Master of Global Affairs Class of 2022 overcomes obstacles to begin spring semester together

When Notre Dame’s spring semester began on February 3, the 33 members of the Master of Global Affairs Class of 2022 were able to attend in-person classes together for the first time. 

Due to pandemic-related travel restrictions in the United States throughout the fall 2020 semester, many international students were not able to travel to Notre Dame until late January 2021. Arriving on a quiet campus blanketed with fresh snow, the first-year students received a warm welcome from Keough School faculty and staff and participated in a weeklong orientation.

“The master of global affairs students have already shown great resilience in beginning their studies under challenging circumstances,” said Becca Méndez, associate director of the Master of Global Affairs program. “Their demonstrated ability to be flexible indicates their aptitude for adaptability, a trait they’ll need as global affairs professionals. We are delighted to finally have the full cohort of MGA students together. Each of them brings important and diverse perspectives to the classroom.”

This year’s master of global affairs students come from 17 countries including Belize; Burkina Faso; Colombia; Ecuador; El Salvador; Haiti; Hungary; Kenya; Mexico; Pakistan; the Philippines, South Korea; Trinidad and Tobago; Uganda; Ukraine; the United States; and Zimbabwe. They bring diverse academic backgrounds and professional experiences in clinical psychology, journalism, international development, law, public health, juvenile justice, human rights, engineering, and other fields. 

Master of global affairs students receive generous fellowship support from several donor families, foundations, and the institutes and centers within the Keough School, including the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion, and the McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business.

The two-year Master of Global Affairs program prepares professionals for skilled, effective leadership and careers in government, nongovernmental and civil society organizations, and the private sector. 

View student bios


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