Student Opportunities
The following student opportunities are housed within the Department of Humanities and Politics at NSU's Halmos College of Arts and Sciences. Below please find opportunities listed under two categories: Co-curricular Opportunities and Clubs, and Internships.
Alpha Mu Gamma National Collegiate Foreign Language Honor Society, Alpha Alpha Zeta Chapter of NSU
Founded in 1931, Alpha Mu Gamma is the oldest and largest national collegiate foreign language honor society in the United States. Alpha Mu Gamma celebrates all foreign languages, honors those who excel at them, and promotes cultural understanding. Alpha Mu Gamma hosts annual cultural events, such as National Foreign Language Week, and offers its members scholarship opportunities. For information about joining Alpha Mu Gamma and for application requirements, please contact Dr. Yvette Fuentes, yf60@nova.edu.
Au Café: Coffee and Conversation Hour
Au Café brings together French-language students, native and heritage French speakers, and French-language enthusiasts to speak and practice French in a relaxed setting. Au Café meets several times a semester and is moderated by French instructors in the department. It is open to all members of the NSU community and public. For more information, contact Dr. Yvette Fuentes, yf60@nova.edu.
Digressions
El Cafecito: Coffee and Conversation Hour
El Cafecito brings together Spanish language students, native and heritage Spanish speakers and Spanish-language enthusiasts to speak and practice Spanish in a relaxed setting. El Cafecito meets several times a semester and is moderated by Spanish faculty and advanced Spanish students in the department. It is open to all members of the NSU community and public. For more information, contact Dr. Yvette Fuentes, yf60@nova.edu.
Model United Nations Team
The Nova International Relations Association (NIRA) is NSU’s award-winning Model United Nations team. NIRA brings together a diverse group of students interested in global issues and provides a forum for students to discuss international relations. NIRA represents NSU at statewide and regional conferences, has competed at the largest regional Model U.N. conference in the South, and has won several state and regional awards. NIRA also hosts a high school Model U.N. conference on the NSU campus, at which NIRA members act as committee chairs, running the entire simulation. Team members have gone on to serve as conference staff members after graduation.
Open to: NSU undergraduate students of all majors once they have successfully completed POLS 2400 – Model United Nations (offered each Fall, Monday evening from 6-8 PM)
What You Can Learn: Improve your research, writing, public speaking, teamwork, and parliamentary skills; meet like-minded students
Contact: G. Nelson Bass III, Ph.D., assistant professor | (954) 262-8099 | nbass@nova.edu
Mock Trial Team
NSU’s Mock Trial Team brings together students interested in law school or in honing their public speaking abilities. During a mock trial competition, students are assigned different roles (prosecuting attorney, defense lawyer, witness, etc.) and then perform these roles in a simulation of an actual court case against other universities. Students spend several months learning the case and working on their roles in preparation for the regional competition. The winning teams advance to the next round, culminating in the National Mock Trial Competition.
Open to: NSU undergraduate students of all majors
What You Can Learn: Improve your speech and debate skills, learn how to craft a convincing argument
Contact: David Kilroy, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Humanities and Politics | (954) 262- 8021 | dkilroy@nova.edu
NSU’s Annual Film Series: The Reel
The Reel is a series hosted by the Department of Humanities and Politics that offers NSU students, faculty, and other members of the university and local community curated film screenings every Fall and Winter semester. Attendance is free of charge. Following each screening, the audience engages in a faculty-led discussion of the film and the cultural issues it raises. Showings have included Academy Award winners, international films, blockbusters, and more. For more information contact The Reel's coordinator, Dr. Yair Solan (ysolan@nova.edu).
NSU’s Film Club: Fin Films
Fin Films is the official film club of NSU, connecting students with a shared interest in film. It is open to cinema connoisseurs and casual movie fans alike. The club hosts on-campus movie nights and provides a place to meet and discuss all things film. For more information, contact the faculty advisor, Dr. Yair Solan (ysolan@nova.edu), or follow their Instagram for upcoming events.
NSU’s Student Book Club: Wyrd
Wyrd is an official student organization that seeks to unite individuals with a common interest in reading and literature. They work to foster a love of reading, literature, and discussion; provide an outlet for creativity and critical thinking; and use literature as a way to learn more about current and past societal issues. For more information, please contact the faculty advisor, Dr. Aileen Miyuki Farrar (afarrar@nova.edu), or visit their Instagram.
Phi Alpha Delta
The department houses the pre-law chapter of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity (PAD), which is an international, co-educational fraternity dedicated to promoting professional competency, service, and professionalism within the legal community. NSU’s undergraduate chapter is focused on creating strong bonds between students, teachers of the law, and legal professionals. PAD provides students with numerous opportunities for legal exposure through courthouse visits, LSAT practice sessions, and visits from admissions counselors from various law schools. PAD sponsors a shadowing program that partners undergraduate students with law school students to explore the law school experience. Undergraduate PAD members also work with NSU’s College of Law PAD chapter to host and attend relevant events.
Open to: NSU undergraduate students of all majors
What You Can Learn: Gain insight into the law school experience, sharpen your LSAT skills, network with like-minded students and legal professionals
Contact:
Dr. Vicki Toscano, Associate Professor | (954) 262-8010 | vtoscano@nova.edu
Pi Sigma Alpha
Nova Southeastern University is now home to the 826th chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society. NSU’s chapter, Alpha Lambda Rho, is focused on recognizing and cultivating creative student leaders through scholarship and service. Benefits include recognition of academic excellence, the right to wear honor regalia, opportunities to attend the National Student Conference, scholarships for graduate study, best paper awards, annual chapter activity grants, and pathways to student leadership.
Each year up to five students across the United States are awarded a scholarship of $2,000 to support their first year of graduate school in political science. An additional five students are awarded a scholarship of $2,000 to support time in Washington, DC for a credit-based internship. Pi Sigma Alpha also recognizes a winner and two runners up for the best honors thesis award. There is an annual student research conference in February for members and a national undergraduate journal—Undergraduate Journal of Politics—is published twice a year. For students interested in playing a role in raising the image of the department through creative programming, the national office also offers chapter activity grants each fall for up to $2,000.
Open to: NSU students majoring in Political Science with the requisite GPA.
What You Can Learn: professional development, public speaking, research, writing, collaboration with cohorts and faculty members.
Contact: Ransford F. Edwards Jr., Ph.D., assistant professor | (954) 262-8205 | redwards@nova.edu
Mako Radio
NSU's radio station 88.5 FM (apply to be a scriptwriter, on-air personality, or contributor).
Sigma Tau Delta: English Honor Society
Students who are English majors or minors and have achieved high academic accomplishment may be eligible for membership in Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society. For more information, please contact Dr. Aileen Miyuki Farrar, afarrar@nova.edu.
Story Booth: What’s Your Story?
Story Booth is a series hosted by the department that fosters community and diverse cultural and social expressions through an understanding and appreciation of global literatures and languages. Stories are universal and they help us to make sense of the world by sharing our experiences. Story Booth partners with student organizations across the university to hear how each of us makes meaning. From remembering our first stories to conversations about the power, good and bad, of fiction, Story Booth connects us. What’s your story? For more information, contact Dr. Aileen Miyuki Farrar afarrar@nova.edu.
Style Us: Writing and Professionalization Workshops
Style Us is a series hosted by the Department of Humanities and Politics that focuses on preparing humanities students from across the university with the strong communication and etiquette skills necessary to navigate the writing and professional conventions of their fields. In the past, the department has hosted workshops focused on topics ranging from creative writing to interview, conference, and career preparation for students majoring and minoring in the humanities—including but not limited to those in English, History, Interdisciplinary Studies, International Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, and Legal Studies. For more information, contact Dr. Aileen Miyuki Farrar afarrar@nova.edu.
The Current
NSU's student-run newspaper (apply to be a staff writer, editor, or reporter).
Travel Study
Travel study is an opportunity for undergraduate students to gain unique cultural and hands-on experiences—while earning academic credit—through approved coursework that incorporates travel. Travel study courses offered by the Department of History and Political Science include faculty-led trips to Eastern Europe, Cuba, and Ireland.
Open to: qualifying NSU undergraduate students of all majors who have met the course requirements and prerequisites
What You Can Learn: Travel study experiences can awaken students' curiosity about the world and allow them to look at their lives from different perspectives. Some students take travel study courses to explore in-depth topics important to their majors. Others pursue travel study to satisfy a curiosity about another culture, learn another language, and experience new and completely different things.
Contact: Visit the Travel study webpage for instructor contact information
Undergraduate-Graduate Leadership Council (UGLC)
The department also hosts the Undergraduate-Graduate Leadership Council (UGLC). One of the primary aims of the UGLC is provide an outlet for the undergraduate and graduate students in our Department to interact with each other and hone mentorship and leadership skills. It is also intended to provide a student forum for career and academic advancement. The UGLC is entirely student driven and is facilitated by faculty cooperation. The council is run by a committee of six students, 3 graduate students and 3 graduate students, chosen by their peers.
Open to: undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of History and Political Science (DHPS).
What You Can Learn: Learn about job opportunities, graduate options, and leadership.
Contact: David Kilroy, Ph.D., professor | (954) 262-8021 | dkilroy@nova.edu
Undergraduate Student Symposium and Film Festival
The Undergraduate Student Symposium is a showcase for student scholarship in research and creative projects. Students may submit applications for research papers for presentation or poster format. There is also a Student Film Festival, in which exceptional student short films are showcased and judged.
Center for the Humanities Internship
History Fort Lauderdale Internship
Immigration Law Offices of Richard A. Hujber Internships
South Florida Irish Film Festival (SFIFF) internship
JK Closing Attorneys Law Firm Internship
Legal Aid Service of Broward County Internship
Department of Humanities and Politics Student Scholar Fund
Tír na mBláth, Irish Cultural Organization of South Florida Internship