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Student Advisory Board

The Weinberg College Student Advisory Board (SAB) is the primary source of student advice to the Dean of the College and the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies.

The SAB plays a central role in the College by:

Each year,the International Studies program nominates an IS major or two to join the board.

 

SAB representatives 2024-2025
Luana Mayer
Junior, double major in International Studies and Economics 
Meet Luana...

Describe your interest in the International Studies program. Why did you
declare?

The ability to build my own curriculum deeply interested me. The International Studies Adjunct Major offered me a unique space to analyze global economic systems and political structures in ways that aligned with my academic, personal, and career goals. The IS program’s combination of rigor and adaptability encouraged me to pursue these interests both in the classroom and through hands-on experiences, where I engaged with different political spheres of influence and gained a better understanding of the power dynamics behind development in the global context. I wanted a program that would integrate with my major, challenging me to explore the nuances of global interconnections and expanding my perspective on the world.

If you could create an event for this department, what would it be and why would you
create it?

I would create a Quarterly Mentorship Hub Series, designed to provide IS students career support post-graduation. Each quarter, the program would begin with a Mentor-Mentee Matching & Panel Event where key speakers and alumni willing to be mentors share insights, personal experiences, and provide tailored career advice that aligns with a quarterly theme such as "Distribution and Dynamics of Power." The event would encompass a speed networking session and students would get paired with mentors from diverse fields, regularly meeting them throughout the quarter. By connecting students with mentors who offer field-specific guidance and real-world perspectives, the program would strengthen students' preparation for success in their respective international careers! 

What has been your favorite IS class so far?

My favorite International Studies class, INTL_ST_393 - Development in the Global Context: Participation, Power, and Social Change: Costa Rica, taught me a hands-on understanding of development through a mix of classroom discussions and immersive fieldwork. During this study-abroad experience working at an NGO in Costa Rica, I learned about the interconnected forces driving sustainable development, from community-led empowerment to a systems-thinking approach to strategic planning. This course strengthened my ability to translate theory into real-world impact and learn by being immersed in a different culture. After our work experiences and country-specific discussions, we joined as a cohort with Northwestern peers from Evanston and Qatar who were engaged in similar projects around the world to reflect on our learning. This enriched my perspective on global development and highlighted the crucial role of cross-cultural collaboration in tackling complex issues.

 

Alex Sudmann
Senior, double major in International Studies and Political Science
Meet Alex...

Describe your interest in the International Studies program. Why did you
declare?

Since coming to Northwestern, the IS program has represented the best opportunity to take charge of my education and create a curriculum that reflects my academic goals, injecting a global perspective into every class I have taken. One of the main reasons I decided to add the International Studies major is because of its intense flexibility and its ability to work seamlessly with any major. For me, International Studies was able to create a course of study that emphasized international law and politics, giving me the opportunity to take a wide range of courses that could be applied to my concentration in Global Law and Society. In addition, the required courses for International Studies provided a much needed foray into topics that I would have never considered before. In all, the International Studies Program has made my educational experience exactly what I wanted it to be, an exploration into political science and law fueled by a global perspective. 

If you could create an event for this department, what would it be and why would you
create it?

I would love to create an event where students in the International Studies Program can meet up, whether by concentration or all together, and explore their collective interests in the international world. So often Northwestern can seem like a huge place where everyone is studying such different things and the IS department is no different. Students have such varied interests and being able to connect over these or learn what drives other students in the department would be incredibly interesting.  

What has been your favorite IS class so far?

Currently, my favorite IS class has been my Intl St 398, the Honors Thesis Seminar. This truly feels like the most rewarding class I have taken at Northwestern, acting as the culminating project of my time at this university. Being able to dive so deeply into a topic that I am passionate about and conduct primary research to create an undergraduate thesis is truly such an incredible experience, and certainly not a small amount of work. In addition, this class has truly highlighted how different every student in the International Studies Program is! Each student in the seminar has such a different thesis topic and it is fascinating to expand my worldview while sharing my research!