The Global Education Initiative is a program being developed by UC Davis Global Affairs that intends to incorporate the realities of a globally-connected world into UC Davis students’ education.

Six UC Davis Ph.D. students from the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Group traveled to Jena, Germany this September for a weeklong summer school on clinical biophotonics. These students attended lectures, visited cutting-edge research labs and presented their research to their German peers and leading experts in the field while immersing themselves in German culture.

Joanne Newens entered UC Davis as a nutrition major on the pre-med track. At first, courses in the biological sciences were steppingstones on the path to medical school. She enrolled in prerequisites, spent time studying in the library and attended lectures. But something was missing from her life in academia.

Hundreds of students partake in summer Study Abroad trips every year, traveling anywhere from Asia to Europe to Africa. Here are the unique stories of three of those students.

Leanne Bolaño ’17 is an aspiring political leader in the field of environmental studies. She’s attending law school on a full ride and is passionate about gender equity, global development and environmental justice. As an undergrad, she secured an international fellowship to oversee agricultural research and served as UC Davis president of IGNITE, a national organization that empowers women to pursue leadership careers in political office. She’s exceptionally bright and charismatic—a born leader—and a natural fit for the university.

Tene Goodwin, UC Davis College of Letters and Science student and current Gilman International Scholarship recipient, shares her global education experience working with the UC Davis Mandela Washington Fellows in July of 2018.

In July 2018, three UC Davis undergraduates packed their bags for Sydney to attend the Association of Pacific Rim Universities 2018 Undergraduate Leadership Program. Since 1997, the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) has linked knowledge, research power, and policy by connecting leading Asia-Pacific universities to real-world problem solvers.

Ricardo Martinez is a first-generation college student studying the complexities of US-Latin American relations. He wrote about his experience studying abroad in Brazil, explaining how to approach study abroad using examples from time in Brazil and his trips to Chile and Argentina.

Zachary “Zak” Frieders, director of UC Davis Study Abroad within Global Affairs, recently received the Lily von Klemperer Award for leadership in his field, sharing his skills, knowledge and expertise with colleagues, and maintaining the highest standards of professional ethics.

Increasingly, employers are looking for students who understand the challenges and embrace the opportunities that come with globalization. So, how can students prepare for professional and personal success in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world? Here are five of the many ways to gain a global perspective, open doors to new career options and make friends along the way.