going to come from taking a broad perspective that encompasses many different fields and many different opportunities.

The degree programs in International Studies at USF do just that. As an interdisciplinary department, both our undergraduate and graduate programs draw on faculty expertise across disciplines so students are exposed to the very variety of approaches to issues that is needed in our complex world. In the department, we have faculty with expertise in political science, international and comparative law, cultural anthropology, indigenous rights issues, refugee issues, art history, globalization, colonialism, political and diplomatic history, food security and sustainability, environmental studies, mega events and infrastructures, and conflict resolution. This cross-disciplinary variety means that students in our program are exposed to different perspectives that provide a greater breadth and depth of expertise to address those issues that matter most to them. As you begin your studies this fall, you will start to see the benefits of these different approaches to addressing global crises.

In addition to the interdisciplinary approach to tackling global issues, we are continually working to provide our students with the skills they needs to hit the ground running in their chosen profession after graduating from USF. The fall semester is full events designed to provide students with the resources and skills they need to succeed including two internship and career workshops, a brown-bag lunch on applying to graduate school and law school, and talk by a non-profit leader on careers in NGOs. For Spring 2017 we are offering a new 2 unit course open to both graduate and undergraduate students on Human Rights Advocacy Skills designed specifically to provide students with skills such as grant writing, advocacy plans, and writing OpEds.

Tracy Harding, Regional Director, Office of Foreign Missions, U.S. Department of State speaks to students about careers in diplomacy and the Peace Corps, February 2016

It won’t be all work though! We have lots of fun events planned for the fall as well to give you a chance to engage with your fellow IS folks in a more relaxed setting. Our first department social will take place on September 8 in the Getty Lounge. Come meet all the new students and reconnect with old friends! On September 23 and October 7 join us to cheer on fellow International Studies students playing for USF men’s soccer and women’s volleyball. We are also planning events to engage with International Studies alumni, a writing day to help you prepare for finals, and talks by a diverse array of USF faculty and visiting lecturers.

Alumni Mixer at Barrelhead Brewhouse, September 2015

We have an exciting year planned and we hope you are looking forward to it as much as we are! We know there are many, many serious problems around the world and sometimes it can be hard to maintain the perspective and optimism needed to address them. Our goal as International Studies faculty and staff is to provide you with the knowledge and the tools you need to make positive change in the world, work for social justice, and live your best life as a global citizen. We look forward to going on this journey with you this year!

Professor Dana Zartner,  Chair, International Studies Department

 

 

Alumni Spotlight: Edwin Carmona-Cruz, BAIS ’15

Edwin shares what he’s been up to since graduating from USF with a major in International Studies last year. 

I have not stopped “Changing the world from here” since graduating with a B.A. in International Studies (Peace and Conflict) and minor in Latin American Studies from the University of San Francisco.

I am currently working as an Immigration Paralegal for a non-profit legal center in San Francisco’s Mission District called La Raza Centro Legal. We primarily focus on affirmative immigration applications: Citizenship, Deferred Action (DACA), U-Visa, Resident Green Card Renewals, Advance Parole etc. as well as provide Know Your Rights presentations in the community in response to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids for deportation. During my senior year at USF, I interned for this agency in their housing department, fighting against greedy landlords in San Francisco and helped with Eviction Defense legal work. La Raza Centro Legal is also a part of a city-wide collaborative called the San Francisco Immigrant Legal Education Network (SFILEN) where we have provided legal representation to more than 27,000 people in San Francisco, as well as education, and outreach during the past 10 years.

This past year, I have given presentations to classes in the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University and at the U.S. Immigration and Citizenship class at USF (taught by Professor Kathleen Coll), on the topic of city issues and the great work La Raza Centro Legal is doing to fight and advocate on behalf of our clients and program participants and the relevance of these types of classes in our everyday lives; undocumented or documented.

BAIS Graduates Take Top Honors

Graduation is upon us and we are excited to announce two award winning graduates from the BA in International Studies program!

Bisma Shahbaz with Dean Camperi

Bisma Shahbaz | Dean’s Medal for Excellence in the Arts
A medal and a purse, gifts of the College, to the graduating senior in the Arts who has best exemplified, in academic accomplishments, extracurricular work, and personal life, the values of the University of San Francisco, its mission and goals.

Julie Duffy with Dean Camperi

Julie Duffy | Finalist for Valedictorian
A medal and a purse, a gift of the College of Arts and Sciences, to the graduating senior who exemplifies the highest standards of leadership and scholarship in the Jesuit tradition. A leader in the finest sense of the word, the Valedictorian demonstrates selfless service to the University community while reflecting excellence in all academic pursuits. He or she is firmly committed to the mission of the University of San Francisco. In particular, the Valedictorian has helped to create a campus-wide environment that values each individual, heightens ethical standards, instills a passion for justice, and integrates faith with life.

Congratulations to all winners!

ISatUSFCA at the United Nations: Professor Dana Zartner attends #CSW60

I attended the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women’s (CSW) annual meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, earlier this spring. It was held, fittingly, during Women’s History Month in March.

It was the 60th session of the commission, which included dozens of presentations and breakout sessions over a two week period. This year’s themes were women’s empowerment and its link to sustainable development and the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.

The commission discussed the need for empowering women in leadership and decision-making positions, assuring all possible measures be taken to address sexual and gender-based violence, recognizing the integral relationship between a healthy environment and human rights, and ensuring protections for human rights defenders.

 

#WomensRights

I attended the event as one of a handful of delegates for the San Francisco-based NGO called the Women’s Intercultural Network (WIN). My official role was to attend sessions and help WIN develop recommendations to share with local government officials and NGOs.

WIN’s recommendations to CSW included making multinational corporations more responsible for upholding the principles of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which seeks to ‘make the global local’ by creating a framework for the improvement of the status of women and girls in villages, towns, and cities. One recommendation included creating a social media hastag, and eventually a broader campaign that promotes “Companies for CEDAW.” While international law does not apply to corporations generally, encouraging companies to adopt the rights guidelines outlined in the treaty on their own is a strong step towards improving women’s lives throughout the world and strengthening corporate social responsibility.

Keeping with the  goal of this year’s CSW to promote better use of technology to improve the welfare of women and girls, WIN co-sponsored a panel with local Bay Area organization FemResources about the possibility of creating apps that help refugee girls stay connected with friends and family and provide them with  information about available support services

A pipeline to jobs and internships for International Studies students

(want to become one? Check us out at: https://www.usfca.edu/arts-sciences/undergraduate-programs/international-studies)

In addition to representing WIN, I attended CSW to cultivate relationships that will benefit our students here at USF. As chair of the International Studies Department one of my primary goals is to build an extensive network of contacts for our students, which can help them with internships and careers after graduation. For example, I spent time speaking with one of the U.S. delegates representing the U.S. Department of Justice and her intern about the internship program through the DOJ and how the intern was finding her experience as well as representatives of the government of New Zealand on opportunities they may offer. I also met representatives of organizations such as MamaHope, the Alliance for Girls, The 50 Women Project, and the U.S. Department of Labor — all of which may be potential internship sites for students.

Many students in our undergraduate International Studies and interdisciplinary Master’s in International Studies programs are interested in working with NGOs in the fields of human rights, women’s rights, sustainable development, and education. We also have students who hope to go on to careers in the foreign service or work for intergovernmental organizations like the UN. I was able to connect with individuals from organizations around the world and build networks that could be beneficial for my research on the development and use of international law to provide better human rights and environmental protections within states in which USF students are involved.

Leading in San Francisco

A primary focus of my work with WIN is to connect USFers to San Francisco and the Cities for CEDAW campaign. San Francisco was the first city in the U.S. to adopt the principles of CEDAW and is a leader in the campaign. Ultimately, I hope to incorporate elements of the campaign into my classes, having students work on advocacy plans to encourage other cities and the nation to adopt CEDAW. This is particularly important as the U.S. is the only industrialized country, and one of only six countries worldwide, that have not yet ratified CEDAW (the other five being Iran, Palau, Somalia, Sudan, Tonga).

During my time in New York, I spoke with other professors who, as part of their classes, bring students to CSW every year. My goal is to develop and fund a program so that USF students are able to experience CSW for themselves and actively engage with leaders from around the world on issues that are important to them.

It is one of the cornerstones of a USF education to engage with diverse communities from around the world to make change for the better. While an imperfect organization, the UN is one of the primary fora we have for true global discussion of issues that matter — both at home and abroad. Every time I attend, I am struck by the number of people there are in the world striving everyday to achieve justice and a better life for all. I hope to impart that to my students during their time at USF in the same way my colleagues and friends at CSW impart it to me.

International Studies student & USF basketball player Kalyn Simon (BAIS ’16, MAIS ’17) shines on and off the court

We are so proud of our USF women’s basketball team for making the NCAA playoffs this year! We are especially proud of International Studies student Kalyn Simon for both her work with the team as well as her dedication to International Studies!

Essay by Kalyn Simon

As child I grew up watching basketball. My cousins, Dad, Grandpa, and I would gather around the television yelling play by play as if we were actually sitting in the stands. The Warriors have always been a family favorite, however March was always a special time of the year. March Madness was when the best of the best competed for the national championship. The tournament was for both men’s and women’s teams so there were constantly games for us to watch. It was pure magic watching such talented and driven athletes preform at their prime in pursuit of the NCAA championship. Entering the “Big Dance” is an experience athletes dream about their entire collegiate careers. The conditioning sessions at six in the morning were all for the glory of cutting down the nets and playing under the big lights of the NCAA.

This year instead of yelling at the television screen, my family was yelling in the stands. Winning our West Coast Conference Championship was one of the most memorable and exciting experiences I have had. As the final buzzer sounded in Las Vegas our team sprinted out onto the court and embraced one another. Smiles engulfed each player’s, coach’s, and USF fan’s faces as confetti fell from the ceiling and we each kissed the enormous golden trophy. In this moment, I along with my amazing teammates was floating on cloud nine. The only thing better than cutting down the nets that day was the realization that we were “going dancing” or headed to participate in the NCAA tournament.

From that moment on I felt invincible. I received texts and emails from my professors from the International Studies department and the greater USF community. I felt so proud to be able to represent my major and my school. The next week we found out we would be playing against Stanford. We practiced and prepared the entire week for the upcoming opponent. We approached the game as any other, but in the background we could not help but smile. We smiled knowing that together through the blood, sweat, and tears we had finally reached the next level.

The outcome on the scoreboard at Stanford was not in our favor, but it is an experience I will cherish for a lifetime. I am blessed to have been able to play alongside teammates just as driven and talented as the ones I admired on television fifteen years ago. It was an experience built on the hard work and endless belief of in our staff and players who refused to give up. Just as I had imagined as a child, walking onto that court under the big lights was pure magic. However this is not the end. We will continue to fight until we end up on the winning end of the NCAA tournament, a tournament of champions.

Alumni Spotlight: Kate Armstrong ’14

…my BAIS thesis challenged me to consider collaborative approaches to current public health systems.

I am Kate Armstrong, a proud Alumni of the International Studies Department at the University of San Francisco! As a pre-medical student, I have been taught how to understand the tools needed to diagnose, and hopefully, cure the disease. But I want to do more than cure the disease, I want to prevent it. Based on this passion, I made the decision to not only learn what is going on inside the body, but to become globally aware of the many possibilities that may cause a person to suffer. That same decision resulted in me switching my major to International Studies, which has lead me to some incredible opportunities in post-grad life.

Recently, I have been accepted into a fellowship program through an amazing organization, Mama Hope. Mama Hope is a nonprofit that trains impact entrepreneurs from around the world and partners them with visionary leaders in developing countries. Together, they fund and build community-identified sustainable projects using local resources that help lift communities out of poverty. The knowledge I gained from required BAIS courses lead me to seek out organizations as sustainable and considerate as Mama Hope. For instance, my BAIS thesis challenged me to consider collaborative approaches to current public health systems. This holistic perspective was why I have been given the responsibility to create a public health and sexual education curriculum for one of Mama Hope’s partners, Flying Kites School and Orphanage. I am finally getting the chance to not only cure, but prevent future suffering.

Thank you USF, and most definitely, the BAIS team! I am grateful for the knowledge I have gained while on my way to impacting real change in communities and beyond.

 

(Compelled by Kate’s journey? Consider supporting her work by clicking here!)

A Degree in International Studies from USF Provides the Skills Employers Want

by Dana Zartner, Chair, International Studies Department

“[L]iberal arts training – with its emphasis on creativity and critical thinking – is vital to … success ….” –Elizabeth Segran, Fast Company

A degree in international studies, whether through our Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (BAIS) major for undergraduates or our Master of Arts in International Studies (MAIS) program for graduate students, provides engaged world citizens with a new way of approaching global issues. Rather than through the lens of a single discipline like politics, sociology, anthropology, history, or economics, our interdisciplinary International Studies programs encourage students to explore their interests through the lenses of all these fields. Students learn to consider a variety of different theories, methodologies, and ideas that break down traditional disciplinary barriers. The interdisciplinary nature of our programs, coupled with the grounding in a liberal arts education, provides our students with critical thinking and analysis skills as well as extensive intercultural communication experience. Combined, these factors provide a bigger “toolbox” for students when it comes to life after graduation and is desirable for employers ranging from NGOs and advocacy groups, to government agencies and private corporations.

There has been a great deal of discussion in the past few years about the benefit of a liberal arts education like that you can receive in the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in International Studies at USF. Consistently, however, employers across a wide range of fields have come out in favor of the knowledge and skills students develop through the kind of critical, global, interdisciplinary programs we offer through our department. Even in fields like high tech, which is prevalent in the San Francisco Bay Area, CEOs consistently support liberal arts education (in fact one-third of Fortune 500 CEOs have liberal arts degrees!). A 2013 survey of over 300 employers by the American Association of Colleges and University found the following:

• 93% of all employers surveyed cited a demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems with both short- and long- term approaches as the most important abilities they look for in new hires.

• 95% of employers surveyed say that it is important that their new hires possess ethical judgment and integrity, intercultural skills, and the capacity for continued new learning.

• Collaborative problem-solving skills, internships, and community engagement were also strongly preferred by employers surveyed.

Each one of these skills and opportunities mentioned is something that we support and fully integrate into our Bachelor’s and Master’s programs. For our Master’s students, an internship requirement and a mixed-methods research class provide experience and tools that employers value. In the undergraduate program, study abroad programs (over 100 of which have internships included), our problem-centered research methods class, and opportunities such as serving as a Peer Advisor or working on the International Affairs Review offer opportunities to hone skills and integrate them with academic knowledge. The Department also offers numerous opportunities for all of our students to develop the breadth of their knowledge and the depth of their marketable skills, including workshops on resumes, applying to graduate school, vicarious trauma, developing expertise, and (coming soon!) grant writing and advocacy development.

Upon graduation, our students are desirable in a wide variety of fields. We currently have undergraduate and graduate alumni working in a diverse array of locations, including: Amnesty International, Apple, U.S. Department of State, Twitter, UNICEF, Youtube, United Nations Mine Action Service, NASA, International Rescue Committee, Special Olympics, Mama Hope, Spanish Ministry of Education, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Fair Trade USA, Bulgarian Fulbright Commission, Morgan Stanley, and the World Affairs Council of Northern California. We also have alumni all over the world, creating a network of ISatUSF alumni who remain committed to our programs and our students. Get started on your future with us!

Welcome to the International Studies Department Blog

We are happy to announce the newest member to the International Studies Department social media family. We’ll keep you informed with everything from on campus events to international news to internship and job advice to events in the Bay Area, and everything in between, including guest bloggers, faculty spotlights, student stories, and alumni appearances.