MIAGE Foundations Class Featured Industry Experts
We are excited to announce the completion of another semester of the MIAGE course IAGE 6800 “Foundations of International Affairs and Global Enterprise.” Erin Moore, a MIAGE alumna and co-teacher of the MIAGE Foundations class, shared “MIAGE's interdisciplinary curriculum is unquestionably one of the program's greatest strengths, but taking on so many new fields of study can also be intimidating. In the new Foundations class, our goal was to better prepare students for that breadth of study and help them see it as yes, a challenge, but also a tremendous opportunity for personal and professional growth.” Throughout the semester students studied subjects such as business, economics, political science, public administration, and law, in order to prepare them for the interdisciplinary approach of the MIAGE program.
Experts in each of these areas visited the class to share their knowledge. A few of these guest speakers included Eric Hutchings, Joe Saba, and Erika George. Representative Eric Hutchings, from the Utah State Legislature, visited the class and presented on career planning. Joe Saba, current Senior Advisor for the World Bank Conflict and Fragile States Practice and former U.S. diplomat in Iraq and Afghanistan, visited twice and discussed international business, international health, as well as the refugee crisis in the Middle East. Erika George, current Co-Director of the Center for Global Justice at the S.J. Quinney College of Law and former member of the Executive Committee of the U.S. Department of State Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan, visited the MIAGE Foundations class and discussed the importance of international law. Other visitors include Dr. Karin Fladmoe-Lindquist, Dr. Stephen Bannister, Dr. Eun Bin Chung, Dr. Steven Ott, Connie White, and Dr. Rebecca Utz.
In addition to these renowned guest speakers, the final presentation was a highlight of the semester. Students had the flexibility to share an IPE approach to subjects that were important to them. Some of the subjects that students presented on are listed below (all given with student permission):
"The War in Syria, Health Care's Worst Nightmare"
How the war in Syria has impacted Syria's and surrounding countries' health care systems
Suzanne Young
"What's Fishy About the TPP?"
The tuna fishery industry in American Samoa
Saolo Manumaleuga Utu
"How Singapore and Hong Kong approached encouraging entrepreneurship for growth"
Jordan Greene
"Exploring the Causes and Effects of Rape & Sexual Violence During Armed Conflict"
The political, social, economic, cultural, and legal factors that contributed to high levels of rape and sexual violence before, during, and after the armed conflicts in Rwanda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Sierra Leone.
Emily Estheimer
"Sink or Swim in the Rising Tide"
An economic, political and social perspective on globalization
Morgan Shepherd
"Protecting the Unprotected: Honor Killings in Pakistan"
The cultural and political factors that lead to unfathomable numbers of honor killings in Pakistan; the international, political, legal, and NGO/INGO pressures that lead to the 2016 bill change to crack down on the practice; and what can be predicted for the future in Pakistan based on similar legal changes elsewhere.
Deba Masterson
Saolo described her experience in the MIAGE Foundations class, “It has been a rewarding opportunity to be able to analyze global issues while also integrating my interest in the pacific region--especially as many pacific island nations transition from localized, political, and social systems.” Other students felt the same way as they discussed and analyzed issues from an IPE perspective specific to their region of study. Regions represented included almost every continent.
Erin further explained, “Capturing so much content in a single semester was a huge challenge, but I'm very pleased with what we accomplished together. I think that students came away with more confidence in their ability to be successful in different types of courses, as well as an increased understanding of the many cool things you can do with a MIAGE degree.” We are excited to share the great success of the MIAGE Foundations class and can’t wait to see what next year brings!
December 2016