How would you define your international education experience?
- International Student
- Director of overseas programs in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Sydney; visiting professor, Murdoch Univ. School of Law and Notre Dame Unversity School of Law, Perth, Western Australia
What was your international education experience like?
My first international education experience was a summer program at the University of Valencia in Spain, where I studied Golden Age Spanish Poetry and The Quijote. I loved this, and my Spanish professor taught me valuable analysis skills that I use to this day.
Later, as a clinical law professor, I directed and taught in summer programs in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico; San Jose, Costa Rica; and Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The opportunities these programs gave me to engage with legal and educational institutions in the three countries were invaluable and expanded my understanding of both those countries and international relations enormously. I particularly loved the opportunity to place students in externship programs in government, inter-government, and non-profit organizations. Through these programs, our Santa Clara Law students provide truly astounding service throughout the world.
I also have the privilege of teaching while living in Perth, Western Australia. There, I consulted with the Murdoch Univ. School of Law's clinic and taught International Human Rights at Notre Dame Australia University School of Law.
What message do you have to share with students and community members about the importance of international education?
It is an invaluable experience. If you participate in an international program, I highly recommend coupling it with an externship in the foreign country, which will give you a deeper understanding of the country's people, institutions, and people, and also provide you with valuable skills.