Isabel McGregor graduated in spring of 2022 with a BA in global studies, minoring in religion and history. While at UVM, she focused on migration and refugee studies, concentrating on Africa and the Middle East. She studied abroad in spring of 2020, living in Rabat, Morocco. She was involved in various aspects of UVM life, including working as a global studies communications intern. Through her well-maintained relationships with UVM faculty, particularly with Pablo Bose, the head of the Global and Regional Studies Program, Isabel has continued her involvement with UVM as an alum. In a recent interview with global studies communications intern Audrey Ashdown, Isabel reflected on her time at UVM (with advice for current students), experiences in post-grad life, and her next steps. 

AA:
Hi! To begin, what were some of your favorite classes at UVM?

IM:
That's hard. Number one would probably be the Global studies seminar you normally take as a junior or senior. I took it with Pablo, the focus was I think migration and transnationalism. I really loved that. Some of my other classes were mostly History or Religion. I took History of Drugs with Professor Sarah Osten as a Latin American studies History class. It was really interesting. Other History classes I loved were History of South Africa. And also a Nigerian History class, I think it was called Nigeria Giant of Africa. Both of those were with Professor Sean Stilwell. And last, but definitely not least, my Religion classes. Religion, Health, and Healing with Vicki Brennan. I was also a TA for that class. I took it freshman year and was a TA my senior year, so that was kind of cool. Pretty much anything with Professor Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst I took. Islam and Race, Islam and Modernity. She's amazing. So those are some of my favorites.

AA:
Was there a class you took where you felt you found that path you wanted to pursue?

IM:
Definitely. I came in knowing I wanted to be a Global studies major. But I also came in as an African studies and Middle Eastern studies minor. And that is one thing that changed. I really enjoyed Global studies. I had always known since maybe my sophomore year of high school that I wanted to do something similar to international studies. But as I was kind of trying to navigate the African studies and Middle Eastern minor, both minors I wasn’t able to complete because there were not enough classes offered. So I met with professors like Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst, and Vicki Brennan. I realized I was really interested in the religion and history of these places.

Once I got into the Religion department, I loved the classes, and I realized this is what I wanted out of my initial minors. And History also just came about because I was taking so many History classes and I think my fall senior year, my friend was like, “Wait, do you have a History minor?”

And I was like, “no.” And she's like, “Check to see.” And I needed like three credits to get one. So I just picked that up. Global studies, it's very interdisciplinary, it really does open up a wide array of positions or opportunities. I don't think it's one of those majors where you're kind of stuck with having to do one thing. I think that makes it so exciting and really accessible. You're not doing one thing and that's your only skillset. I focused on religion and history, but there's so much you could do with it.

AA:
Do you think UVM and/or the Global and Regional Studies program prepared you for post-grad life? Are you able to find some options for a career?

IM:
I would say absolutely. I feel like I came out of college booming and just wanted to get started. And actually, Pablo, he hired me right out of college. I worked for him for several months. So I think the faculty is just such a great resource specifically in Global studies. I always felt really supported. Obviously, it's a two-way street with students reaching out and making an effort with their professors. But side note, that's just one of my biggest tips for college 101. The faculty were very supportive. Whether it was like Pablo or people in Religion, they really make an effort as well. I worked for Pablo throughout the summer as a research assistant doing work with refugee communities and schools in Burlington. And then I traveled for like three and a half months.

That's also another reason why I love my major. When I was an intern for Global studies, I did open houses where I spoke to students or potential students and parents about Global studies. I would do a slide about what former Global studies majors were doing just from what Pablo had given me. It's just crazy to see the wide range of what people are doing. Pablo talks about students all the time and I remember one student he talked about was working on a sustainable tea farm in Sri Lanka and someone's in law school, someone's doing a Fulbright, they have these very specific and interesting projects that they've taken on. I think that just shows that people in this program are really passionate about what they do. We're all Global studies, but everyone has a different area they're more familiar with. It's really interesting to see what everyone takes and does with it.

AA:
I totally understand that. Looking back at your undergraduate period, is there anything you would've done differently? Are there any things you wish you knew then, or just general advice?

IM:
Yes, it's interesting. A lot of my college was impacted by Covid. So I feel like there are a lot of things that I wish I could have done, but I'm also at peace with knowing that it was extenuating circumstances. I think one thing, honestly, it's just to stress less. I think I really tried to make the most out of college with the circumstances. But I would say college is short, and I think there are two types of people in college. There are the people that are so overstressed and overworked. And I was always very hard on myself, and every year, every class I'd get so anxious, and then I'd prove myself again. Then the next time I'd get anxious and I'd do it again. You're leveling up in college. That's the point. There's gonna be things that challenge you, but you can do it. On the other hand, some people just really don't take advantage of all the resources in college. That's one thing I did. I think I kind of touched on this before, but just like networking is so important. You don't need to be going to career fairs and giving people your business card, it doesn't need to be as formal as people think it needs to be. Just connecting to people like Pablo or going to office hours. I would say my professors, they all knew me by name and that's also a testament to the professors at UVM. I don't think I'd be where I am without Pablo and Professor Morgenstein Fuerst, Professor Osten, Professor Stillwell, and Professor Buchanan. There are so many people that will just flat-out give you opportunities because of those connections. Making connections and networking is definitely my biggest advice in college.

AA:
Awesome. What are your future plans, general hopes, and/or aspirations? What are you hoping to do soon?

IM:
I'd say in the near future I see myself continuing my work in the refugee or migrant field. Whether that's in a more formal organization, a non-profit, or something international. I could really see myself in that setting. There are a lot of things I want to do. So I'm trying to think in parts. I do see myself maybe going to law school for immigration law so that I could also have a tangible set of skills that are more beneficial in the legal system, which I think would be very obviously helpful. As opposed to having a certain skill set working in NGOs or organizations which is a specific skill set in itself. I really see myself abroad, connecting with different people and different cultures. I really see myself in a position that allows me to be remote where I can have the freedom or ability to be abroad. That is the dream. Even doing more temporary work for a little bit, where I can be kind of centered around six months here, six months there. That would be obviously amazing. It's all gonna happen at the right time. This is a very random sign note, but I'm also very interested in self-development and self-work. And I could also see myself doing a podcast while I'm abroad or doing a YouTube or something like that. That's something that I think is not necessarily separate from my other work. I think it impacts it a lot. I know many people have that postgrad dread of like, “What do I do? I miss college, I don't wanna work.” And I'm like, no, there's so much I want to do. There's just a lot and I think I can do it all eventually, but I'm 23. I have some time.

A typical day at the office for Tyler Wilkinson-Ray ’13 might involve standing in knee-deep snow on a 40-degree slope while keeping a video camera steady in subzero temperatures. It's part of the quest to capture a few seconds of action—perhaps a skier suddenly flying over the lip of a jump—at just the right angle. Not typical, perhaps, for a global studies major with a concentration in anthropology. But Wilkinson-Ray says his experience at UVM was integral to his work making short documentaries and commercial films. 

Samuél Lopez-Barrantes ’10 moved to Paris shortly after graduation and offered this report from the banks of the Seine: “I am sitting in a small apartment overlooking the rooftops, writing away in the Parisian twilight. I have been living in France for the past two years, teaching English and writing a novel. I am convinced that if it weren’t for UVM’s European studies program, I never would have been able to live out this fairy tale. When I realized that I could have an academic cocktail of everything that made me tick, I immediately knew that European studies was a perfect fit.” Lopez-Barrantes has since published his first novel Slim and The Beast.

Katie Hickey ’17 found a job directly related to her career goals at the Vermont Council on World Affairs (VCWA) where she works as a program associate. She’s directly applying the skills she developed as a global studies major and an English minor. “The ability to craft a proposal and organize a project to meet deadlines call on the writing and critical thinking skills that I learned and experienced at UVM.” VCWA aims to “bring the world to Vermont and Vermont to the world” through education and engagement. She feels fortunate to have a job that engages in international diplomacy through international leadership exchanges and cultural education programs.