Global Scholars Program

The Global Scholars Program challenges Marymount students to consider the various ways in which their everyday lives are shaped by social, intellectual, and cultural connections to people and locales across the globe. These connections are cultivated through coursework focused on learning experiences that prioritize global awareness, hands-on research activities, as well as leadership and service opportunities. The Global Scholars Program encourages Marymount students to see themselves as individuals who are embedded in local or national communities, while they are at the same time active and engaged global citizens.

Diversity of experiences, interests, and perspectives is one of the core strengths of the Global Scholars Program. This means Marymount students who have found their intellectual homes in the sciences, the humanities, the arts or any of the many professional programs offered at Marymount such as nursing, criminal justice, or business, are encouraged to apply to become Global Scholars. The experiences of all students, regardless of their field of study, enriches the program and in turn, students are able to learn from each other’s diverse experiences and fields. The Global Scholars Program creates an academic environment wherein students are encouraged to pursue their curiosity about the world, leverage global issues to understand their own experiences in new ways, and engage in transformative opportunities.

Global Scholars will have the opportunity to develop one-on-one working relationships with faculty research mentors, to assist with research projects with a global impact in their chosen areas of study. Primary academic advising for Global Scholars will be provided by faculty from the student’s major, with additional advising provided by the Global Scholars Program director.

Upon graduation, transcripts of students who have successfully completed the program requirements will carry the “Global Scholar” designation. Global scholars must fulfill all program requirements, and maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0.

In addition, global scholars must show a level of skill in a nonnative modern language equivalent to successful completion of a second-semester, college-level language course. There are two different ways to meet this requirement:

• Complete 6 credits of college-level foreign language coursework at the elementary level, which may include courses combining language and culture; or complete 3 credits of college-level foreign language coursework at the intermediate level. AP, IB, and CLEP equivalencies are accepted.
• Receive a waiver from the Global Scholars Program director. Waivers will be granted when a student can demonstrate knowledge of a language equivalent to two semesters of college-level work, typically in a proctored exam.

Inquiry-guided Learning/Research

Global scholars will select an area of global inquiry/research from a list of potential inquiry areas. The list will be based on projects underway by participating faculty sponsors or community organizations who are interested in working with student researchers. Each global scholar will be matched with a sponsor, based on the scholar's inquiry request.

In addition, global scholars are required to enhance coursework and inquiry through participation in any two of the following opportunities:

• an internship with a global focus, approved by the program director
• study abroad coursework
• using second-language proficiency to complete an independent study or project
• service-learning project with a global focus. The service-learning project can be done locally or internationally. The Center for Global Education works with faculty to develop study abroad opportunities that include a service-learning component.

Leadership

Global scholars will demonstrate leadership by completing an approved on- or off-campus activity.