Dear International Studies Students, 

Welcome to the fall 2021 semester! We are glad to be returning, at least in part, to a more active campus community this fall. Please remember that the latest information about health and safety can be found on the Lynx Together webpage. The news lately—from Afghanistan, to Haiti, to climate change, to the global pandemic—underscores the salience of the International Studies major and minor. Viewing the world through cross-disciplinary perspectives and engaging urgent problems through diverse approaches to theory and practice is what the International Studies major is all about. We are glad you have chosen this major, and we are excited to tell you about some new opportunities. Please don’t forget that our website is the most comprehensive source for information about the major and minor and contains an array of resources to help you maximize the value of your degree. 

This semester, the College’s award-winning instructor, Dr. E.J. Yoder, returns to lead the Capstone class. Please check out student projects from Dr. Yoder’s Capstone course last spring here. In the Foundations course, we are delighted to have for the first time Dr. Xiaofei Gao. Dr. Gao recently joined the History Department, and we are grateful that she is bringing her outstanding teaching and research to the INTS program this fall. We are also grateful to Dr. Windham Loopesko from the Business School, who is once again leading our INTS 1111 First-Year Seminar course.   

As always, Dr. Alison Shah is serving as Advisor and Assistant Director this fall. She will have drop-in advising hours, as well as appointments, both by Zoom. Students graduating this fall should try to speak with Dr. Shah in the next two weeks to ensure a smooth graduation process. This semester, I will be available via Zoom as well, and after October 1, 2021, my on-campus office hours are Tuesdays from 10 am to 12 pm, or by appointment. We are eager to speak with you and assist in any way we can. Good luck with the start of classes, and we will share more news and information again soon. 

Sincerely, 

Hamilton Bean
Director, International Studies Program