senior Pre-Law student with an International Studies and French double major
from North Royalton, OH
2-year member of the Global Connections living and learning community
studied French, taught English, and stayed with host family in Lyon, France (Fall 2016)
"Miami's liberal arts curriculum has allowed me to study and discover a lot of things that I am interested in. I'm aware of criticisms that liberal arts courses are not directly applicable to a career, but this is simply not true. I've gained the skills to consider many different viewpoints, read challenging things, and think about topics in a challenging way. All of this is instrumental in helping people prepare for a career."
Why Miami?
Harrison Graydon poses in front of the United Nations building in Geneva, Switzerland.
"Miami has a great reputation, and the thing that really struck me when I visited was its strong history and traditions. To me, Miami felt like the classical college experience, with a very strong sense of school pride and community.
"I knew I wanted to major in international studies, but at first I wasn't sure what language I was going to take. I ended up going forward with French, and I even ended up deciding to add French as my second major.
"My first year at Miami was when I found out a lot about myself. Of course, most people do because college is often the first time when they live away from home. Miami felt very big, and learning how to be on my own and meeting and living with people from all over was wonderful. I lived in Clawson Hall, which was the international dorm for lots of students from other countries. This was something that really defined my Miami experience; I was able to make a lot of friends as a result of living there, which really helped make my first year so enjoyable.
"Living in Clawson taught me a lot about living in a multicultural environment. I enjoyed being around people who cook different foods and have different habits or traditions. My exposure to different cultures living in Clawson encouraged me to continue there my second year and even visit a friend at his home in China."
Best Miami Experiences
"I've had a very well-rounded experience at Miami so far, and being exposed to a variety of things is important for any college student. Among the best of my experiences was being part of the Global Connections living learning community (LLC) in Clawson Hall. I really enjoyed it because of all the great friends I made, from both the U.S. and many other countries.
Arch de Triomphe in Paris, France
"I had a study abroad experience in Lyon, France with the University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) during Fall 2016, which was my junior year. Although this was not a direct Miami program, I was given a lot of guidance from Melanie Ziegler, a senior lecturer in the Department of Global and Intercultural Studies. I have known Dr. Ziegler throughout my time at Miami, and she is fantastic. She helped me find an immersive language-intensive program that was very open, flexible, and fit within my plans. I learned most of the French I know by living with a host family and formally studying at a French university.
"Dr. Ziegler and other faculty in her department teach a lot of great multidisciplinary international studies courses that I have really enjoyed, and they encourage students to develop different interests. It's great to be part of a group of people, both faculty and students, who are devoted to a big umbrella of many different topics that includes political science, economics, history, and much more.
"Mark McKinney is an excellent French professor in the Department of French & Italian. I took a class with him last fall, and I like how structured the French program at Miami is overall. Faculty truly take a lot of time to let students blossom in the languages they're interested in.
"Both international studies and French have helped me learn a lot and become very well-rounded. Because I am looking to go into law school, my two majors have both given me key skills that I can transfer as I continue my academic career.
"Miami's Sue J. Henry Center for Pre-law Education, of course, is another excellent resource that has helped me to prepare for law school. Maria Vitullo, director of the Center, as well as other faculty in the program have been very instrumental: telling me the best time to take the LSAT, recommending me the right materials for my applications, and guiding me through the courses I need. It's a very overwhelming process, but having the resources and people to talk to is an amazing benefit that is not available at many other schools. I know I would be lost without the program!"
Miami and the Liberal Arts
"Miami's liberal arts curriculum has allowed me to study and discover a lot of things that I am interested in. I'm aware of criticisms that liberal arts courses are not directly applicable to a career, but this is simply not true. I've gained the skills to consider many different viewpoints, read challenging things, and think about topics in a challenging way. All of this is instrumental in helping people prepare for a career. Instead of studying things that are only important for a particular job, it's important to develop a variety of skills and to be intellectually challenged.
"I've always been fascinated with other cultures, and international studies offers an inclusive interdisciplinary approach that leaves nothing unturned. I chose a concentration on western Europe which includes some in-depth history classes. One of my favorite courses in my major was professor Carl Dahlman's Political Geography (GEO 378), cross-listed under International Studies. It was not only very informative but also encouraged us to discuss current events and relate them to the class.
"International studies also ties directly to my interest in French culture, civilization, and history — especially literature, art, music, and cinema. After spending a lot of time in France and feeling comfortable with the language, I decided to be a French major. It encourages me to study not only grammar and vocabulary but also the culture itself, and how that culture has essentially created the language.
"Beyond my majors, another course I really enjoyed was my freshman Environmental Biology (BIO 121) class with senior lecturer David E. Russell. He had a lot of fascinating personal stories from his career and life that related to the course material, making the class even more interesting. He would throw questions about current events at us, applying them to the environment and to just about everything!"
An Insider's View of an Ancient French City
Harrison talks about his memorable study abroad experience in France's second largest city, Lyon.
"There are a lot of ways to go when you are studying something in the liberal arts, so don't be discouraged just because of your career choice. International studies allows you the flexibility to choose what you want to study and which concentration interests you the most. Of course, you can pair it with mastering a language and get even more perspective. For me, it prepares me very well for a career in law because of the reading, critical thinking, and discussion that comes about in the liberal arts.
"To people studying abroad, take advantage of every opportunity. Obviously, going to a foreign country and living on your own in an unfamiliar place where you are not fluent with the language is very overwhelming at first, but if you take a few chances you will be very rewarded. I was very nervous to go to my host family's reunion and having to teach English at a school, but these experiences ended up being among the highlights of the entire trip.
"Overall, the things that meant the most to me during my experience in France were not just going to school and learning French but also doing things outside the classroom and travelling. Living in Lyon, I met a lot of people in the community and felt I had become a part of it. That was very meaningful for me and is something I will never forget!"
Miami University Oxford, Ohio est. 1809
College of Arts and Science
