91原创

The 91原创 Center for Global and Area Studies (CGAS) programs continued to grow over the past year, reflecting increasing student interest in globally focused education and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the world.

We launched the CGAS Student Ambassador Program, creating new opportunities for student leadership while expanding our recruitment efforts. Our ambassadors have become some of our strongest advocates, sharing their experiences with prospective students and families and helping others discover the many pathways available through CGAS. We also established the first CGAS Student Club, creating a vibrant community where students can connect across programs, explore global issues and build lasting friendships.

Student success

Student success remains at the heart of everything we do. Our students continue to distinguish themselves through academic excellence, leadership and service. They have earned competitive awards, participated in undergraduate research through the Summer Scholars Program, secured internships with elected officials and organizations dedicated to public service, and contributed to important conversations on human rights, diplomacy, sustainability and global citizenship. Their accomplishments demonstrate the transformative power of global education and the many ways it prepares students to become leaders in an increasingly interconnected world.

One of the highlights of the year was recognizing our students at the annual CGAS Awards Ceremony. The center's highest student honors were awarded to Rachel Herway, recipient of the Global and Area Studies Major Academic Achievement Award, and to Joshua Koppel and Nithila Chrisostam, recipients of the Global and Area Studies Minor Academic Excellence Awards. These students exemplify the intellectual curiosity, academic excellence, leadership and global engagement that define CGAS. Through their scholarship, service and commitment to understanding the world beyond borders, they represent the very best of our Center and the promise of the next generation of globally minded leaders.

Faculty and community engagement

Our faculty have also enjoyed an exceptional year of scholarship, teaching and public engagement. I am especially proud to celebrate Professor Rudolph Matthee's prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship, a recognition of the outstanding research being conducted within our community. Across CGAS, faculty continue to publish influential scholarship, secure grants, mentor students and develop innovative collaborations that connect local questions to global conversations. Their work enriches our classrooms, strengthens our programs and demonstrates the continued relevance of the humanities and social sciences in addressing contemporary challenges.

CGAS has also become an increasingly vibrant intellectual and cultural center on campus. Throughout the year, we hosted lectures, conferences, panel discussions, book launches, film screenings, exhibitions, cultural celebrations and research symposia that brought together students, faculty, alumni and members of the broader community. These events fostered dialogue across disciplines and perspectives while creating opportunities to engage with some of the most pressing issues of our time. Whether examining international conflicts, democratic institutions, migration, global health, free speech, cultural heritage or artistic expression, our programming reaffirmed the importance of informed discussion and global understanding.

A foundation for the future

Behind the scenes, we have continued to build the foundation for CGAS's future. We strengthened partnerships across the University, expanded career-readiness initiatives and internship support, increased alumni engagement, enhanced our communications and visibility, secured new grants and donor support, and developed new opportunities for student leadership and professional growth. We have also made significant progress toward establishing the CGAS Advisory Board, which will launch in the coming year and help guide the center as we continue to expand our impact and strengthen our connections with alumni, community partners and supporters.

Looking ahead, I am excited by the possibilities before us. The world needs graduates who can navigate complexity, communicate across cultures, think critically about global challenges and work collaboratively to build solutions. Our students are already doing exactly that. They represent a generation committed not to fear or isolation, but to dialogue, cooperation and a deeper understanding of our shared humanity.

Thank you for being part of the CGAS community and for supporting our mission. Together, we are building a future that is more informed, more connected and more globally engaged.