Name: Joshua Ward
Majors: Global Studies/French
Minor: Environmental Studies
Hometown: Omaha, NE
Year at UNL: Senior
Favorite book:
My favorite book as of right now is Les Miserables, I’m currently reading it. I love it because it was written in 1862, and yet the major social themes of poverty and greed are exactly the same 150 years later. “So long as ignorance and poverty exist on earth, this book cannot fail to be of use.” This book exposes the flaws in our society by taking the reader through the lives of the unfortunate (Les Miserables). The book gives me chills, because it is written in such a powerful, veritable voice. It’s really cool to learn French history through the active voice instead of the passive voice of textbooks.
Favorite Dish:
œufs en meurette, French dish, poached eggs sautéed in red wine over vegetables.
I had this dish for the first time in Lyon, France and it was just amazing. The food mixed with the ambiance of the old city, plus some mulled wine was just perfect.
Why Global Studies?
I switched from a Business Administration major to Global Studies, because I didn’t want to get a job just for the security. I wanted to do work that was authentic to me. I want to work in social activism, whether that be in an NGO or an IGO, or for the federal government, I want to help facilitate changes in areas of environmental protection, international development, and human rights. Global Studies has been a perfect fit for me. Since it is an interdisciplinary degree, I have been able to mix and match my courses to fit my needs, and I’ve learned a lot about the world and the issues facing us in the process. My favorite classes have been; POLS 361, UN and World Politics; ENSC 101, Energy in Perspective; and AECN 357, Environmental Law.
Study Abroad Experience:
I studied abroad in Chambéry, France this past spring semester. They live a much slower lifestyle; they take two hours for lunch. They walk or bike rather than drive within the city. All the stores closed down around 7pm. It felt so natural and authentic to me. It was great to interrupt the busy American lifestyle that I’ve always been accustomed too, to just relax, and be present. I got to see England, Ireland, Switzerland, and France. The traveling was the best part of the experience. One of my favorite places that I visited was Galway, Ireland, I managed to trace my roots back to Galway, actually, and had some really cool conversations at the local bar with people who knew my family name and heritage. Europe is such an amazing place, every street is filled with hundreds of years of history. They live a very modest, very sustainable lifestyle; they consume half of the amount of products as American’s do. I took three separate trips to Paris, which is now one of my favorite cities, on my last trip I got to visit the house of Victor Hugo and look out over the Senne from his desk where he wrote Les Miserables, that was really cool for me, because I was reading the book at the time. That connection between past and present, writer and audience, was really beyond words.
Post-Graduation Plans:
After graduating I hope to go to graduate school for sustainable development and work for an organization like the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), or the Order of Malta.