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I was in the Departments of Political Science and Foreign Languages with my degrees in International Affairs and Arabic at James Madison University in Virginia. I found both departments and program excellent. I had great experiences with almost all of my professors and with the content that I learned. I concentrated on Middle East with my International Affairs major and had a basic understanding of the largest challenges with the region. I wish JMU had had more Middle East specific courses, but that is mostly... Read More student driven. My Arabic program was in a way self made - I actually started the Arabic major at JMU because I took so many Arabic courses and even did some independent study courses. I also studied abroad in Lebanon which was a very exciting offering for me as a student interested in the Middle East and Arabic. I will say in general, with any undergraduate degree it's important to understand that you will not come out an expert in any field and instead a Bachelor's provides you insight to topics and areas you find interesting and want to work in or pursue further education. Being from the Washington, DC area, a Bachelor's is also a benchmark to get your foot in the door and is a test of whether or not you can be responsible, show up for class, and get good grades. Keep in mind that your first jobs will likely ask you for your GPA especially if you have little to no job experience. GPA will also be incredibly important if you plan to go back to school for graduate work. Additionally, I feel strongly that college is not only about the education, but also about the clubs and programs that are available to you. I was able to get a great deal of leadership experience in almost every organization I joined. This helped me build my network as well and I still call on friends I made in my organizations for support in my professional career. Developing true bonds inside and outside the classroom with peers and professors can really enhance your college experience. My favorite program I participated in at JMU was our Washington Semester. I was able to apply for this program to go to DC for a semester and intern for college credit. I had control over where I applied and accepted. I had the opportunity to intern at the State Department in Spring 2011 which was the start of the Arab Spring. I still have great relationships with my supervisors at State almost 10 years later and had a true Washington and full time working experience when I was 21 years old. This was a highlight during my JMU career. Post-graduation, I also recommend you keep in touch with your alumni network. JMU's Political Science Department does a fantastic job with the alumni network and it's important to continue meeting people even after graduation.

Excited about this program and pursuing advocacy. Be forewarned through, the program is really a communication studies master's degree program. Although they accept students from all majors, previous communication majors will be more successful as the program is taught as you have a communications BA. Advocacy and being a community advocate is a fleeting theory in most classes. There is also a preference for those that have attended JMU as an undergraduate, then as a graduate student. They may be referred... Read More to as the superstars.