A. Honors Student
International Studies Certificate
"The International Studies Certificate provides a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of the history, politics, culture, economics, and language of contemporary societies beyond the borders of the United States." (http://www.sfcollege.edu/international/index.php?section=international_certificate)
The projects described and provided below demonstrate both our interest in international cultures and issues and the knowledge and skills that we acquired as a result of our experiences.
Asian Humanities / Chinese 3
This research paper pays particular attention to the evolution of social media and censorship in China and how internet users in China circumnavigate past the censors in place through creative means. Two Chinese college students were interviewed in China to collect data on their experiences with this topic and will be referenced throughout.
HUM2410 Asian Humanities / CHI2220 Chinese 3, Honors Contract completed as part of China Study Abroad, by Cathy Barios, Dr. Li-Ren Kaplan, Summer 2014.
Contemporary World Religions
For my Pilgrimage Project, I imagined myself as one of the six million pilgrims who annually embark on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France where a local girl is believed to have seen the Virgin Mary several times. In a written discussion, I described the events as I understood how they may have occurred and explored how this journey could affect my life and faith. In the class presentation, I gave an objective summary of the pilgrimage and how it is viewed by members of a particular religion.
Honors REL2300 Contemporary World Religions, by Megan Wallenhorst, Prof. Joshua Braley, Fall 2015.
Sociology of Marriage & Family
In this class, we studied marriage, family, and intimate relationships, while utilizing the sociological perspective. We discussed topics such as gender roles, parenting, mate selection, and marriage in modern society. We had to write several papers comparing Sweden and the United States with various topics. Here are a few samples of my work.
Honors SYG2430 Marriage & Family, by Alora Cummings, Dr. Doug Diekow, Fall 2016.
Physical Geography
From the crags of Mt. Everest- covered in ice thicker then our tallest towering buildings, with air so thin no life can sustain; to valleys deep and filled with water oxen and wild boar- when we think of the Himalayas, an image of this vast mountain range fills our heads. Standing alone, with perilous beauty, calling to those adventurous and wandering souls, beckoning to them like sirens out of the Odyssey. But, it is only a fragment. Indeed, the whole of the Himalayas are only a thin slice out of a much larger crustal pie.
Honors GEO2200C Physical Geography, by Rika Orlando, Dr. Heidi Lannon, Spring 2016.
Curricular Requirements
Foreign Language Requirement
I completed Chinese 1, Chinese 2, and Chinese 3 at Santa Fe College, having earned A's in each course.
I completed Spanish 1 and 2 at _______________ High School, earning Advanced Placement credit by exam for both.
Extracurricular Requirements
Study Abroad
Joshua Hildebrandt
In 2013, I traveled to Ukraine with a small group from Santa Fe College on a study abroad trip to learn international business and Ukrainian culture. During my time in Drohobych, Ukraine I worked with another student on a separate project for the Honors program, researching a wooden church located on the outskirts of a main square. The wooden church was St. George's, a UNESCO National Heritage Site.
St. George's church held significant cultural value to the citizen's of Drohobych, and was apparent by the stopping and praying of many of its residents. We were given several tours of the site, both publicly and privately, and were also accompanied by several of the language students and professors. With their assistance we were able to learn not only the history of the church, but much about its function today.
After we returned to The United States, Lisa Walker and I developed our project and our research went on to be presented in an Honors Symposium and two collegiate conferences. We were also notified shortly after returning to the U.S. that our interest had, in part contributed to a large grant to help protect the site.
OVERVIEW
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Research of history, cultural impact and monetary function of landmark in Ukraine
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Presented at Honors Conferences on campus, as well as in Tampa, FL and Savannah, GA.
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Research contributed to $85,000 grant from U.S. Ambassador to help conserve the UNESCO World Heritage Site
Santa Fe College International Faculty Interview with Dr. Naana Banyiwa Horne
Lisa Walker
This 2013 interview with Dr. Naana Banyiwa Horne shares the intercontinental abilties students may discover within their own college community. I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Naana Banyiwa Horne, who is a Ghanaian Queen Mother, author of two published books, and former Santa Fe College English professor.
Global Society/Model United Nations Team
Roberto Garcia, President - August 2013 to April 2014, Vice President - August 2012 to December 2012
As the President of Global Society and the Model United Nations team I have been able to organize several on-campus events and train Santa Fe's Model UN team. We have participated in service events such as Gator Plunge, Trees of Life and the MLK Day of Service which have provided our members on site experiences that help them understand the importance of service to our community. Moreover, we have organized many on-campus events that range from explaining about the Millennium Development Goals to Human Trafficking as well as fundraisers for International Organizations such as UNICEF. Additionally, while I have been the president our team has participated in the Florida Model United Nations (FMUN) and the Southern Regional Model United Nations (SRMUN) in Atlanta. Our team is one of the most competent and well known colleges in the state of Florida. In my personal experience, I have been able to represent several countries such as South Africa, Costa Rica, Saudi Arabia, Belize and others. Moreover, I was awarded the Outstanding Delegate Award in SRMUN- Charllotte 2013 and SRMUN-Atlanta 2013 for the United Nations Environmental Programme and the Organization of American States respectivelly.
One Day I'll Tell You the Things I've Seen
Michaela Marks
In Fall 2015, we had the chance to meet with Dr. Santiago Vaquera-Vásquez, the author of One Day I'll Tell You the Things I've Seen, when he came to Santa Fe and gave us a lecture about his book. His book is a collection of short stories about different people but all the stories seem to connect in some way. Dr. Vásquez uses his own experiences and embellishes them to take us to past times and places through the eyes of different Latinos. The setting differs from story to story but manages to take us around the world from California to Spain. Through the stories we uncover what it is like to be a Latino in different countries. The whole novel is about crossing borders. The borders from Mexico to the United States, borders in relationships, and mental borders as well are the main ideas of the novel. It is interesting to see the way the characters can grow within a few short pages as time passes or they encounter a situation where they are forced out of their comfort zone. The characters all cross their own kinds of borders and some manage to conquer them while others fail. Through Dr. Vásquez, we are able to draw from our own personal experiences and make connections to the characters in the book. I am sure that the novel is relatable to more people than others but it is mostly through the psychological borders of the characters that people can relate the most.