"To thy happy children of the future, those of the past send greetings."
This phrase is inscribed upon the Alma Mater at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, which I attended and graduated from in December of 2012. During that time I was enrolled in the Global Studies program, which is a multidisciplinary major with five key factors. The first of those is a core foundation, with several classes coming from multiple areas of learning to facilitate broader perspectives in global events. The second is a strong focus on foreign language, which in my case was a continuation of my education in the Spanish language. The third is a study of the geography, history, and culture of a society or region associated with that language. The fourth is a somewhat flexible area which varies from student to student, and is the centerpiece for what the student wishes to pursue in the international arena. The fifth and final aspect to the program that brings all of the instruction to a head is a mandatory study abroad meant to translate all of the classroom learning into practical use.
The focus of my undergraduate education was in sociology and political science, translating specifically into Mexican-American foreign relations, with a study abroad program attended in Mexico City during the Spring 2012 semester. I studied border policy, immigration policy, Mexican history and culture, American history and foreign policy, political sociology, and have been studying Spanish since 2003. In Mexico City I took intense courses on advanced Spanish composition and oral communication skills.
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