Name: Abigail Garden
Major: Global Studies
Minors: Human Rights and National Security Studies
What were some of you favorite memories of being at UNL and majoring in Global Studies:
Studying abroad continues to be one of my favorite experiences from college. I'm incredibly privileged and grateful to be able to have lived abroad and seen a slice of the world, it's made me want to go outside of my comfort zone even more. I didn't know how much I would miss transatlantic flying until I couldn't! At UNL specifically I found that really engaging with other GLST students made the campus seem so much smaller and connected, it's a community of people who are curious and passionate about any topic under the sun which I think is really special and worth investing in. Go liberal arts education!
On and off campus involvement:
I was really involved (maybe a little too much) in college, I was apart of the University Program Council (UPC) and helped create programming for the student body and served in a number of roles in that organization. I was also involved in the Intelligence Community Scholars program and served as an officer there as well. I would say these two experiences have given me unparalleled professional development opportunities that are outside their core mission, from administrative work to development. I genuinely rely on some of my experiences in these orgs on a daily basis and think they are true gems at UNL.
What have you been up to since graduation?
I have been interning at U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt AFB since graduating in 2019. It has been an incredible experience and I've learned so much. I've always been drawn to government service and for anyone out there looking really seek out Pathways Internship opportunities. I'm working on an MS in Political Science and it's a unique experience to be a student of International Relations and turn around and be a practitioner of that knowledge.
What is your advice for current global studies majors who aren’t quite sure what to do after they graduate.: Honestly I'm not quite sure myself haha. It's a tough world out there right now and I know I've certainly been stressed out about the future as well. My mom would always encourage me to look for opportunities in my own backyard and I have to say, that has worked out pretty well. Look to your community to see where you can apply your skills and just shoot your shot. You truly have nothing to lose.