Did you take a language in high school? Do you want to travel to other countries? Do you want to learn about other cultures? Are you active in your community?
You likely answered "yes" to at least one or more of these questions. If so, keep reading! You have now entered the gateway to our Global Connections Certificate. This flowchart (JPEG, 130 KB) shows you how to go further.
Global Connections cultivates and affirms our community of students who have more than a passing interest in the wider world. The certificate is an endorsement of activities that most students are completing throughout their undergraduate career at Appalachian.
We study abroad. We learn languages and become engaged in our communities. We come from different backgrounds and have different interests and majors, but we share one common goal: We want to become global citizens.
Come, share our passion. This certificate is one way to show how you do. It might just be the credential you need to land your next job or a spot in graduate school.
Please feel free to contact Dr. Alexandra Sterling-Hellenbrand if you have questions. We look forward to hearing from you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Check out some frequently asked questions about the Global Connections Certificate.
Alumni Testimonials
My perceptions about cultural norms and values continue to be challenged regularly, especially now in my role as a Public Health Intern at World Relief High Point, where we work to resettle refugees in the United States. This experience has been the culmination of my college experience in many ways, as it has combined many things I have learned both in the classroom and beyond the school walls. — Maddison, major in Spanish with minors in Psychology and Medical Humanities
I see students every day who have no desire to ever leave the United States or North Carolina, which is completely up to them. However, that will not keep other cultures or people from coming to the United States and North Carolina. The more students know about our world and the people in it, the more they will realize that globalization can be used to their advantage for careers, knowledge, and personal improvement. I plan to continue internationalizing my everyday life through my future career path, beginning with my service as a part of the Peace Corps in Burkina Faso, in Western Africa. — Emily, double major in French and Global Studies
In searching for academic programs for a study abroad experience, I discovered a unique region for studying sustainable development through the lens of German history and politics. In the coming year, supported by a Fulbright grant, I will be working with the Center for Migrants in Tyrol (ZeMiT) on their project "Cultures of Memory—Dialogues about Migration and Integration in Tyrol" to collect and retell the stories of how migrants, then and now, shape their new home. By pursuing the Global Connections Certificate, I have been able to explore these various meanings as they connect peoples and places, showing us how we belong. — Ryan, double major in Global Studies and Sustainable Development
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Alexandra Sterling-Hellenbrand
LS Dougherty 205
(828) 262-7225
hellenbranda@appstate.edu
Dr. Sterling-Hellenbrand is a professor of German and global studies at Appalachian. She teaches a wide range of courses from German language and literature to fairy tales and Arthurian legends and interdisciplinary courses in global studies. In addition, she is an experienced leader of short-term study abroad programs to Germany, Austria and the United Kingdom. She would love to tell you more about what the certificate can do for you and your resume!