Three Sacred Heart Greenwich students will pursue degrees in foreign affairs after graduation.  Seniors Karina Adams, Mary Clare Marshall, and Peyton Steinthal will all attend the Georgetown School of Foreign Service beginning in August, where they will develop the skills necessary to serve a global community.  Although they are not certain where foreign affairs will lead them in the future, they all hope to create meaningful change in the world. 

An International Affairs major includes the study of economic, political, cultural, historical, and legal aspects of various countries that affect their interactions with other nations, according to usnews.com.  Foreign affairs students approach issues with a global perspective, create solutions unique to the culture of the nation, and graduate with skills suitable for numerous fields, including analytics, business, diplomacy, economics, law, political leadership, and public policy. 

Mary Clare developed an interest in foreign affairs after her experience as a student in her eighth grade history class.  Mrs. Samantha McCoy, Middle School History Teacher and Chair of Middle School History Department, required students in her class to research a current event and present it to their peers.  These presentations inspired Mary Clare to explore international issues in greater depth.  Although Mary Clare is certain of her interest in foreign affairs, she is currently considering several different majors within the Georgetown School of Foreign Service. 

The Georgetown School of Foreign Service offers eight undergraduate majors in international affairs, including Culture and Politics, Global Business, International History, International Politics, Regional and Comparative Studies, and Science, Technology and International Affairs.  There are also two economics majors, which include International Economics and International Political Economy, according to sfs.georgetown.edu.

Peyton plans to major in International Politics to explore pressing issues while developing a new appreciation for different cultures.  The International Politics major focuses on the development of skills in international law, security, and policy, according to sfs.georgetown.edu.   Her interest in foreign affairs stems from her experiences learning Arabic and Spanish at Sacred Heart.  Peyton also engages in extracurricular activities that allow her to better explore international issues.  This year, she served as co-head of Sacred Heart’s Upper School Arabic Club where she participated in service work and shared her knowledge of current events with the Upper School community.

In addition, Peyton is a part of the 2021 Global Scholars cohort, a program that emphasizes global citizenship, global scholarship, and foreign language proficiency, according to shgreenwich.org.  As part of the cohort, Peyton prepared over the course of the year to present her knowledge on international conflicts with the Upper School community.

“My interest in foreign affairs began in freshman year when I started taking Arabic classes alongside Spanish,” Peyton said.  “It was very intriguing to see how the two languages connected, how the cultures differed, or what was inspired by the other.  My years in Arabic, as well as Spanish, skyrocketed my passion for dissecting global issues.  As a senior, I joined the Global Scholarship program where I spent time reflecting on international conflicts that have strong influences on the everyday lives of the citizens.”

Peyton views Georgetown as the ideal place to explore foreign affairs, as it provides unique opportunities to interact with leaders in the field before graduation. 

“There are so many people to observe who may act as role models, hundreds of internships with the government, and even highly esteemed professors and fellow classmates at the University itself,”  Peyton said.  “I am super excited to begin my journey at Georgetown and begin combating against overlooked global issues to, overall, form an equal and equitable world.”

Similarly, Karina regards foreign affairs as a way to make a positive impact. At the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, she hopes to major in either International Politics or International Business.  Karina’s interest in international relations and passion for immigration reform led her to volunteer with Building One Community, an organization that aids immigrant communities in Stamford, Connecticut.  Karina considers active engagement with and acknowledgement of domestic and international issues to be essential in making a difference.

“I think it’s important for students to be aware of international affairs because as much as we don’t realize it, it affects our daily lives tremendously,”  Karina said.  “We see things like high gas prices or raised taxes and don’t realizes the years of political and economic issues, negotiations and deals that created the situations we live in.  As we grow up and become citizens of the world, it is vital that we are cognizant of what is going on outside of where we are if we want to make an impact.  Especially when thinking about things such as politics and voting, the United States is not the only place in the world, and the global climate affects everything we do, just as we affect it.”

Featured Image by Gabrielle Wheeler ’23