Emma Fee ’23 (Photo provided)
Emma Fee ’23 IDS: “The Philosophy of Poverty”
“The Philosophy of Poverty” is a combination of philosophy, economics and a little bit of political science. I created it because I wanted to be able to explore each of those independent disciplines, as well as focus on the aspects of those areas that I was most interested in. Specifically, these are issues of poverty in economics, anti-poverty policy and advocacy in political science and issues of identity and humanity in philosophy. I decided to create this major because, first and foremost, I was unwilling to compromise on exploring any of these topics and I could not complete four different majors, so I decided to hone in on the aspects of each topic that most excited me and combine them into one doable major. Additionally, I love interdisciplinary thinking and problem solving; creating an inherently interdisciplinary major has allowed me to grow those skills in areas I am passionate about. I am hoping to continue my education in graduate school and develop the abilities I have gained as an IDS major, including looking at problems from multiple angles, effective communication and creative and interdisciplinary thinking, all skills that are applicable in any academic setting.
Audrey Chesney ’22 (Photo provided)
Audrey Chesney ’22 Health Science & International and Globalization Studies (IGS)
The region and theme of my IGS major is Public Health in Latin America. I am interested in healthcare at the patient, population and global levels, and these majors have allowed me to integrate my interests. I wanted to not only obtain the educational base for a potential career in the healthcare field, but also to gain a wider perspective on global issues, healthcare and public health. After college, I plan to pursue employment opportunities in the healthcare field, though in what capacity I have yet to decide. I also hope to work in the public health sector at some point, potentially for a public health office or global health NGO. I am very thankful to have pursued my personal and career interests with both of these majors!
Molly Hoffman ’25 (Photo provided)
Molly Hoffman ’25 Environmental Studies & Public Policy
I decided freshman year of high school that our world’s environmental problems were so big that I needed to dedicate my career to addressing them. An AP Government class then introduced me to public policy. My teacher dreaded teaching us about bureaucracy, simply because it’s so complicated, but I remember that chapter opening a whole new world for me. I realized the best way to fix our environmental problems is through government action. In my mind, public policy is what I do, and environmental studies is what I do it for. After college, I hope to work for the federal government and I am particularly interested in land conservation policy with the Department of the Interior. I feel so lucky to have found a career path that perfectly combines my skills in public policy with my passion for saving the environment.
Merlyn Maldonado ’22 (Photo provided)
Merlyn Maldonado ’22 Art History & IDS: “Magazines and Popular Culture in Media”
I decided to create this major because I have always been interested in the field of communications, more specifically journalism and editorial work. Additionally, since I have always been invested in different forms of popular culture and love reading magazines, I thought it would be fun to combine my interests and make a career out of it. With my majors, I hope to either continue pursuingcuratorial work in museums or become a writer for a magazine or news publication. Since my majors are complementary, I would be thrilled to become a writer for a publication’s art column.
Cole Springer ’25 (Photo provided)
Cole Springer ’25 Chemistry & German Studies
My goal with this combination is to prepare me for what I see myself doing after college, which would involve me moving to Germany to get both my master’s and PhD. After about six years, I could see myself staying in Germany to do research at either one of the national institutes there or at a university. The main reason I’m majoring in chemistry is the possibility to know something that no one else in the entire world knows through research, which is such a fascinating possibility that I want to pursue throughout my life. With my German Studies degree, I of course want to keep up with my German language skills. However, I also am able to distinguish myself from others by showing my interest in not just the language, but also the culturesurrounding it. While it is an odd combination, the degrees will work to support my future.
Adrienne Poissant ’22 (Photo provided)
Adrienne Poissant ’22 Political Science & Religious Studies
I always intended to be a political science major from the time I applied to Gettysburg. My first introduction to religious studies was in my First-Year Seminar, which was called “Waging Peace” and focused on religious responses to violence and exploring the intersection between religion and politics. I officially declared my religious studies major as a sophomore after taking “Intro to the New Testament and Native American Religious Traditions.” My main interest is in the Abrahamic faiths, but it was very eye-opening to learn what different people believed in. Political science is a much more empirical field, so taking classes in both departments allowed me to feel more balanced with coursework. I am planning to pursue a master’s in divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary next year and either become a pastor or teach about the Christian faith. My political science degree has helped me become more aware of the power institutions hold for change and how important it is to strive for social justice from many different angles.
Megan Wojnar ’22 (Photo provided)
Megan Wojnar ’22 Environmental Studies & Cinema and Media Studies
After realizing I had an interest in both areas while in high school, I was excited to be able to pursue both interests while attending Gettysburg College. I have been lucky enough to be able to grow tremendously in both of these fields, and I hope to be able to blend both together and become a nature documentarist. Throughout my four years here, I have been able to grow so much as a person through studying both of these majors, and I really got a feel for how two majors that seem to have no relation can blend together into a cohesive area of study. After declaring my freshmen year, I have met so many amazing faculty members in both departments that have served as amazing role models and mentors. If I can give any advice to someone who is deciding between two majors that may not seem to relate, just go for it. Being a double major is rewarding in any scenario, but it is an amazing feeling to know I was able to blend my two passions into a well-rounded education here at Gettysburg College.
This article originally appeared on pages 12–13 of the March 31, 2022 edition of The Gettysburgian’s magazine.
