Starting Fall 2024, the Center for International Studies will offer the first Global Security Studies program at the undergraduate level in the entire Southwest region of the country. Global Security is a new concentration under the International Studies major which focuses on coursework to prepare students for work in national and global security with organizations like the FBI, CIA, Foreign Service, and UN. Students will specialize in critical languages like Arabic, Chinese, or Russian while engaging experiential learning through a required internship. The new major concentration includes coursework like the history of war and conflict, the politics of extremism and authoritarianism, intelligence analysis and organized crime, as well as many more multi-disciplinary coursework to give students an effective foundation to work in areas of global security. This major is a perfect pairing for the new minor in Diplomacy, launched Fall 2023, with coursework taught by former diplomats. If you’re interested in learning more about or declaring a major concentration in Global Security Studies, contact the Liberal Arts Advising Center at laadvising@txstate.edu or the Center for International Studies at internationalstudies@txstate.edu.
Student Spotlight
Lois Bronaugh, MA in International Studies, is a finalist for the Fulbright Research Program to Germany.
What made you want to apply for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program? To Germany specifically?
I learned about the Fulbright program as an undergraduate student at Austin College (Sherman, TX), after I returned from studying abroad for a semester in Marburg, Germany. I was initially compelled by Fulbright’s goal of equipping Americans to be cultural ambassadors, since my semester abroad exposed me to people from all around the world whose backgrounds and experiences differed so much from my own. Besides being interested in the German language, I wanted to apply to the program in Germany specifically because my great-grandparents migrated from there, and I love the country’s storytelling traditions, sociopolitical history, religious background, and natural scenery.
Fun fact: I actually went through the Fulbright ETA application process in 2019/2020, and even though I didn’t end up going to Germany, it was a valuable experience that prepared me for applying this year. The point being—don’t be afraid to take chances and to try again, even when you think the ship has sailed. You never know what will happen.
What research would you like to do in Germany?
I would like to continue my master’s research in migration and refugee studies, particularly in investigating how refugee events and populations impact local communities. With the Fulbright award, I hope to analyze how Eastern European refugees from the Prague Spring (1968) were received in West Germany and assess their contribution to local politics at the time. While the Cold War era seems remote from the present day, much of the way we live and the way international politics work have been shaped by this period, and I believe that learning more about it can help us engage with current events in an informed and thoughtful way.
What are your hopes/plans for after you complete your degree?
After I graduate, I plan to work for an NGO or IGO, where I can apply my knowledge and experiences to promote collaboration in cross-cultural settings. I hope to continue my research on a professional level and to write and publish some of my work. For my bachelor’s degree, I majored in History and English Creative Writing, so I’m interested in both academic and fictional writing, as well as in eventually completing a PhD in a related discipline.
Are You Interested in Applying for Fulbright Like Lois Did?
In partnership with more than 140 countries worldwide, the Fulbright Program offers outstanding graduating seniors, graduate students, and young professionals in all academic disciplines opportunities to pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad.
During their grants, Fulbrighters meet, work, live with and learn from the people of the host country. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be citizens or nationals of the United States at the time of the application deadline.
- Applicants must have a conferred bachelor’s degree or equivalent before the start of the grant period.
- Applicants must meet the language requirements of the award to which they are applying and demonstrate sufficient competency to complete their project and adjust to life in the host country.
- Preference will be given to applicants whose higher education was undertaken primarily at educational institutions in the U.S. Undergraduate study abroad experiences, either in the chosen host country or elsewhere, will not be considered a disadvantage.
- Candidates who have not resided or studied in the country to which they are applying for more than six months, not counting undergraduate study abroad, are preferred. Duty abroad in the U.S. Armed Forces is not considered disqualifying within the meaning of this section.
- Candidates who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces will be given preference, provided their qualifications are approximately equivalent to those of other candidates.
Application Procedure
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is highly competitive and the application requires a significant amount of preparation.
To be eligible for advising services for the application, all undergraduates and undergraduate alumni must attend a presentation and declare their intention to apply by contacting Dr. Lisa Haegele (haegele@txstate.edu), Fulbright Program Adviser for undergraduate students and alumni, by May 1. Please email Dr. Haegele for details about the presentation dates/times.
Applicants who do not attend a presentation and declare their interest by May 1 may not receive advising support for their applications.
The campus deadline for applications is usually the second week of September. The campus deadline is earlier than the Fulbright national deadline. Applicants must submit their entire applications—including language evaluations and recommendations—by the campus deadline. Campus interviews take place the week after the deadline.
All graduates and graduate alumni must contact a Fulbright Program Adviser in the Graduate College (gcexternalfunds@txst.edu) by May 1.
For more information about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, please visit: https://us.fulbrightonline.org.
New IS Major Featured in University Star
The Center for International Studies’ new major concentration in Global Security Studies was featured in Texas State’s student newspaper, the University Star. Dr. Paul Hart, Director, and Ms. Amy Oakes, Program Coordinator, expound on the development and future of the program. To learn more in-detail information about the new major, check out the University Star’s article.
Undergraduate and Graduate Student of the Year
Zayna Abdel-Rahim, International Relations major and triple minor in Diplomacy, Japanese, and Arabic, was awarded the Undergraduate Student of the Year for the Center for International Studies. Zayna has received numerous awards, including the prestigious U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study in Morocco (2024), and the Defense Language and National Security Education Office’s Boren Award to study in Japan (2023). Zayna is the President of the Model Arab League and is an officer of the Palestinian Solidarity Committee. Zayna’s peers often describe her as an inspiration and amazing mentor.
Adrian Leal, thesis-track graduate student, completed the Center’s highest reviewed thesis for 2023-2024. He has served as the Student Government Election Board Chair while also working full-time in TXST’s Human Resources Department. He was accepted as a PhD candidate in Sociology at UT Austin and will start his studies in Fall 2024.
Center Awards Admin and Faculty of the Year
Each year the Center acknowledges the hard work that people around campus do to support International Studies students and opportunities. For the 2023-2024, Dr. Thillainatarajan “Thilla” Sivakumaran was awarded Administrator of the Year and Mr. Oliver Del Cid as Faculty Member of the Year.
Dr. Sivakumaran is the Vice President of Texas State Global and his work establishing new hubs and exchange programs worldwide is instrumental to providing increased study abroad opportunities. His support and collaboration also led to the creation of new
programs through TXST Global.
Mr. Oliver Del Cid, Director General of National Security for Belize and guest professor, taught the inaugural Diplomacy Seminar course offered in Spring 2024. His support and collaboration was integral to the development of the Diplomacy minor and the Center looks forward to his expertise teaching future sections of the Diplomacy Seminar course, IS 4388. Mr. Del Cid is an alum of Texas State university and former ambassador for the state of Belize.
IS Students Participate in Pro-Palestine Demonstration
On Monday, April 29, students and community members gathered at the free speech center of campus, the Stallions in the Quad, to demonstrate in support of Palestine. Organized by the Palestinian Solidarity Committee (PSC), students and community members led and participated in chants in a seven hour event. Zayna Abdel-Rahim, International Relations major, then led students on a march through the Quad to Old Main. The protest was Texas State’s most widely attended protest at the Stallions this year. Abdel-Rahim told KVUE:
“I’ve noticed that Texas State does not have a very … politically active community, especially when it comes to protests. I recognize that could be due to the risk that comes with doing an event like this, but it’s just important that if no one else is doing it, I think we should be doing it.”
Several student organizations were in attendance no arrests or major issues arose during the event.
Research Conference Honorable Mention: Martha Izaguirre
Martha Izaguirre, International Relations major, won Honorable Mention at the inaugural
Center for the Study of the Southwest Undergraduate Research Conference. Martha’s original research highlights the mental and physical effect on Mexican migrant workers under the Braceros Program. She specifically analyzes the underlying causes of mental and physical decline of Mexican migrant workers due do causes such as lack of food, resources, violation of contracts, and the risk of deportation.
Gradaute Thesis Award: Sierra Bligh
Sierra Bligh, M.A. in International Studies, won the Graduate Colleges’ Outstanding Master’s Thesis in the Social Sciences, Education, and Business. Sierra’s thesis, “Feminist Foreign Policy: Analyzing the Core Values and Identities of Feminist States” explores the ways in which states such as Sweden, Canada, and France have developed and implement Feminist Foreign Policy on issues related to gender inequality, poverty, global security, and the economic empowerment of women. Sierra’s thesis was chaired by Dr. Franziska Newell in the Department of Political Science.
IS Minor Awarded Fulbright to Germany
Carol-Ann Veretto, International Studies minor, was the sole undergraduate student at Texas State University to be an awarded Fulbright Student Scholarship to Germany. As part of the English Teaching Assistantship program (ETA), Carol-Ann will teach English and American culture in a primary, secondary, or post-secondary school in the Hamburg/Bremen region in Germany to prepare for admission into a graduate program in German Studies.
Student Wins Gilman Fellowship to Morocco
Zayna Abdel-Rahim, International Relations major and Diplomacy minor, was awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study in Morocco in summer 2024. This is Zayna’s second time winning a State Department scholarship where she will serve as a citizen diplomat, having previously won the Critical Language Scholarship to study in Japan summer 2023.