Lynnaya Preuss 鈥�22
The IS Minor is a Valuable Supplement to Any Major
You could say that it all聽started for me in 7th grade. That was the year that I hosted聽a student聽from Japan for two eye-opening, laughter-filled, and, most of all,聽short聽weeks. My small聽聽hometown and Saga City, Japan are sister cities:聽members of our聽communities were brought together at a balloon festival聽in 1986 and decided to聽form an official long standing relationship聽fostered through international exchange.聽In addition to welcoming my聽host student into my home, I was a beneficiary of this聽partnership in聽that I, too, got to travel the nearly 7,000 miles across the globe聽to聽spend two weeks with her and her family that stretched my heart and聽mind.
Flash forward to the start of my college career.聽Following the blur of excitement聽and confusion that was my first聽semester of college, I was certain that I wanted to聽be a psychology聽major; the subject matter fascinated me. For a brief moment, I聽thought聽of putting myself out there as an applicant to the IS major; my聽middle聽school international exchange experience had blossomed into a聽strong interest in聽foreign languages and cultural understanding and I聽thrived in my Spanish classes聽and Model OAS (Organization of American聽States). However, the moment passed聽and I decided not to apply.
Nonetheless,聽as I sat in Perspectives: War/Aggression, a theology class that聽caught聽my eye as I was registering for second semester classes,聽absolutely fascinated by聽and deeply immersed in our discussion of the聽ethics involved in initiating drone聽strikes within the framework of聽just-war theory (check out the film Eye in the Sky!), I聽knew that I聽wanted to continue engaging with those types of ideas. Although my聽main聽academic interests were in the field of psychology, I saw the value聽of聽investing in another area of study.聽
Enter the IS minor. To my great delight, I discovered that the International Studies聽Program聽offers a less-extensive, but equally engaging, course of study. As an聽IS聽minor concentrating in Ethics and Social Justice, I have been able to聽pursue and聽cultivate an understanding of the role of religion and other ethical frameworks in聽international affairs by taking classes in theology, philosophy, and political science.聽From considering the聽challenge of peace as it relates to hostilities between ethnic聽groups to聽analyzing the pros and cons of allowing transnational corporations聽to聽draw economies into global value chains, I鈥檝e been able to expand my聽knowledge聽and critical thinking skills. Moreover, while the classes聽offered are wonderful,聽there鈥檚 more to the International Studies Program聽that IS minors can get involved聽in: minors are more than welcome to聽participate in the variety of projects that the聽Program has. For example, my involvement in Global Conversations 鈥�- virtual聽conversations聽with university students across the world on a variety of
interesting聽issues 鈥�-聽 has been a great way to supplement my studies.聽
All that is to say, the IS minor is a worthwhile investment! No matter your聽major, the聽reality is that our world is becoming increasingly connected. The IS minor provides聽opportunities for any 情色空间 student to聽grapple with the intricacies of this fact and聽prepares them to be a true global citizen. Also, I think you鈥檇 be surprised to find, as聽I have, how your major and minor coursework can come together in unique ways聽to聽spark new curiosities. Don鈥檛 be fooled: IS minors are just as much a part of the聽International Studies Program as IS majors are. So, what do聽you think? Are you聽ready to add an IS minor?
Lynnaya Preuss '22
February 2022