by Grace Kaldor

I started at the University of Georgia about three and a half years ago now (wow!) as a different major, yet I knew at the time that I was not exactly sure what I wanted to do or what I wanted to study.  It was not until I happened to take an introductory SPIA class that I changed my entire course here in Athens.  Beginning my sophomore year, I officially became a SPIA student as an International Affairs major and it was one of the best decisions I have made for myself and my future.

There are an abundance of things I could mention in this blog post, but one thing I’d like to focus on are the skills SPIA students develop.  Specifically, SPIA classes allow for their students to develop strong critical thinking and problem solving skills.  Every single class I have taken here is centered around a problem that needs to be solved or reevaluated around the world- from a class on Terrorism with Dr. Gallagher to Nuclear Politics with Dr. Berkemeier, there are countless interesting and complex problems professors ask their students to weigh in on.

Because of this, I have SPIA to thank for helping me become a better problem solver.  Being able to hear an issue, listen to all the evidence, think critically about the situation, and suggest a solution to the problem is a very important framework to develop.  Becoming an International Affairs student has led me to be a more logical and analytical student, and for that I am grateful.