News
Congratulations to the Graduating International Relations Majors!
April 27, 2020
Congratulations to the Class of 2020! These International Relations graduates earned their Bachelor of Arts degrees this month, but missed the opportunity to walk across the Van Andel Arena stage during commencement ceremonies last weekend. Together with their families, fellow students, and GVSU faculty and staff, we celebrate this milestone achievement. The actual ceremony will still take place in October, but at this moment we want to recognize their accomplishments.
We are proud of all that you have accomplished, and we wish you
all the best as you leave GVSU and enter the next stage of your lives.
You will be missed! Congratulations!
We offered graduating seniors
the opportunity to have their name, major, and minor acknowledged
here, along with a short statement about their future plans or a
highlight of their time at GVSU. Listed here are those who responded
and gave their permission to have this information posted. This is not
all of our graduating seniors, but it gives a taste of the amazing and
accomplished students in our program. It also gives you just a small
taste of the exciting things in their futures.
Angel Bista
Grand Haven, Michigan
Major in International Relations
Studied abroad in Japan in spring 2018 and summer 2019
I am
heading to South Korea to teach English in fall 2020.
Adam Blugerman
Farmington Hills. Michigan
Major in Internationals
Relations
Studied abroad in Turkey, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan
I
have been accepted to the Peace Corps Ukraine, but my planned August
departure is now pending due to coronavirus. I am grateful for the
incredible IR/PLS faculty and international student community who were
instrumental in crafting my amazing Laker experience.
Bridget Bruneau
Midland, Michigan
Double major in International Relations and
Public and Nonprofit Administration
Studied abroad in Cape Town,
South Africa
Jesse Bultsma
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Major in International Relations with
a minor in Middle East Studies
My future plans are to work as a
paralegal in immigration or refugee law. I am also planning on
attending law school at Wayne State University in fall of 2021.
Kathryn Carey
East Lansing, Michigan
Major in International Relations
Studied abroad in Namibia
I will be starting my Masters in Social
Work at GVSU this fall. I plan to get my clinical license in hopes to
apply for Doctors without Borders and work with mental health of refugees.
Haley Cascone
Clarkston, Michigan
Major in International Relations, minor
in Business
Amber Jules Cuello
Bronx, New York
Major in International Relations
Studied
abroad in Alicante, Spain with international travel to 13+
countries
My favorite thing to do is go where I’ve never been. I
hope to create a career that supports this lifestyle.
Abdiwahab Daud
Now I live in Grand Rapids, but originally I was a refugee from
Somalia who was based in a Kenyan refugee camp for five years.
Major in International Relations
My future plans include working
with a non-profit organization to support refugee families arriving in
the country.
Benjamin David
Fowlerville, Michigan
Double major in International Relations
and Economics, minor in German
I’ll be moving to Seattle and
attending the University Of Washington School of Law in the fall. I
currently plan to go into international corporate law, emphasizing in
international trade regulation.
Myesha A. Dills
Chicago, Illinois
Major in International Relations
Studied abroad in Japan
I have met a lot of amazing people, both
friends and professors thanks to Grand Valley. For the past four
years, I’ve felt as though GVSU has been my home away from home and
I’ll always be grateful for that.
Christopher Dunkel
Fenton, Michigan
Major in International Relations, and minors
in Spanish and Latin American Studies
Taylor Hegbloom
Clarkston, Michigan
Major in International Relations, minor
in Sociology
Studied abroad in Rome, Italy
Nicole Hoisington
Fremont, Michigan
Double major in International Relations and
Public and Nonprofit Administration, minor in French
Studied
abroad in France
Cameron Jones
Trenton, Michigan
Double major in International Relations and
Political Science, minor in History
Thank you to every professor
and administrator who takes the time to mentor students like me. You
make Grand Valley such a special place. Your guidance, thoughtfulness,
and caring have given me the tools to succeed after graduation.
Rachel Kalusniak
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Double major in International
Relations and Economics, minor in Applied Statistics
Studied
abroad at Maastricht University in the Netherlands
I am working as
an analyst for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. I would like
to thank all the professors and advisors that took time to invest in
my education inside and outside the classroom. I especially would like
to thank Professor Walker for conducting the Singer Seminar
and supervising my senior project.
Celeste Lareau
Lapeer, Michigan
Major in International Relations.
Study
abroad to South Africa in summer 2020 was canceled.
I'm hoping to
find a job within the refugee services field. I've really enjoyed my
time in the International Relations program at GVSU, the
interdisciplinary courses made me feel prepared to go out into the
world! I'll truly miss it.
Alia Legatz
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Major in International Relations,
minors in French and Psychology
Studied abroad in Morocco
Since the world recently went crazy, and pretty much everything is on
lockdown for the foreseeable future, I have been applying to remote
internships and volunteer programs. I am planning to take the Foreign
Service exam soon.
Sebastien Lescoulie
Chamonix, France
Double major in International Relations and
Economics, minors in Mathematics and Statistics
I plan on
beginning graduate studies in Economics in France later this year.
Jack Marcinek
Wayland, Michigan
Major in International Relations and a
minor in Middle East Studies
Studied abroad in Rabat, Morocco, in
2019
Congratulations to my fellow graduates and a big thanks to
all of the GVSU faculty who made it possible!
Briana Newcomb
Holly, Michigan
Major in International Relations, minor in
Criminal Justice
Study Abroad in Seville, Spain
Alyssa Spafford
St. Joseph, Michigan
Major in International Relations, minors
in Chinese Language and Hospitality & Tourism Management
Studied Abroad in Shanghai, China
I will be participating in the
Disney College Program in Orlando, Florida, to gain a deeper
understanding about international tourism. I'm so thankful for all the
diverse classes GVSU offered me. Congratulations Class of 2020!
Brandon Spoolstra
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Major in International Relations,
minor in Human Rights
Studied abroad in Seville, Spain
I would
love to work for a local NGO or non-profit organization!
Robert Turnau
Canton, Michigan
Major in International Relations, minor in
Human Rights
I’m planning to further my education by obtaining my
Masters’ in Public Administrations, and eventually, obtaining my J.D.
with a focus on Constitutional Law.
Elizabeth Dana Watson
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Major in International Relations
I leave in September to teach English in Japan on the JET program.
Michael White
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Double major in International Relations
and French
Studied abroad in France and England
My ultimate
goal is to someday to be working within the field of International
Education. During my time at GVSU I made a conscious effort to reach
out to international students. Cultivating these friendships has been
incredibly rewarding. I couldn't imagine my college experience without
them. I’ll also always be grateful for the privilege of studying
abroad.