This summer, a group of the Commonwealth’s most academically talented rising juniors and seniors spent four weeks on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus, participating in the Governor’s School for Global and International Studies (GSGIS) June/July course. At the end of those four weeks, participants had learned new languages, conducted research, engaged in debate, and explored Pittsburgh together, fostering relationships and connections that will benefit them in their continuing academic career and beyond.
Veronica Dristas, Director of the GSGIS and Interim Director of the Global Studies Center, reflected on the experience:
“Every year, I watch this program take a group of talented but disconnected students and turn them into a genuine community of young scholars, debating, researching, and building things together that push their thinking further than they thought possible in just four weeks,” said Dristas. “That transformation is why this program matters.”
Hosted by the University of Pittsburgh’s Global Studies Center in collaboration with the University Center for International Studies, GSGIS is one of Pennsylvania’s selective Governor’s Schools, immersing students in cross-cultural awareness and the study of pressing global issues through coursework designed not merely to introduce them to these ideas, but to hold them to the same academic standard expected of Pitt undergraduates. Students in this year’s cohort got a taste of college life and community by living in the University of Pittsburgh residence hall, dining on campus, and studying together.
Participants’ coursework earned them six Pitt College in High School credits. In their Introduction to Global Studies class, students conducted independent research and wrote their own research papers on global issues or challenges. The class culminated in a “Synergy” capstone project, where students used methods learned in the University’s Open Lab--such as 3D printing, laser cutting, and virtual reality modeling—to give physical, multimodal form to their research. In the Argumentation course, students engaged in formal evidence-based debate through a series of scholarly writing assignments and active four-corner debates. In addition, classes were led on two less commonly taught languages, Arabic and Chinese, combining daily language instruction with cultural immersion through engagement with calligraphy, music, and traditions.
Cultural immersion was not just a part of the curriculum. During their four weeks at Pitt, students also took part in immersive language dinners and local volunteer opportunities. Excursions to the Andy Warhol Museum, the 59th Carnegie International, and the Carrie Blast Furnace gave students a framework in which to situate Pittsburgh’s place in the field of global studies.
The program ended on July 25 with a closing ceremony held in the William Pitt Union’s Lower Lounge to award participants with certificates recognizing their academic achievement. Presided over by Dristas, the event saw both instructors and students speak, thanking one another for their hard work and affirming the community that had formed over the previous four weeks.
If you are interested in learning more about the Governor’s School program, please click here.
Written by Liam Weixel.
