Global Competence Award

Global competence is crucial for successful careers and citizenship in today’s global world. Mount Holyoke offers many amazing opportunities, in and outside the classroom, on and off campus, to advance your global competence.

The Global Competence Award is given to seniors with demonstrated achievement in language learning, cultural immersion, global perspective-taking, and cross-cultural learning.

Requirements

1. Language Requirement

Complete at least three courses, in the same language, beyond the College's language requirement, while enrolled at Mount Holyoke. One course taken pass/fail can be accepted.

2. Cultural Immersion

Complete at least one of the following:

An internationally-focused internship
An internationally-focused community-based learning project
Study Abroad

3. Global Perspectives

Complete at least two courses that explore a global issue from different perspectives.

4. Cross-Cultural Learning on Campus

Participate in at least one of the following:

Live on a language floor
Participate in the Global Partners' Program (Program temporarily suspended)
Be active in a student organization with an international focus (you will need to supply a description of your participation of 250 words or less when you submit your application)

5. Reflective Essay (no more than 500 words)

Logistics

Track your progress towards meeting the requirements and submit your application for the Global Competence Award.
The McCulloch Center certifies that a student has met the criteria for the award. Seniors need to submit their application in MyMountHolyoke by March 1st of their senior year.
Seniors will receive the award at a special ceremony during Commencement Week.
If you have questions about whether certain courses or activities will meet the criteria for the award, please contact Jenny Medina (jmedina@mtholyoke.edu) in the McCulloch Center.

2026 Award Winners

Mariyah Al Tayb (Art Studio)
Maria-Diana Alecu (Economics/Mathematics)
Clara Amaral (FMT/Romance Languages)
Kennedy Bagley-Fortner (East Asian Studies/English)
Maryn Bissell (Spanish)
Sharon Bosco (Art History)
Catherine Caya (French/Geography)
Dana Chateauneuf (Neuroscience/Spanish)
Mariana Cruz-Sanchez (History/Romance Languages)
Olivia Curtis (French/Mathematics)
Piper Davidson (Italian/Politics)
Erin Deffely (Anthropology)
Lia Di Lisio (Italian/Psychology)
Johanna Doyle (Data Science)
Alexandra Ebeling (Art History/Italian)
Hannah Ehrlich (History/Music)
Josefa Falkner (German Studies/Sociology)
Juliette Gagnon (MAT)
Lila Hancock (Anthropology/Spanish)
Emma Harrison (Art History/French)
Elspeth Howland (Italian/Sociology)
Lei Hsin (Environmental Studies/IR)
Victoria Kerich (Neuroscience)
Caroline Lamb (French/History)
Tanisha Liang (East Asian Studies/Politics)
Carolina Loayza (IR)
Abigail McKeon (Classics/English)
Kiera McLaughlin (Politics/Spanish)
Kaia McTigue (East Asian Studies/Philoshopy)
Elizabeth Murray (French/Psychology)
Natasha Nagarajan (CRPE/Politics)
Yurim Oh (Economics/Psychology)
Ayomikun Olowole (Architecture)
Janna Parrot (Computer Science/Special Major)
Diana Perez (Politics/Spanish)
Naomi Piper-Pell (French/Religion)
Ruth Poku (CRPE/Politics)
Amelia Pozniak (English/Italian)
Ashley Quijano (Neuroscience)
Camille Robinson-Parisi (Environmental Studies/Spanish)
Emma Schein (Anthropology)
Katherine Sloop (Anthropology/Politics)
Catherine Vavra (French/IR)
Lillian Wade (Geology/Italian)
Amanda Weber (Art History/Classics)
Grace Wieselquist (Biochemistry/German Studies)
Imari Williams (IR)
Audrey Womer (Biology/Spanish)

Past Award Winners

2025: 34 seniors from 22 different majors
2024: 21 seniors from 19 different majors
2023: 39 seniors from 23 different majors
2022: 27 seniors from 19 different majors
2021: 15 seniors from 14 different majors
2020: 37 seniors from 25 different majors
2019: 37 seniors from 22 different majors
2018: 36 seniors from 27 different majors and minors
2017: 38 seniors from 20 different majors
2016: 19 seniors from 11 different majors