Jacqueline's Global Scholars Blog

UNA Pasadena observed International Human Rights Day on 12/9, the day that the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. The video was shared at the beginning of our meeting. Presenters shared human rights that resonated personally with them. Press "read more" to watch the video.   

I n A pril, as I concluded my internship at the United Nations Association, Pasadena Chapter, I transitioned into a new role: Board Member. While I am humbled and honored to serve in this new position for the UNA-Pasadena, I also feel a great sense of responsibility to do more.  With the obvious “solidarity challenges” that have arisen due to Covid-19, I am increasingly grateful for the gift of technology because it allows me to share my voice beyond the confines of my home.  As such, I would like to take this opportunity - as the final blog I am writing as a Poly student - to share information about the UNA-USA, Pasadena. Its mission is to generate support for the United Nations and its commitment to global peace, justice, and freedom. Moreover, during these challenging times, the UNA-USA encourages its members to support the World Health Organization (WHO). Additional information can be found on the UNA-USA Pasadena’s Facebook page.  Please be on the lookout f

My Capstone project, i Thuba Innovation Hub & Connecting Communities marked the conclusion of my Global Scholar experience at Polytechnic High School. The collaborative presentation, led by WSL co-chair Megan Kellner and myself, showcased the efforts of Siviwe Mbinda, the founder of iThuba, and his two phenomenal students. Our audience consisted of approximately seventy Poly learners interested in learning more about the iThuba Stem school in South Africa.  Utilizing Zoom as our platform, Megan and I began the presentation with an overview of iThuba and the grant-writing process.  After providing information and answering questions regarding the topic at hand, our conversation naturally shifted to the present-day situation in South Africa in light of Covid-19. The visible difficulty Siviwe and his students had connecting to WiFi during our meeting reflected the new challenges presented to Ithuba’s Community. Siviwe explained that the grant Megan and I provided Ithuba wit

Michael’s Capstone Project entailed a detailed description of the book grant he received for underrepresented children. He directed his presentation to the future generation of Global Scholars, specifically incorporating tips on how to present and write a grant proposal.  Michael noted that appealing to the panelists is an important factor to take into consideration when preparing a grant proposal. In the case of his book grant, Michael strategically appealed to his audience by demonstrating the strong connection between his organization, Reading Partners, and himself. Reading Partners is an organization that Michael has volunteered for since freshman year. Michael not only provided statistics proving that his foundation is successful in raising children’s reading levels, but he also drew to the emotions of the panel by explaining to them that many of the students rarely find themselves represented in children’s books.  As a Global Scholar who also wrote a grant, I found Mi

  In sharing the highlights of her new book, Building the Post 1949 State in China and Taiwan , Julia Strauss presented a fascinating overview of key differences between the campaign and propaganda strategies utilized by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in relation to Taiwan, or the the Republic of China (ROC). Due to China’s vast size, Stauss focused her study of the PRC on Sunan (Southern Jiangsu), a wealthy and developed area near Shanghai approximately equal in size and infrastructure to the ROC.  One of the most important “preconditions for regime consolidation” was domestic security. Both the PRC/Sunan and the ROC/Taiwan utilized “campaigns of terror” against domestic enemies in order to consolidate the state. However, the campaigns differed in their presentation, as can be seen in the slides. In the PRC (pictures on the left of slides) trials were public and dramatic. Similarly propaganda was colorful and appealed to the emotion. The emphasis was on nationalism and loy

  This Sunday, the Jiang-Zhou Family graciously opened their home to Poly Global Scholars and our AFS students from Bulgaria, Germany, and Chile. In addition to enjoying international foods and socializing, Aaron Tyler and I co-moderated a panel discussion. Prior to the gathering, we collaborated on questions aimed at learning more about our AFS students’ home countries and impressions of American culture. While a wide range of topics were covered, a few of the more thought-provoking or surprising question/answers were related to sensitive issues such as stereotypes , gay marriage, and alcohol.  When asked if they had experienced any stereotypical reactions while in the US, Alina from Germany responded that she occasionally felt that “some people can’t get past WWI and WWII which is unfortunate because there is much more to Germany than that.” Carlo noted that most Americans' immediate reaction was that he was from Mexico; Chile usually came as a surprise. When asked if the