Western’s Global & Intercultural Engagement Honour is a special distinction that appears on a student’s official transcript when they graduate after completing the requirements. First launched for undergraduate students nearly 10 years ago, the program will expand to include a stream for graduate students this month.
The program’s contents and structure have been pivotal in the academic journeys of Western students and graduates.
Long before she began her undergraduate degree at Western, MacKenzie Brash, BA’17, MA’18, dreamed of going abroad and discovering new places and cultures.
After earning both an undergraduate and graduate degree, completing the Global & Intercultural Engagement Honour, she said, provided those opportunities she was looking for and more.
“I always knew I wanted an international learning experience in university. I chose Western specifically because it had a study abroad program in the country I wanted to go to,” she said.
Brash describes living and studying in Malta as one of the best experiences of her life. She was able to learn the history of a country where her extended family was from.
“I’m still a historian today,” said Brash, who now works for a private historical consulting firm, based out of Ottawa, focused mainly on Indigenous history.
“When I learned about Western’s Global Honour, I realized there were so many ways to incorporate international learning into my university experience, such as volunteering and taking courses related to global studies and history,” she said.
“Getting to see that the world is much, much bigger than Canada really makes you a better citizen of the world.”
The structure of the program allows students to incorporate coursework and extracurricular activities and earn points towards completing certain categories, such as global experience at home or abroad and global or intercultural engagement and training.
Lily Cho is Western’s vice-provost and associate vice-president (international) (Kris Dundas photo)
“There is no question we need our graduates to be global citizens with exceptional global and intercultural skills. We have heard from our Global Honour program graduates that they feel better equipped to take on leadership roles all around the world because of the insights and learning experiences they gained completing the Global Honour,” said Lily Cho, vice-provost and associate vice-president (international) at Western.
“We are thrilled to now be able to offer that opportunity to our graduate students as well.”
Wajd Abuzaid, fourth-year medical sciences student, said completing the honour was an invaluable experience and one of the “best extracurricular choices” she made at Western.
“It encouraged me to further my knowledge and cultural understanding by taking a set of courses and workshops focusing on global topics and diversity. As a volunteer with Western International, I was provided with a safe environment to get involved on campus. I have made some of my best friends from all around the world through this program,” she said.
Anisah Hooda, BHSc’20, MMASc’21, another past program participant, said her interest in global courses and international opportunities made completing the Global Honour an obvious choice for her.
“I realized that I was already doing most of these things without knowing it could contribute towards something. It was really nice to know my efforts could be recognized in a different way that helps stand out from others, especially when applying for graduate school or for a job,” she said.
Anisah Hooda (second row, second from left) spent three months in Mwanza, Tanzania women’s empowerment organization Mikono Yetu Center for Creativity and Innovation. (Anisah Hooda photo)
Hooda, who currently works for a non-profit focused on funding innovations in low– and middle-income countries, said she would encourage undergraduate and graduate students to consider pursuing the Global Honour to learn more about other cultures and grow their skills.
“Our world is so interconnected. The skills you can develop from intercultural collaboration or even just learning about other cultures are so enriching. That allows you to be a well-rounded individual who can assess things more critically, or take a global approach to something, whether it’s business or health care,” said Hooda.
“When I work now with individuals in different contexts or countries, I find the theories I learned about cross-cultural communication and cultural humility are very relevant in practice, and in my life, and that motivates me to continue in my pursuit of making impactful contributions to our world.”
