Stanford Global Studies students represent the full range of the university's disciplines—from engineering and computer science to performance studies, biology, history, political science, and more. Through their participation in SGS programs, they have acquired global skills, experience, and knowledge—and ultimately, a global mindset—that uniquely prepares them for today's world.
Here, students from across SGS's 14 centers and programs share their favorite experiences, classes, and future plans.
Rose Adams is graduating this year with a degree in international relations (IR). While she was initially interested in studying East Asian studies when she first arrived at Stanford, she chose to declare IR because of the flexibility of the interdisciplinary major. “IR let me take all of the history and culture classes on East Asia that I wanted, but it also forced me to go outside my comfort zone a little and get the politics and economics that I needed for context,” Rose explained. Read more.
Bryan Metzger, who graduates this June with a degree in international relations, says his major allowed him to explore his interests in international security and the Middle East through its wide array of course offerings. One course that particularly stands out is POLISCI 114S: International Security in a Changing World, which he took his sophomore year. Read more.
"Minoring in global studies gave me the invaluable opportunity to study Iranian politics, culture, language, and public health. The unparalleled instruction I received will last me a lifetime; and I feel eager and equipped to use the lessons learned from my classes to effect meaningful change in medicine and policy." Read more.
Veronica Kim, who graduates this June, chose to pursue a degree in international relations (IR) because of the major’s flexibility and diverse class offerings. “I came into Stanford thinking I wanted to major in history, but I was also quite interested in foreign language, literature, and political science. IR allowed me to pursue all of those interests and more through its broad range of courses,” she explained. Read more.
Amirah Goldberg, who graduates this year with a degree in political science and a minor in global studies, with a specialization in Iranian studies, says one of her favorite memories from her time at Stanford was sitting just a few feet away from Marjane Satrapi, a French-Iranian film director, at the 10th Annual Bita Prize for Persian Arts. She fondly remembers “getting a personalized, autographed copy of Persepolis.” Read more.
Yawen Tan, M.A. '20 is graduating this year with a master’s degree in East Asian Studies. During her time at Stanford, Yawen’s research centered on visual culture in modern and contemporary China. She focused on topics ranging from pictorial photography in the Republican Era to public art, aesthetics, and spatial politics in contemporary Shanghai. Read more.
“Stanford has taught me that, when you have an understanding of peoples’ history and culture, you can be much more effective in whatever you are doing,” says Natalie Ponce, who is graduating this June with a double major in international relations and Italian. Read more.
Anja Zehfuss is graduating this year with a major in human biology and a minor in global studies, with a specialization in African studies. She chose these academic programs because she was interested in understanding the “systems that contribute to increasing inequality and infectious disease in sub-Saharan Africa.” Read more.
Priya Chatwani is graduating this year with a major in computer science and a minor in global studies, with a specialization in South Asian studies. “I chose to add a global studies minor in order to learn about my South Asian heritage in a formal academic setting. The minor helped me build critical thinking and writing skills outside of my STEM curriculum,” she says. Read more.
Maame Akua Kome-Mensah graduated this year with a B.S. in symbolic systems and a minor in global studies, with a specialization in African studies. For her minor capstone project, she traveled to Africa to learn about the publication of young adult fiction in Ghana. Read more.
“As a first-generation Nigerian-American, I had never gotten the opportunity to engage in academic study that is related to my experience and the experiences of my family, so it was nice to finally get the opportunity to do so at Stanford,” says Peace Edem, who graduates this June with a B.S. in human biology and a minor in global studies, with a specialization in African studies. Read more.
“During my time at Stanford, most of my research was based around developing an in-depth understanding of state-building in new nations, specifically South Sudan,” says Lotta. “However, I always prefer to have a broader understanding of situations and a region and therefore also conducted research on other nations in my region of interest as well.” Read more.
“The Center for East Asian Studies has helped me build my understanding of China and East Asia, improve my language proficiency, and situate my knowledge in a global context,” said Olivia Mason, who graduates this year with a master’s degree in East Asian studies, with a focus on Chinese media culture and history. Read more.
Mueni chose to study public policy because she was interested in learning about its role in shaping and stimulating development. “I wanted to understand how policies can be established to create a conducive environment for economic, social, and political advancement,” she explained. Read more.
