Why Become a Global Scholar?
Starting your first semester at Pacific, the Global Scholars Program prepares you to find your place in the world and to serve the global community.
Are you curious about the world and your place in it? The Global Scholars Program invites you to explore global perspectives starting with international travel your very first year at Pacific. Whether you're passionate about anime in Japan, kinesiology in England, social work in Uganda, or biology in Ireland, this program is your gateway to transformative learning experiences across cultures.
As a Global Scholar, you’ll explore how culture shapes human experience and learn to navigate the global community, preparing you to work effectively across borders and cultures. This program is ideal for students eager to combine classroom learning with real-world travel and immersive experiences that build global awareness and cultural empathy.
Global Scholars are open-minded, compassionate, and curious. We believe all students — regardless of background — deserve access to global learning. You don’t need to have international experience to begin. You just need curiosity and a willingness to grow. Your lived experiences matter — if you speak another language or come from a diverse cultural or economic background, this pathway helps you build on those strengths.
What Can You Do with a Global Scholars Specialization?
Turn your passion for global travel and intercultural connection into a career that makes a difference.
The Global Scholars concentration internationalizes any major—whether you're studying business, biology, education, health sciences, the arts, or the humanities. A Global Scholar concentration prepares you for careers where intercultural skills and international experience are in high demand. By completing the Global Scholars pathway, you signal to employers, graduate programs, and communities that you’re equipped to work effectively across cultures, at home and abroad.
You’ll build practical skills in intercultural communication, global problem-solving, and effective leadership. Our graduates go on to work in fields like physical therapy, nuclear chemistry, international business, public health, diplomacy, social work, education, nonprofit leadership, healthcare, sustainable development, and beyond.
As a Global Scholar, you won’t just leave with a degree — you’ll leave with the confidence, experience, and perspective to make a difference in any career.
First-Year Travel to Germany
Launch your college journey in true global fashion! Join the Fall 2025 Global Scholars First-Year Community at Pacific, and then travel to Germany in January for an immersive cultural adventure.
Explore German Culture Through Film
In the fall semester, dive into friendship, youth culture, and self-discovery by studying German cinema. Together, we’ll examine identity, belonging, and social structures—all while sharpening your intercultural communication skills and critical thinking.
Experience Munich & Berlin in Person
In January, we’ll take our insights overseas—strolling through Munich’s historic streets, meeting local university students, and discovering how German youth culture and cultural identity come to life beyond the screen. Then we’ll head to Berlin, where we’ll visit the iconic Berlin Wall and experience the city’s storied past and vibrant present firsthand.
Build a Global Network, Starting Now
From day one, you’ll be part of a close-knit community of fellow adventurers—ready to broaden your horizons and make lifelong connections. Don’t wait until later in your college career to go abroad. Seize this one-of-a-kind chance to immerse yourself in another culture, grow personally, and stand out as a global scholar.
Embrace a world of opportunity—begin your Pacific journey in Germany!
The Global Scholars Program makes international education safe and affordable. Travel with your first-year seminar faculty and classmates. Pacific pays most of the cost. You pay only airfare.
Only 20 spots are available, so apply soon.
Jann Purdy | Chair of International Studies, Professor of French, Co-founder of Global Scholars Program
Carnegie 101-B | 503-352-1564 | purd6219@pacificu.edu
Melissa Vieira | Global Scholars Advisor, Associate Director of Academic and Career Advising
AuCoin 129 | 503-352-3126 | melissav@pacificu.edu
