On Thursday, October 17, the GW Global Bachelor's Program for study abroad students reviewed final presentations from its senior cohort. Students were asked to present their findings on a global challenge they had researched while abroad.
The presentations covered a wide variety of topics ranging from income inequality to cultural heritage preservation. Despite the broad scope of the topics, a recurring theme surfaced around the broad societal impact of the trade war and international relations between the United States and China. Students from a variety of study abroad destinations shared how global events such as this impacted their local research.
The GW Global Bachelor's Program is a competitive, cohort program that realizes GW's commitment to globalizing the experience of every student. Students in the Global Bachelor's Program spend multiple semesters abroad as part of their GW studies. The program is a collaboration between the School of Business (GWSB), the the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences (CCAS), and the Elliott School of International Affairs (ESIA).
Students begin the program with an initial semester abroad together as a cohort at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, or Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This experience is followed by two additional semester-long international experiences that match each student's personal, academic and career objectives. The final experience can be either a full-time international internship or a third semester of study abroad.
Bryan Andriano, executive director of Global & Experiential Education at GWSB, was involved in the creation of the program in 2013 and has since helped lead the Global Bachelor’s Program while also teaching each cohort for the past three years. When asked to comment on the program’s impact, Dr. Andriano stated, “It has been remarkable to witness the transformation of our students resulting from a sincere and dedicated commitment to global study.”
Like the GW Global Bachelor's Program, the Global & Experiential Education office at GWSB is committed to providing valuable international experiences to bolster students' academic journey. International academic and internship experiences encourage students to learn how to interact and communicate with people from other cultures and enable students to broaden their perspectives and create a global network of peers and colleagues.