KRISTEN ENGLERT
staff writer
International studies are a highly appreciated subject on campus. From the vast amount of Pepperdine students who attend International Programs, to the even greater number of students who have chosen to make international affairs their major, this topic is anything but unnoticed.
Luckily, for Pepperdine students there is a publication designed to give students an outlet to express their opinions on international affairs, allowing their writing to be received by more than one professor.
Global Tides is on online academic journal that publishes Pepperdine undergraduate students’ papers relating to important international issues.
According to Sonnet Frisbie, one of the editors for Global Tides, this is just what Pepperdine has been searching for.
Global Tides fills a real void on the Pepperdine campus for students to get their work published and to get involved in the actual review and editing process,” Frisbie said. “We believe that Pepperdine needs this, and so we make it work.”
This online journal gives students a chance to showcase their work and help create awareness of international issues around campus. The journal was started in 2005 when Alexander Deiner, now advisor of the journal, met with 2005 alumnes Frank Runyeon.
With hopes of transforming the current Sigma Iota Rho honor society, an international studies honor society, into a full-scale, student, peer-reviewed journal, the two put their thoughts into actions. With the help of 2007 alumna Alison Boess, the shape of the journal began to form.
The staff of Global Tides consists of student writers and student editors, and has a very in-depth peer review process. The journal is made of up all student volunteers with a passion for international affairs. This year the editorial staff is comprised of all seniors. Therefore, as the journal grows, so will the need for more staff.
“As an editor, it has been an immense help to work with a group of talented, dedicated and, most importantly, passionate individuals, each of whom is dedicated to seeing this journal succeed,” said Haley Rice, one of the Tides editors.
Global Tides includes mostly scholarly essays scanning a variety of topics and specializations, including science, history, communication, humanities, religion, art history and the languages. It publishes annually and features three to five scholarly essays.
Forming a relationship with International Programs in hopes of involving underclassmen in the “Journeyer’s Journal” is key. The journal consists of short narratives describing student’s international travel experiences. It gives students who are overseas the opportunity to tell their stories.
“We hope that this journal will contribute to the intellectual environment on the Malibu campus by drawing students to a deeper understanding,” Diener said. “Not only of increasingly important fields of international affairs, but also of scholarship.”
Students can also use Global Tides as a source to explore new topics for their desired field.
“I hope that Global Tides can expose us to a wide array of topics so that we can be more informed and responsible people,” said Michael Wang, one of the editors of Tides.
This journal has high hopes of one day becoming a very integral part of the Pepperdine curriculum. According to Jessica DiCarlo, editor in chief of Global Tides, the staff hopes to be able to invite undergraduates from other universities to contribute to in the journal as well.
01-31-2008
