Meet Students

Department of Global Studies and Modern Languages

Connecting Language and Culture

At Drexel University, the bachelor of arts in Global Studies teaches students to see the world differently as they learn essential skills required to assess and understand the impact of widespread political, social, economic and environmental dynamics. With international study, hands-on work experiences, and civic engagement –both at home and abroad– students better understand the connection between language and culture across academic disciplines.

Alexandra J. King Pile smiles during a video. An American flag sits behind her.

Catching up with Alexandra J. King Pile, BA International Studies ’07

We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Alexandra J. King Pile, BA international studies '07, who is currently working as a diplomat for the United States Department of State. Read on to learn about the challenges and opportunities of her role, and how her time at Drexel prepared her for this path.

Emma Hirt at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Bringing History to New Audiences

Senior global studies major Emma Hirt spent the spring and summer as a Programs Assistant Co-op at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, where she used social media to introduce the organization's work to a younger audience—and went viral in the process.

Students in Hagerty Library stand around the Drexel Cartonera exhibition of handmade cardboard books

Spanish Course Brings Latin American Activism to Campus With “Drexel Cartonera: Memorias al Carton”

One might expect a written exam to wrap up their class for the quarter. But students in Celeste Dolores Mann’s Spanish 410 course—Performing Spanish: Proficiency Through the Arts—had to think outside the box for their final. Rather, they had to use the box, sourcing cardboard for their projects. Because her course was focused on the performing arts in Latin America and Spain, and the coursework was writing-intensive, Mann decided a creative final project was the way to go.

Global Studies Major Serena Hermitt Discovers Passion for Community Work

After arriving at Drexel for her first year undecided on a major, Serena Hermitt found the perfect major that fit all of her interests due to its interdisciplinary nature: Global Studies. Now, with a transformative course abroad experience and two co-ops under her belt, Hermitt has discovered her passion for working in the community.

Two Recent CoAS Alums Named Fulbright Honorees

Congratulations to recent CoAS alumni Jorge Fortin-Mejia ’19, who has been selected as a recipient, and Parisa Khoshnood ’20, who has been selected as an alternate, for the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program for 2021-22.

Global Studies Students Draw Attention to International Human Rights Violations

For their senior capstone projects, Global Studies students worked with Scholars at Risk to raise awareness of human rights violations against four incarcerated or missing scholars.

Drexel College of Arts & Sciences Global Studies & Modern Languages Fellowship Awardees 2020

Five Global Studies Majors Win Fellowships and Awards

Drexel University’s Department of Global Studies and Modern Languages has much to celebrate, as four of its students and alumni have received or were alternates for major awards. Global Studies majors won two Fulbright Awards, presented by the U.S. Department of State. Two Global Studies majors are alternates for the Fulbright, and third is an alternate for the Boren Scholarship.

Anthony Perez - Drexel Global Studies Student

Rising Leaders: Anthony Perez

Anthony Perez is an advocate for underserved populations. He’s written grants for nonprofit funding, worked as a human rights intern in Argentina, and helped raise money for disaster relief in Puerto Rico. At his most recent co-op, he assisted immigrants and asylum seekers in attaining permanent residency and public benefits in the U.S.

Global Studies Alum Travels World, Finds Career in Event Marketing

From a co-op at the World’s Fair in Milan to study abroad in Santiago and research in Crete, Rebecca Olsho ’16 took advantage of all the global studies major had to offer. Now, she continues to travel the world as an event marketing specialist at Clarivate Analytics.

Global Studies and Political Science Major Investigates Language Politics in Kazakhstan

In the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan, Caitlin Walczyk practiced her Russian in cab rides across the city of Almaty. The double major in global studies and political science spent nine months in Kazakhstan as a Boren Scholar, an award that supports undergraduate language study in countries vital to U.S. security interests.