MORNING OPTION A: Department of Geography

Discussion of the Geography Department, followed by a more in-depth discussion about some of the department’s mapping projects — one example was a 3-D map recreation of a section of Athens that was razed after the city purchased the property through eminent domain and gave it to the University to build dorms. Students were fortunate to attend a former Pope student’s dissertation presentation and defense within the Geography Department. The dissertation was an analysis of maps and documents created by the Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) of Milwaukee and Atlanta and the practice of redlining (refusing loans to people in poorer areas because of financial risk).

MORNING OPTION B: Business School and Economics Department

Professors from the Business School explained the Business School’s leadership program which helps its students develop real-world leadership skills in a cohort model. Students from the program discussed their experience, including a service learning project to improve the foster care system for immigrant populations in rural Georgia. Professors from the Department of Economics explained their work and opened the student’s eyes to the vast areas of study within economics.

AFTERNOON OPTION C: Department of Geography

A professor from the Department of Geography demonstrated and explained how drones are used for mapping and other scholarships. Pope students learned about an agriculture project using drones to find early signs of disease in crops and AI drones. Students also experienced the department’s augmented reality sandbox, used to model and study geographic changes in environments.

AFTERNOON OPTION D: Center for Humanities

The Center for Humanities presentation made connections between literature, civil rights history, and the unsung heroes of the civil rights movement. The professor’s most recent project involves digital mapping of rural and agricultural civil rights activism.

AFTERNOON: FULL GROUP ACTIVITIES

Following the breakout sessions, Globez students met with students from the Security and Leadership Program, who had just returned from presenting their work in Washington, DC. Students did a simulation activity with a current event that posed an International Security issue. Globalization Academy alum, Will Mathison, was there to meet and share his experience as a former member of the Security and Leadership Program too.

Next, the entire group met with undergraduate researchers who shared their individual research topics and work/processes. Students then broke off into small groups for dinner and discussion. Some of the Pope students later said their eyes were opened to all sorts of possibilities for college. Following dinner and discussions, Globez students received a personalized campus tour on the walk back to the hotel.

After an exhausting day, current students, Pope faculty, and Pope Globez alumni met at the hotel’s fire pits for a Globez reunion. We were absolutely thrilled to have about 25 former students show up!