GLOBAL
SCHOLARS
PORTFOLIO
My undergraduate degree has been inextricably shaped by my global experiences within the Global Scholars Program.
My coursework includes a study abroad opportunity, known as Literary Landscapes: Quest III, which brought me to the beautiful country of Ireland. Vivid memories of helping rural Irish farmers rebuild stonewalls, of uncovering and decoding old Irish tombstones for genealogy research and of writing original poetry inspired by my experiences are what stick with me the most from this trip.
After my experience in Ireland, I decided I needed to explore more of Europe and dove head first into month-long backpack trip around the continent that allowed me to apply and make connections with my coursework.
I also had the distinct pleasure of participating for two years in the world renown UW Oshkosh Model UN team. The invaluable experience I got in learning how to negotiate, work in a team and be a leader has translated to success in my field.
Within this portfolio, you will explore the collection of some of those experiences to better understand both how they impacted me and how I will use them in the future.
Willkommen, Bienvenue &
Welcome to my Global Scholars Portfolio
My Global Collection
Be sure to click on photos to learn more
Mother I'm Sorry
A poem by Max Honzik
Your creation would ultimately be your downfall,
For it turns out humankind isn’t so kind after all.
Your abundance,
A product of your generosity,
Has been exploited and toyed with,
Your scars plain to see.
You see it’s not just the seas that cry out in pain,
It’s also the trees cut at the knees,
A thump no one seems to hear.
A hungry baby cries out for more,
Your reserves empty and breasts sore,
A tear is shed atop the Cliffs of Moher.
Plentiful is your beauty,
From mist-covered Blackhead,
To the nooks and crannies of St. Stephens Greene.
There are pictures to prove it in the magazines,
Just go to page three,
Sprawled out to for all to see,
Her most intimate parts,
Wow, is she green.
But don’t look too close or watch for too long,
Or else you’ll notice some harrowing.
A woman, a beauty, a mother, a giver, slowly dying,
Thick sludge running through her veins,
Seeping into her skin,
Dying it the color of death.
But that is up for debate, right?
In a time where “alternative facts”,
and fake news bury the truth,
Beneath landfills of headlines and distractions;
Leaders reject evidence,
Evident in their actions.
The stars gaze upon a dying gem,
The Emerald Isle at her helm,
They will tell tales of progress and defeat,
A tragic story,
As history repeats.
So, Mother I am sorry, so very, very sorry,
But what can I do?
Pondering contributions and solutions,
There’s only so much one can do.
I wish I could show everyone Ireland,
Maybe then they would see,
Just how perfect you can really be.
Reflection
I wrote this poem as an assignment for my Literary Landscapes course in Ireland. Inspired by my renewed connection to the earth and current political events, I wrote this poem. It was a way for me to express my frustrations with the lack of action to save our planet and stop climate change, an issue I am passionate about.
I think it helps to personify Mother Nature into just that; a mother. If we treated the environment like we did our mothers, our relationship with nature would be entirely different. In that sense, I wanted to use that imagery for a more jarring impact on the reader.
It was helpful for me to take experiences from other courses I had taken, like Global Environmental Politics, to weave into this poem. Drawing on lessons like land ethic cultivation and perspectives like ecocentrism, I felt a deep connection to the earth beneath me; something I had long taken for granted.
It is my hope that as people travel and discover every beautiful corner of our world, they will internalize the need to preserve it and not just get their perfect Instagram picture.
My Horizons
So What's Next?
So the dreaded question every almost-graduate receives... It wasn't until recently that I also feared hearing those words from curious loved ones.
From a very young age, I have loved learning about the lands beyond the borders of my neighboorhood, my state, and my country. My foreign language interests are what lead me to study international politics and those paired together have resulted in the person I am today and where I am going for the many ambitious tomorrows I have ahead of me.
It is with great satisfaction and gratitude (not to mention relief!) that I am able to announce that I was selected to participate in the 36th group of the Congress Bundestag Young Exchange for Young Professionals.
As one of 75 young professionals from all over the United States, I was selected to represent the United States in Germany as a young ambassador through this cultural exchange. This program, housed under the State Department, gives me the opportunity to study and work in Germany for an entire year starting at the end of July.
The goal of this program is to nurture citizen-to-citizen connections between Americans and Germans, thereby creating closer connections between two modern allies.
Anyone who knows me knows that an experience like this is something I've been working towards and yearning for my whole life. I could not be more excited for what is in store for me.
It is a strange season in my life right now. The months before graduation give me the opportunity to look back at the progress and achievements of my undergraduate career, the massive mountain of a to-do list I have right now before graduation and also the many beautiful unknowns of the future.
So it's with great anticipation that I embrace the question
"So What's Next?"