The Excellence in Global Learning Medallion (GLM) Program at FLorida International University (FIU), has been a truly wonderful experience for me and something I am so grateful to be a part of. Eric Feldman Ph.D. who was my first mentor at GLM made it possible for both on-Campus and online students to participate in the program and was very interactive, supportive and encouraging with students on the online board he set up. It was also through this online GLM board that I found many opportunities for extra global engagement experiences and even found out that I could also join Peace Corps Prep (PCP) at FIU too. PCP Director, Connie Penzak M.S. also encouraged us and she and Eric were a great team in making both these programs more accessible to students, and I was even able to serve as a student leader in PCP as a result, which I will discuss in my Peace Corps Prep Reflection. Dr. Eric Feldman has moved to FIU: DC , and  Connie Penczak M.S. held down the fort for both PCP and GLM , until we were able to welcome someone new to direct GLM and now Yenisleidy Simon Mengana, M.S. is the new Program Director for the Office of Global Initiatives and some new GLM blogging opportunities have started. 

 

Dr. Katherine Lineberger Ph.D., (one of my favorite professors), was amazing at teaching us in Global Learning courses. Something so amazing and wonderful (related to both global Anthropology and Sociology and how our brains had evolved), which I learned from her, gifted me with a profound knowing of something once hidden that led to greater wisdom that changed my life forever for the better. Later to my delight, Dr. Lineberger even became a mentor for me on related global projects I worked on for GLM and PCP, and which I will be discussing further on this website! For language studies, I took English from a fantastic professor name Dr. Wick, and I took Spanish at FIU because it makes me a better global citizen right here in multicultural Florida, yet also because I hope to possibly serve where I am needed somewhere in South America, should I be blessed to serve in the Peace Corps in the future.

 

I am so inspired by the GLM program and enjoy Global Learning so much that as a result I sought out and took many more Global Learning courses for my graduation requirements than were even required to necessarily be GL courses because this Global Awareness helped me understand what goes on in the world, but more importantly how it is all interconnected . This allowed me to make the most of my studies here at FIU which is well known for excellence in providing global learning to diverse students from all over the world. Global Engagement led to my willingness to engage in local, global, international, and intercultural problem solving and/or consensus building. When we listen to the perspectives of others from various walks of life, this diversity can lead to novel ideas. The Global Perspective I learned at FIU gives me the ability to take others’ various points of view and ideas into consideration when making choices. We all need to cooperate to work together for a brighter future. 

 

As I reflect on my fascinating global learning experiences through FIU and GLM and PCP, I appreciate how much my global learning at FIU allowed me to express the creative, playful, kind-hearted, good-natured, caring, friendly, polite, and very studious aspects of myself. I love school! My thirst for knowledge is insatiable! If that learning can become wisdom to make me of better service to the world, then I am thrilled. I love the FIU faculty and my professors who guided us students, because they are absolutely brilliant and wonderful and I am so grateful and happy to have the opportunity to be taught by them. :) Coming up with novel ideas for helping to make learning fun, is a joy. Words cannot express how blessed I am to have teachers that care about their students and inspire us so much. Thank you! :)

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Next, I would like to tell you briefly about my Global Engagement capstone projects. My capstone projects involve various aspects of creating awareness (including research, interviews, and designing a global art project) for Global Dolphin Defense which also relates to ocean conservation. More on this coming soon, because besides a report, this is also a living, breathing ongoing global engagement project too.

I also did a Global learning Research Report on, "Addressing Barriers to Higher Education for Impoverished & Homeless Students" and obtained more qualitative interviews on this issue after giving a presentation on it based on my research report.
It has been a real blessing for me that one of my favorite professors, Dr. Katherine Lineberger has mentored me for both my GLM and PCP capstone projects!  Thank you so much!

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