We About Us!
- Jenna Morales, MA Government/Political Theory
I enjoy hiking, playing and watching soccer, gardening, yoga, and of course, my ten pets (three dogs, two cats, and five chickens). I am particularly interested in conspiracies and national security, making it the perfect candidate for my thesis topic.
Team Leader - Caritas Fürstenfeldbruck
Team Leader - Caritas Munich Central
- Jasmine Recinos, MA Government, Minor: Global Security Studies
Hello!
My name is Jasmine Recinos. I am originally from Tucson, Arizona but have lived in New Mexico for the past 10 years. I graduated from New Mexico State University with a bachelor's degree in Government and a minor in International Relations, as well as a bachelor's in Foreign Languages with a concentration in Spanish. I am currently attending graduate school in pursuits of a MA in Government.
In my spare time I enjoy reading, solving puzzles, and participating in anything musically inclined. For the future I hope to either work for a nonprofit organization or the Foreign Service.
This
will be my first experience abroad, but I am extremely excited to gain
firsthand experience in political affairs. Moreover, I am thankful for the
opportunity to delve deeper into the multiplicities of migration. I am ecstatic
to be working with the NGOs and look forward to memories we will all make
together.
- Brennan Ramsey, BA Government; Minors in International
Relations, Comparative Politics, and Anthropology
Hello!
My name is Brennan Ramsey and I'm from Las
Cruces, New Mexico. This service-learning program is the first research I have done
abroad, and I look forward to gaining new perspectives, knowledge, and
opportunities. A little fun fact about me is that I have a cat named Binx after
the must watch 90s classic Halloween film Hocus Pocus.
2022 Service-Learning Study-Abroad Students
- Amber Sedillo, Master of Public Administration
Hello!
My name in Amber Sedillo. I am from Roswell, New Mexico and
have been living in Las Cruces for the last five years. I completed my Bachelor
of Science in Educational Leadership with a supplemental major in Linguistics
and a minor in Counseling and Educational Psychology. I am now a graduate
student at New Mexico State University pursuing my Masters in Public
Administration, I just finished my first year and am beginning my final year. I
am very family orientated and my favorite people call me auntie.
I am most excited for what this opportunity will bring me. My
goal is to experience the German culture, to achieve personal and professional
growth and make new friends along the way. I aspire to serve my community and
apply what I have learned once I complete my Master’s degree.
- Danielle Dowis, BAs Government
and Spanish
Hello!
My name is Danielle. I am an avid animal lover. I'm from Oklahoma, and I have lived in Alamogordo, New Mexico for almost two years. I am pursuing a bachelor's in government and Spanish.
I have changed my mind a lot on what I want to do with my life, and who knows maybe I’ll change it again. When I first started college, I knew I wanted to do something in the law/government/politics area. I seem to change my mind every time I take a new class. However, I think I have found my field. I am very interested in global politics, Latin politics, and international relations.
I am very excited about this opportunity to go abroad and work with the NGOs. I think is a great chance to get out of the classroom and learn hands on. One day, I would like to work for a nonprofit or NGO that works to make a real difference.
- Josh Galovin, BA Government
My name is Josh and I’m going into my last semester for my undergraduate degree in the government program. My interests are in international affairs and the impact of climate change on policy and migration. I've spent a lot of the last couple years trying to figure out what I'm good at and connecting with others is at the core of what I love about politics and policy. I plan on pursuing my masters degree at NMSU and continue in the government department.
- Nicole Johnson, BA Social Work, Minors in Public Law and Government
Nicole is a senior at New Mexico State University majoring in Social Work and minoring in Public Law and American Government & Politics. She also works for All Faiths Family Advocacy Center, but her favorite roles are that of wife and mother of four amazing children.
Nicole plans to
pursue a juris doctorate and specialize in child and family law, particularly
with children experiencing foster care and immigration to the United States. In her (rare and elusive) free time, Nicole
enjoys riding motorcycles, hiking, kayaking and traveling.
- Iliana Viscarra, BAs Government and Journalism
Hi there!
My name is
Iliana and I recently graduated from NMSU with degrees in Government and
Journalism. My primary focus is in international relations and I have a deep
admiration and fascination with the ways connections can be made through
culture. I plan on pursuing my master’s degree at NMSU and eventually working
my way towards a career in the Foreign Service, specifically within the public
diplomacy track. I love to travel and am grateful for the opportunity I had to
study abroad in South Korea as well as the trips I have been able to take
around the U.S. Throughout the program, I hope to gain a deeper understanding
of the issues vulnerable populations are faced with as well as a hands on look
at the complexities of migration and cultural integration.
In my free
time, you can catch me doing yoga, petting every dog I see (after asking of
course), and playing Stardew Valley.
I’m looking forward to learning and gaining valuable experiences
among so many incredible folks while making new friends and connections along
the way! :)
- Savannah Salinas, BA Sociology
Hello!
My name is Savannah Salinas. I was born and raised in Las Cruces, NM and I will be starting my third year at NMSU this fall working towards my degree in sociology.
I have
absolutely no clue what I want to do after college, and I am constantly
changing my mind. I originally planned on attending NMSU as a music education
major, but after switching majors a few times and taking an intro to sociology
class I fell in love with it and decided that was what I was going to study.
I am
really excited for this experience, and I am looking forward to being able to
learn firsthand about Germany and migration.
- Annika Newman, BA Government; Minors in International
Relations, International Studies, and Public Administration
Hi. I’m Annika Newman. I’m heading
into my last year of studies at New Mexico State University, hoping to finish
with a major in Government and minors in international relations, international
studies, and public administration. I’m looking forward to my experience
in Munich and visiting Germany. This summer, I had the opportunity to study in
Paris, volunteer at a school in Barcelona, and travel in Austria and Hungary. I
like learning about different cultures and exploring places. I hope to continue
doing both through an international career some day - and soon in Munich.
- Citlalli Benitez, BAs Government and Spanish; Minor in
International Relations
Greetings, everyone!
My name is Citlalli Benitez, and I am currently pursuing a double major in Government and Spanish, with an emphasis in International Relations. I hope to one day attend graduate school and further narrow my studies to Sustainable Development.
I am an avid member of NMSU’s Model United Nations Team and a passionate student representative through ASNMSU (Associated Students of New Mexico State University). When not studying or fulfilling my roles on campus, I enjoy reading, studying astrology, and keeping up with the latest political news!
Getting the opportunity to work with German NGOs and to learn about one of the most pressing topics in the world today is both incredible and daunting. I hope that this experience will elevate my studies and my future as a whole. It is experiences like these that will truly aid us in the inspiring and trail blazing work I am sure every one of us will one day accomplish.
- Cole Vetter, BAs Government, History and Psychology; Minors in International Relations and East Asian Studies
My name is Cole Vetter, and I am currently a senior at New Mexico State University majoring in government, history, and psychology with minors in international relations and East Asian studies.
To me, this opportunity in Munich will help teach me the reality of
international migration: with emphasis on finding effective integration and
consultation strategies. Countries across Europe struggle with reaching
consensus on immigration policy and my experiences in Munich will help me
understand the German approach to international migration."
- Faculty Leader and Organizer New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM - USA
Dr. Sabine Hirschauer
Assistant Professor - Department of Government
Areas of Specialization:
Critical Security Studies, Gender and Memory
Migration and Identity
International Relations and Comparative Politics Theories
Critical Security Studies, Gender and Memory
Migration and Identity
International Relations and Comparative Politics Theories
 |
| Ixopo, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa |
"You must do the thing you think you cannot do." ------Eleanor Roosevelt
Previous 2018 Migration and Integration Service-Learning Study-Abroad Projects Munich, Germany
Previous Student Team-Leaders
Alexandra (Alexa) Tovar, MA Government '18
Hello everyone, my name is Alexandra (Alexa) Tovar. I am originally from Vail, Colorado, but have called Las Cruces my home for 8 years now.My background is in Linguistics and foreign languages. I am multilingual and wish to pursue learning more languages. I have had the opportunity to study and live abroad in several countries such as Italy, and Costa Rica.
I currently have the honor and privilege of being Dr. Sabine Hirschauer’s graduate assistant. I will be completing my Government master’s degree on December 2018. I am also the proud wife of a State Police Officer, who is also an U.S. Army soldier. My husband and I are both from immigrant parents, which has encouraged us to learn more about immigration policies.
We hope to gain a broader understanding of how other countries have coped with mass migration movements, and hopefully through this trip I will be able to receive a deeper understanding of the importance of NGOs in the migration and integration processes.
Looking forward to meeting everyone! Thank you!
Kelsey Bowman, MA Government '19
Hello! My name is Kelsey Bowman. I was born in Portales, New Mexico. In my undergraduate years I was a member of student government (ASNMSU) first as a Supreme Court Justice and then as Attorney General. I was also on student lobbying committee and I studied abroad twice, first in Spain for Spanish and then in France for French.
I have always been engaged politically and particularly interested in social justice issues as well as issues surrounding migration after having grown up on the U.S./Mexico border. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Government from NMSU in 2014. As a graduate student this summer I am working as a graduate assistant for Dr. Harvey’s and Dr. Slack’s (of University Texas at El Paso) National Science Foundation grant program for undergraduates on research on immigration and border issues. In this program we are educating undergraduates on different immigration and U.S./Mexico border issues as well as having them work with different border/immigration nonprofits and the ACLU in the region to conduct research on these issues.
I very much look forward to conducting good work in Germany and learning a lot more about immigration issues in that part of the world! Thank you!
Amy Yurwit, BA German and Government '19
Hallöchen!
My name is Amy Yurwit and it’s a pleasure to meet you.
I’m a German and Government double major at NNSU and the secretary for our Model United Nations Team. I’m particularly interested in post-colonial literature and cultural anthropology. As the grandchild of Jewish immigrants, issues of migration and integration are especially interesting to me. I’m expecting to be humbled by this experience and excited to learn and share as much as I can.
Schönen Tag noch, Amy
Previous Service-Learning Study-Abroad Students
Isaac Garza, MA Government
Hello, My name is Isaac Garza. I was raised in the borderland between U.S. and Mexico, El Paso USA and Juarez, Mexico.
My research is linked to the ongoing economic crisis in Latin American, where many flee violence and grave economic struggles just to feed their families. I learned throughout my work experiences and studies how important it is to listen and sometimes to walk as partners with these wonderful people in need. Thank you!
Cary Culbertson, MA Government
My name is Cary Culbertson. I am from Las Cruces, New Mexico and am a student of government at New Mexico State University. My interest in government is nationalism and its effects on culture, specifically, the impact of laws and norms that define one person from another. My masters degree is nearing completion. My focus is on international relations and humanitarian work as one of my career interests.
What I would like to gain from this experience is an insight into the consequences of statelessness and the processes of national borders in unusual situations that require and demand attention, that draw them away from their role as a physical boundary. But, ultimately, I see this experience as an opportunity to contribute to the aid given to people affected by civil strife. It is an opportunity to take part in the European migration crisis from a humanitarian level. I am interested in how displaced people are provided aid and the ways that they interact with governments and non-governmental organizations alike. Thank you!
Diana Atenea Goenaga, MA Government
My name is Diana Atenea Goenaga, I usually go by Atenea or Ate. Everyone in my family and closes friends call me that. I was born in Colombia and I do consider myself Colombian, I have been living in Las Cruces, New Mexico since February 2007. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and I will be officially starting my Master’s degree in Public Administration in the summer of 2018. I love animals, I wish that one day I can open a foundation maybe in Colombia since I am from there and there are a lot of stray dogs and cats there that need a warm home where they can be taken care of, given a lot of love, and taken off the streets. I love to travel, to eat, to walk, to take pictures, watch movies, go to the beach, relax, enjoy and just have fun.
I want to be able to work doing something meaningful, that when at the end of the day I go home to sleep and I can tell myself that even though I will not fix the world, I am making a difference even if it’s one step at a time. I am very interested in the refugee crisis going on around the world, not just in Europe but also in South America. I hope to one day land a job opportunity at a NGO working in making the world a better place, and maybe if I am fortunate enough then I would love to work at the UN. Thank you!
Gabriela Quintana, BA Government
Hello everyone,
My name is Gabriela Quintana and I am 19 years old. I am from Lubbock, Texas. I am a government major at NMSU.
I have a passion for outdoors activities; I love hiking and playing soccer. My whole family is a soccer family, I have two brothers, one sister, and my mom, who just had her last chemo for breast cancer this June! My grandpa migrated to the U.S. from Mexico, so he's one of the many reasons I am interested in and excited for this opportunity!
Thank you!
(Photo: Gabi is in the center)
Kendrick Sanchez, BA Government
Hello! My name is Kendrick Sanchez and I am currently an undergraduate student at New Mexico State University.
I began my studies at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, NM and am now finishing my undergraduate degree. Upon graduation I wish to move forward to graduate school with a focus in international relations & national security before commissioning as an officer in the US Armed Forces.
Recent migrations into Europe have created critical situations for those impacted by global events and I believe it is vital for my education to better understand the environment and more importantly the lives who are facing these enduring challenges. Thank you!
Luis Gutierrez, BA Creative Media Institute
Born in El Paso, Texas and raised in Juarez, Mexico, Luis Gutierrez has spent his life living in between borders. An early curiosity and sensitivity towards the arts led him to pursue a career as an illustrator.
Luis eventually moved to El Paso after spending some time in art school where he discovered his passion for filmmaking. He decided to pursue an undergraduate degree at the Creative Media Institute at New Mexico State University. For Luis, Filmmaking is not just a medium for storytelling. Film is a conversation through which he seeks to deliver messages —themes that strive to push society forward. Thank you!
Miriam Rocio Guevara, MA Government '18
My name is Miriam, and I am very excited to participate in this project. It will help me greatly to contribute to a better understanding of global migration generally and the European migration and integration challenges specifically.
I am in particular interested to learn how countries like Germany have managed to provide refuge and protection to the thousands of migrants, who had to leave their homes because of problems external to them.
My nationality is Mexican, and I am a legal resident of the United States. I am a proud immigrant and throughout my work experience, I have been able to learn about the complex problems of immigration between Mexico and the United States. Therefore, I know and understand first-hand the importance and effects of the many migration challenges.
I am a very responsible and dedicated person. Any kind of professional objective will need to have a humanitarian aspect to it. Working with an NGO, will help me to grow personally and professionally. Thank you!
Raini Mae Schauer, BA Government
My Name is Raini Mae Schauer and I’m 19 and currently a senior pursing an undergrad degree in Government. For the last several years, I’ve been working at a local radio station where I DJ, voice commercials, edit audio, and produce news.
I very much enjoy reporting on political matters in my state, and while I am not focusing on international relations for my degree, I think my time in Germany will show me the human side of things someone can only read about from six thousand miles away.
“Time passes in moments... moments which, rushing past, define the path of a life, just as surely as they lead towards its end. How rarely do we stop to examine that path, to see the reasons why all things happen, to consider whether the path we take in life is our own making, or simply one into which we drift with eyes closed. But what if we could stop, pause to take stock of each precious moment before it passes? Might we then see the endless forks in the road that have shaped a life?”
Looking forward meeting everyone! Thank you!
Baoyu Wang, PhD Psychology '18
One of my research interests is the relationship between politics and ethics in political philosophy and its application in International Relations. I am interested in the current migration issue in Europe because sometimes it involves conflicts between political interests of the state and ethical codes for individuals and the international community.
I hope that I can integrate my theory and understanding of the issue with real-life experience by working in the field. After all, “concepts without percepts are empty; percepts without concepts are blind”. Besides, I really want to know more about the culture that cultivated the minds of Immanuel Kant, Karl Marx, Georg Wilhelm Fredrich Hegel, Friedrich Schiller and Fredrich Nietzsche, whose thoughts had great impacts on me in my academic life.
I am an outgoing person with a sense of humor. I was trained professionally to play basketball in college for a year and am still playing on campus regularly. I used to play keyboard and clarinet for years in bands in school. I am certified to practice psychological counseling in China. I am fluent in mandarin and English. Thank you!
I hope that I can integrate my theory and understanding of the issue with real-life experience by working in the field. After all, “concepts without percepts are empty; percepts without concepts are blind”. Besides, I really want to know more about the culture that cultivated the minds of Immanuel Kant, Karl Marx, Georg Wilhelm Fredrich Hegel, Friedrich Schiller and Fredrich Nietzsche, whose thoughts had great impacts on me in my academic life.
I am an outgoing person with a sense of humor. I was trained professionally to play basketball in college for a year and am still playing on campus regularly. I used to play keyboard and clarinet for years in bands in school. I am certified to practice psychological counseling in China. I am fluent in mandarin and English. Thank you!
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia - USAFaculty-Leader
- Dr. Regina Karp, Associate Professor and Director of the Graduate Program of International Studies
Dr. Karp is a specialist in the topics of arms control, weapons proliferation, and international security. Recently, she has been working on the issue of security integration in the Baltic Sea region with special concentration on Sweden and Finland.
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia - USA
Faculty-Leader
- Dr. Muge Akpinar-Elci, MD, MPH; Director of Center for Global Health; Chair of School of Community and Environmental Health
Dr. Muge Akpinar-Elci has more than 15 years of experience in clinical and field research working in pulmonary medicine, public and global health. Dr. Akpinar-Elci received her MD from Dokuz Eylul University, School of Medicine in Turkey. She completed her residency training in Pulmonology and fellowship in Occupational Medicine in Turkey. Dr. Akpinar-Elci also received a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, LA. During her career Dr. Akpinar-Elci worked for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In her last position, she was an Environmental and Occupational Health Track Director at St George’s University School of Medicine, Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. She was also a director of World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center for Environmental and Occupational Health in Grenada. Dr. Akpinar-Elci joined Old Dominion University, Norfolk VA in 2013 as a director of the Center for Global Health and became a Chair of School of Community and Environmental Health in 2016. She has been the recipient of several awards including: CDC Bullard-Sherwood Research to Practice award, 2008 and CDC/NIOSH Diversity Award 2016.
Co-Faculty Leaders/Team-Leaders
- Susan Johnson, New Mexico State University, MA Government, Expected Graduation: December 2017
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home–so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerned citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." ---Eleanor Roosevelt- Meagan Lashway, New Mexico State University, MA Government, Expected Graduation: December 2017
"Vielen kleine Leute
die in vielen
kleinen Orten
kleinen Orten
viele kleine Dinge tun,
können das Gesicht der Welt verändern
Many small people
Many small people
who in many small places
do many small things
that can alter
that can alter
the face of the world."
- Lisa-Marie Valleroy Djang, New Mexico State University, MA Communication Studies, Minor: National Security; Expected Graduation: December 2018
"Hi I'm Lisa! My background is in German literature and Communication. My current interests include feminism, cultural communication, diplomacy, identity, and intersectionality.
I am interested in helping underrepresented voices be heard and different points of view be understood and respected."
New Mexico State University Migration Crisis
Service-Learning Study-Abroad Students
- Amy Alexander, New Mexico State University, MPA Master Public Health
Hello all! My name is Amy Alexander. I am originally from San Diego, CA and currently live in Albuquerque, NM. I just received my Master of Public Health from NMSU in May. My background/undergrad is in Nutrition and Dietetics and I currently work for the New Mexico Department of Health with the Women, Infants and Children Program. My areas of interest include Maternal and Child Health and Epidemiology. I am looking forward to learning more about the migration crisis from a public health perspective… and looking forward to meeting and working with everyone! I love to travel, try new foods, and spend time outdoors camping and hiking. My husband and I are expecting our first child in December, so right now I am loving watching my little bump grow!
- Sara Bonk, New Mexico State University, BS Secondary Education; Minor: Spanish
"Hallo! My name is Sara Bonk, and I'm a senior studying secondary education at New Mexico State University. I'm originally from the small city of Billings, MT who loves to read, learn new things, and explore new cities and countries. This travel bug started the summer after my first year of college. I have been to Spain twice to study the Spanish language and the history of medieval Spain with a focus on the Moorish period. I have also been to Portugal, Morocco and Poland during my time in Europe. I have also traveled to Canada and Mexico.In a ten year span, I see myself as an international English teacher, hopefully in Spain with a Masters in history. I plan to travel to many more countries and cities as I continue teaching, though an ultimate goal of mine would be obtaining a doctoral degree in history with a focus on literature and teaching at university level. I look forward to my time with my NGO and am exited for you to read about my time in München! Bis bald!"
- Rachel Brenner, New Mexico State University, BA History
- Donna Giaquinto, New Mexico State University, PhD Educational Administration
"I am the daughter of an immigrant so the entire issues with immigration is near to me. My father lived in tenement slums in Jersey City without formal education - he was a self-made man who brought us to the suburbs to have the American Dream. I have been in public education and psychotherapy for my entire adult career. I became a Special Education teacher at 20 years of age, hold two Masters, an ELA certificate and completed Counseling Psych doctoral program through to ABD. Studied post-doc psychopharmacology at the program's inception in NM. I am a school psychologist, diagnostician, and administrator and hold licenses to provide psychological services with a small private practice. I also currently consult in northern New Mexico at a school district. My goal is to complete my PhD in ELA next year 2018 and to start teaching at the college level, hopefully in a hybrid distance learning college. In ten years........I will be fully retired -- and have traveled to all the places on my current list (which grows all the time!!). I have a wonderful daughter, Nicole, and the best son in law in the whole world, Michael. I have great friends and enjoy spending time with them, my 94- year-old mom, and traveling with my brother, David."
Amalia Hernandez, New Mexico State University, MA Education
"The world is filled with nice people.
If you can't find one, BE ONE!"
The picture is of my son and I
enjoying a baseball game,
which is what we love to do
amongst other things.
- Sara Love, New Mexico State University, MSW Social Work
"Hello! I'm Sara Love, a dual Master's of Social Work & Master's of Public Health student at NMSU. My BA is from the University of New Mexico, focused both on Intercultural Communication & Sociology. I am the mother of one 8-year-old tiny dancer, her best feline friend, and one hedgehog. The focus of my work includes: mothers, children, and their families and how integrating ecological models of health can influence intersectionalities, bringing strength-based healing of trauma."“...Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants...go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life...and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body.” ― Walt Whitman
- Gryffin Loya, New Mexico State University, MA Communication Studies
“I hate the indifferent. I believe that living means taking sides. Those who really live cannot help being a citizen and a partisan. Indifference and apathy are parasitism, perversion, not life. That is why I hate the indifferent. It is fate, that which cannot be counted on... That what happens, the evil that weighs upon all, happens because the human mass abdicates to their will; allows laws to be promulgated that only the revolt could nullify, and leaves men that only a mutiny will be able to overthrow to achieve the power. The mass ignores because it is careless and then it seems like it is the product of fate that runs over everything and everyone: the one who consents as well as the one who dissents; the one who knew as well as the one who didn’t know; the active as well as the indifferent. Some whimper piously, others curse obscenely, but nobody, or very few ask themselves: If I had tried to impose my will, would this have happened?" ----- Antonio Gramsci- Cris Rocha, New Mexico State University, BA Government; BA Digital Film Making
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-toast to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Emma Lazarus
Tylan Tapley, New Mexico State University, BA Government
“The only way we can ever obtain certitude is by the difficult process of examination. We cannot be satisfied with evidence that is incomplete and only probable. Our certitude is always a precarious one. Science relies on probability, not on certitude.”
-Carneades
"This quote is powerful in that it is a reflection of the aspects of my epistemology that I hold very near and dear. I view everything through a skeptical lens; like the skeptics under Pyrroh, Arcesilaus, and Carneades, I suspend judgment until truth is either obtained, or it remains ever so tenuously out of my reach. This will be guiding my mind as I observe Germany, and its response to the influx of migrants. I will pose questions, until such a time that I am able to obtain the truth I spoke of earlier. That is my ultimate goal to spawn from this trip; truth."
- Emma Tobe, New Mexico State University, BA Government
“Hi, I'm Emma Tobe. I am a government major going into my senior year. I am very interested in international relations and international studies, and I hope to join the Peace Corps or attend an international relations graduate program upon graduation next spring.
I am volunteering in Ghana the two weeks prior to our Germany excursion teaching elementary education. See you in Germany!”
- Eva Videla, New Mexico State University, MA Communication Studies
"Pursuing my Master’s in Communication Studies has allowed me to explore my interests in critical approaches to Media and Intercultural Communication.Therefore, in 10 years I want to be using my knowledge into a more practical way. I don't know exactly where I will end up, but I want to create a safe space for people to communicate in stressful situations. For example, community exchanges and disparities about government policies. We spend more than half our lives in school but never actually using it to create a difference. Let's be the change!”
Old Dominion University Migration Crisis
Service-Learning Study-Abroad Students
- Meghan Cozens, Old Dominion University, MA International Studies
- Alice Laubach, Old Dominion University, MA International Studies
"Hello fellow travelers! My name is Alice Laubach. I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and attended Carnegie Mellon University as an undergraduate in Music Performance. I will complete my Master of Arts in International Studies at Old Dominion University in December. I also work in ODU’s Study Abroad Office as the Coordinator for Faculty-Led programs. During my undergrad, I spent multiple summers in Germany and Austria as a music student. After undergrad, I spent a year in Cologne, Germany as an au pair working for a German rock musician and his family. After returning, I worked in Los Angeles, Cleveland, and now Norfolk in some sort of international capacity ranging from student visas to study abroad. I have a personal interest in the livelihood of migrants as my grandparents and great grandparents migrated from the Middle East to the US to escape conflict in Lebanon. I am especially interested in the economic impact of migrants on Germany’s economy. Specifically, in what parts of the economy will they potentially benefit, and which parts they may possibly strain. I’m also interested to see how Europe is able to successfully absorb migrants into their often generous social systems. My husband plays with the Virginia Symphony and we have a 3-year old son. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family, cooking, and going to the beach."- Michael Ma, Old Dominion University, BA Political Science and Communication
"My Name is Michael Ma. I am a junior at Old Dominion University; majoring in political science. I look forward to this learning experience, because I am interested in understanding the social impact of migrants within a state. In particular, I want to learn how migrants assimilate in their new home, and the barriers language and culture poses. Moreover, I want to observe the native’s response to the migrants, because I want to understand how an influx in migration within a state affects their domestic politics.Personally, I enjoy comparative politics, and I plan on attending law school after graduation. My goal is to work for a NGO, and I would like to aid in the refugee crisis in Syria, and other parts of the Middle East. I believe this trip will give me a great deal of insight into the function of NGOs, and how they operate."
- Patricia Ramirez, Old Dominion University, BA International Studies and French
- Crystal Rawls, Old Dominion University, BA Educational Leadership
"My name is Crystal Rawls and I am a current Master's Student at Old Dominion University in the Higher Education Program. I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2016 with a B.S. degree in Communications. This will be my first study abroad trip and I am excited that it will be with ODU and the Migration Crisis program. My goal for this trip is to learn more about the refugee situation in Germany and how refugees are adapting to their new lives. I also want to learn about Germany's higher education system and how the two tie together. Something interesting about myself is that I love to read and I love to listen to different types of music. I am excited to meet everyone and to spend 10 days in Germany!"- Madison Rose, Old Dominion University, BA Human Services
"My name is Madison Rose. I am an undergraduate student at Old Dominion University majoring in Human Services and minoring in Children’s Rights and Women’s Studies. I am also pursuing a certificate in Diversity Studies. I am still figuring out my career goals, but I hope this program will help guide me in the right direction. I learned about this program through an email inviting me to the information session and I decided to attend sort of on a whim. I was extremely excited to learn that this program is interdisciplinary and service-learning oriented as I want to gain more experience in the service field and learn from different perspectives. I believe this program will be an amazing opportunity to really begin to understand the migration crisis in Europe and its effects on the refugees and local population. I have only been out of the country one other time, which was last summer on a study abroad trip to Dublin, Ireland. (I hope to go back as soon as possible and see more of the country; it is absolutely wonderful.) A few of my favorite things: coffee shops, jamming out to good music, breweries, re-watching New Girl on Netflix for the millionth time, and experiencing new and exciting things! This is a great opportunity that I am thrilled to be a part of."- Narketta Sparkman, Old Dominion University, PhD in Human Services; Assistant Professor of Human Services
Dr. Narketta Sparkman-Key is Assistant Professor of Human Services at Old Dominion University. She has a Doctorate of Philosophy in Human Services with a focus on Social and Community Service. Her research focus is geared towards further defining the professional identity of human services practitioners and delineating practice with diverse populations. She holds the HS-BCP (Human Services Board Certified Practitioner) designation. She has a certificates in college teaching and currently completing a certificate in global health. Dr. Sparkman-Key has been recognized for her accomplishments by the National Organization of Human Services and by former students whom nominated her as "Most Inspiring Faculty". She was recently presented the "2016 Top 40 Under 40 Award Hampton Roads" from Inside Business News, the "2016 Mariam Klubok Award for leadership from the National Organization for Human Services, the "2016 President Broderick Diversity and Inclusion Champion" award and the "2016 Provost Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentor" award. She is traveling to Germany as a student to complete requirements for her global health certificate and learn more about refugee populations.- Jaime Zamesnik, Old Dominion University, BA Political Science
"Hi! My name is Jaime Zamesnik, and I am a non-traditional student pursuing an undergraduate degree some 40+ years after I first began my studies. My major is Political Science, and I expect this service learning opportunity will provide welcome incite into, and better understanding of, an issue that is relevant to our country as well as to Europe.I began my studies at Northern Michigan University, and returned to college after spending 30 years as the spouse of a naval aviator. My formal education may have been put on hold during that time, but as we traveled across the United States and the world with our four children in tow, real-world experiences provided their own wonderfully unique education. Thanks to those experiences I developed a deep love of travel and adventure – and food. My favorite free time activities include visiting my grandchildren, camping, hiking, kayaking, or simply exploring the back roads of Virginia. In the last few years I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to venture abroad where I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, and bungee jumped in New Zealand. I believe that travel enhances knowledge, and I expect that my time in Munich will be especially rewarding."
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