Living in Geneva, Switzerland.
I am majoring in International Relations and minoring in Peace & Conflict Studies for the most comprehensive immersion in international affairs, international cooperation, and international life offered at Colgate. This Spring, I had an opportunity to study in Geneva, Switzerland, a city for nothing less than immersion. I had to fly home early in the midst of the pandemic, but even two months in Geneva, a nexus of global governance, supplemented my coursework immeasurably.
The international city of Geneva is inspiring, with its quality of life, status as a cosmopolitan in the heart of Europe, highly-skilled multilingual workforce, a dense network of partners and key international organizations, as well as top academic institutions. I was enrolled at one of those institutions– the Graduate Institute. It is the oldest institution in the world entirely devoted to preparing students for an international career. The setting of Geneva, a central international, secure, and neutral environment, allows the school to attract an astonishing level of diversity.
The rigorous program was a valuable lesson in multitasking. It entailed managing 3 graduate-level classes, an internship with Geneva-based think tank IMPACT Initiatives, and travel to international institutions across Europe. In addition to traditional finals, the semester culminated in a 25-page thesis, applying classroom learning to a comprehensive analysis of IMPACT Initiatives and its role in humanitarian crises (paper).
Coursework included International Institutions, International Law, French. I was particularly excited for the French class, as a month-long homestay in Biarritz, France was an incredibly impactful experience in high school, leaving me restless for another opportunity to immerse myself in the language.
Summer 2015 |
SPI: Studied abroad in Biarritz, France
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Further travel gave me an opportunity to learn about the nuances of other cultures. The trip began with two weeks of travel across four countries, and the juxtaposition of each city against the next vividly illuminated similarities and differences. I developed a much deeper appreciation for each city, in turn.