More than 55 Florida State University students are ready to succeed in a global workforce after earning the Global Citizenship Certificate (GCC) during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Fifteen students graduated from the GCC program in Fall 2023 and 43 students graduated in Spring 2024.
Administered by the Center for Global Engagement and housed academically in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy’s International Affairs Program, the GCC prepares students for success in international job markets with skills like critical thinking, problem solving and intercultural communication. It includes three core components: academic courses, intercultural events and a sustained international experience.
“I find great joy in recognizing the extraordinary accomplishments of our graduates,” said Bryant Harden, instructional specialist and program director for the GCC. “We not only celebrate their academic milestones but also acknowledge the commitment of these graduates to the principles of global citizenship. In the face of skepticism and intolerance, they have chosen to build bridges rather than walls, fostering connections with diverse international students, studying abroad to immerse themselves in the unknown and dedicating countless hours to enriching the lives of others through leadership and volunteering.”
In their first year in the program, students enroll in the IDS 2431 Global Perspectives course, which introduces them to the basic concepts, theories, functions and behaviors associated with intercultural communication. Students then choose three electives from more than 500 pre-approved courses with a global/cross-cultural focus, like “Multinational Financial Marketing” or “Politics of Latin America.”
“In the Global Perspectives course, students explore questions related to world dynamics, interactions and relationships from multiple perspectives in order to increase their understanding of the growing interdependence of nations and peoples, think critically about the world and develop a comparative perspective to broad cross-cultural social, economic and political perspectives,” Harden said.
A signature assignment of Global Perspectives is the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project with partners in Brazil. Throughout the semester, FSU students meet virtually with peers in Brazil to exchange information about the similarities and differences in culture, communication styles and approaches to intercultural conflict.
Students must also attend eight pre-approved intercultural events by choosing two from each of the following categories: social, cultural, experiential and educational. Within 10 days of attending the event, students must submit a reflection paper about their experience.
Sustained international experiences can include studying abroad, taking an internship abroad or participating in a global exchange program. The experience must be at least seven days long. Alternatively, students can partake in domestic experiences with an international focus, like internships, volunteering and peer mentorship for three days or more.
Liat Hakmon earned the GCC and graduated from FSU in Spring 2024 with a degree in political science and interdisciplinary social science. For her sustained international experience, Hakmon studied at the University of Salzburg, Austria, during the Spring 2023 semester through FSU’s Global Exchange Program.
To help fund her semester in Salzburg, Hakmon received the GCC scholarship, which is awarded to high-achieving students enrolled in the GCC and accepted to an FSU Global Exchange Program.
“I originally enrolled into the GCC because I found myself attending events such as International Coffee Hour and Global Café,” she said. “This experience has been the best opportunity I have been able to take part in during my time at FSU.”
Andrea Strickland earned the GCC and graduated from FSU with a degree in political science in Spring 2024. She fulfilled her sustained experience requirement by interning with the Haiti Grass Project, which aims to combat soil erosion in Haiti.
Strickland learned about the project during a presentation in her Global Perspectives course by the director of Better Universe and Citizens, a Tallahassee-based nonprofit that oversees the Haiti Grass Project. Captivated by the project’s goals and potential to make a difference, she decided to get involved.
“I knew that working on promoting a more sustainable environment for Haiti was something that I felt called to do,” Strickland said. “Working with my supervisor I had the opportunity to help promote the planting of perennial grasses in Haiti, which would help reduce soil erosion. This experience I would not have traded for the world, and I am so grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to work on a global cause that I’m so passionate about.”
For more information about the GCC, visit cge.fsu.edu/global-citizenship-certificate.
Graduates are listed by name, major(s) and graduation term and year:
Kate Alonso, International Affairs and Philosophy, Fall 2024
Camila Aponte, Political Science and International Affairs, Spring 2024
Grace Avvenire, Languages and Linguistics with a focus on Chinese and Japanese, Spring 2024
Harol Avila, International Affairs, Spring 2024
Abigail Archie, Political Science, Spring 2024
Payton Bolger, Cyber Criminology, Spring 2024
Sophie Barley, Asian Studies and International Affairs, Spring 2024
Youmi Chang, Public Health, Spring 2024
Shuyue Chen, Accounting and Finance, Spring 2025
Sofia Casas, International Affairs and Political Science, Spring 2027
Kailen Christian, Chemical Engineering and Economics, Spring 2024
Jacqueline Cubas, International Affairs and Spanish, Spring 2024
Jared Dasher, Political Science, Spring 2024
Duke Davis, Marketing and Management, Spring 2024
Rachael Delgado, International Affairs and Political Science, Spring 2024
Isabella DiGiorgio, Linguistics and Languages, Spring 2024
Mariana Dos Santos, International Affairs and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Spring 2024
Vivienne Dumas, Art History, Spring 2024
Rory Durante, Psychology and Public Relations, Spring 2024
Jacqueline Emmerich, Psychology and Criminology, Spring 2024
Abigail Ferguson, Business Management, Spring 2024
Colson Gantt, International Affairs and French, Spring 2025
Caroline Giddens, Political Science and Public Relations, Spring 2024
Emma Gurdus, Marketing and International Affairs, Spring 2024
Jiayi Guo, Statistics, Fall 2023
Liat Hakmon, Political Science and Interdisciplinary Social Science, Spring 2024
Shanaya Jaitly, Interdisciplinary Science and Environment and Society, Spring 2024
Yasmine Khabou, Behavioral Neuroscience, Spring 2024
Steph Kulenguskey, Communication Science and Disorders, Spring 2024
Ineicia Lewis, English (Literature, Media, and Culture), Summer 2024
Abigail Lynn, Psychology, Spring 2024
Danielle Maresca, Criminology, Spring 2024
Soleil Martinez, Social Work, Spring 2024
Eli McKown-Dawson, Political Science, Spring 2024
Melanie Mitchell, Behavioral Neuroscience, Spring 2026
Vanessa Murat, International Affairs, Spring 2024
Hogan Nease, Commercial Entrepreneurship, Spring 2024
Justin Nightshade, Creative Writing and Anthropology, Spring 2024
Sarah Obert, Psychology, Spring 2026
Riya Patel, Finance and Risk Management, Spring 2024
Shaheed Perez, Physics and Mathematics, Spring 2025
Kayla Reeves, History, Spring 2024
Kyle Rutter, International Affairs and Economics, Spring 2024
Sofia Severino, International Affairs, Spring 2024
Madison Sheppard, International Affairs and Political Science, Spring 2025
Sheridan Skinner, Digital Media Production, Spring 2024
Ashley Slone, Political Science, Spring 2024
Hannah Smith, Political Science, Summer 2024
Andrea Strickland, Political Science, Spring 2024
Samantha Strickland, Psychology, Spring 2024
Madison Tilton, English (Editing, Writing, and Media) and History, Spring 2024
Madeleine Trueba, Business Management, Spring 2025
Michelle Velutini, International Affairs and Political Science, Spring 2024
Elena Villamagna, Public Health, Spring 2024
Sara Weintraub, International Affairs and Political Science, Spring 2024