Global Fellows

Linguistic Competence

By the end of the program, students must demonstrate proficiency in a language spoken primarily outside of the United States (or beyond the student’s country of origin), equivalent to at least the fifth semester of college study, through placement or course work (which can include language coursework abroad).

International Coursework

Global Fellows will commit to increasing the number and breadth of international courses that they complete during their four years at McDaniel.  These courses may also satisfy other requirements in their major(s), minor(s), or McDaniel Plan program.  Each Global Fellow must take a minimum of five such courses. Of these:

• at least THREE courses should be dedicated to different geographical areas,
• a broad range of time periods should be studied, and
• courses should be taken in at least three disciplines.

The purpose of these criteria is to ensure that Global Fellows have a broad understanding of the peoples, cultures, histories, and concerns of different parts of the world, and a deep appreciation for the complexity of pressing world issues.  This coursework, in addition to the Experience Abroad component, will also help them to develop a broader capacity for perspective taking that is the mark of high-level intercultural competency.  

Experience Abroad

Global Fellows will commit to the successful completion of either a full semester abroad in an approved experiential learning or academic program, or an approved short-term study abroad or experiential learning program.  Global Fellows will select their abroad experience in consultation with the Director of the International Programs Office. Short-term programs must be linked to an academic program or independent academic study before and after the student’s trip to deepen his or her understanding of the community he or she is immersed in.

While a full semester abroad would be optimal, it must be recognized that this is currently not feasible for a portion of our student population. Global Fellows will be encouraged to seek scholarship opportunities through the Center for Experience and Opportunity and the International Programs Office.

Capstone Experience

Each Global Fellow will enhance his or her Capstone Experience in his or her major by either selecting a project theme that is global in nature, or making arrangements to do an added presentation or brief paper that connects his or her research or major to greater global issues or themes. In the event of a double major, they will only be required to apply global learning to one.  The student will work in coordination with the Capstone Experience adviser or instructor, and the Director of Global Initiatives or a designated professor who is an area specialist or whose research and specialization are international in scope, preferably in a related area.

Internships and Research

Students will be encouraged, but not required, to seek out experiential learning opportunities (which can include research, service and internships) that are international in scope during years three and four of the program. These opportunities can be taken up abroad or in the United States. To identify such opportunities, students should consult with the Center for Experience and Opportunity and the International Programs Office.  These internships require pre-approval by the Director of Global Initiatives in order to form part of the student’s “Global Learning Portfolio.”

Internationally themed events

The Global Fellows Program will keep students informed about campus, community, and regional public events that are global in scope. Fellows will be required to attend three such events per semester.

Community Outreach and Civic Engagement

Working as a group, Global Fellows will reach out to schools, libraries, civic associations, etc. to share their experiences and learning with the greater Westminster community. Global Fellows will identify and discuss these opportunities in consultation with the Associate Director of Community Outreach and Initiatives, at the Center for Experience and Opportunity.

Workshops

Workshops will be planned for the Global Fellows to develop intercultural competency and professional skills that will serve them in a global context, and allow them time for meaningful reflection on their own identity as global citizens.  The Fellows will be part of the planning of such workshops, which will be offered in rotation so that none repeat for any one cohort of students in the program, with a full three-year cycle.

Colloquium

Each semester the Global Fellows will work with the Director of Global Initiatives to plan a colloquium on a pressing, current, global issue.  Students will prepare for these colloquia by keeping up with world news and completing suggested readings.  These colloquia will be public events, open for full participation by all McDaniel students, faculty, staff, alumni, and greater Westminster community members.