Dana Mekler

Dana Mekler

My name is Dana Mekler, and I recently graduated from FIU with a BA in International Relations and a minor in Economics. I joined the European Studies Certificate program shortly after declaring my major. As a Spanish citizen with a French Baccalaureate and college experience both in the French and Spanish educational systems, I highly recommend the program to anyone interested in broadening their knowledge of European culture. The program academic requirements are very flexible, they allowed me to supplement the International Relations courses with European area studies, and they can adapt to virtually any major. The European Colloquium, taught by Dr. Rebecca Friedman, is mandatory to obtain the certificate and was one of the best and most comprehensive courses I have taken at FIU. The course was enhanced with lectures by visiting professor Ambassador Martin Palous, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations and taught at the Wolfsonian Museum in Miami Beach. On top of that, the conferences hosted by the Miami-Florida European Union Center of Excellence are a great complement to the academic component. As an intern at the center for the 2010-2011 academic year, I had the opportunity to share my passion for movies as coordinator of the biweekly European Film Series. I also acquired valuable experience coordinating events to host European diplomats, visiting professors and public figures such as Hon. Kevin McGurgan, HM British Consul General in Miami; Dr. Emek M. Ucarer, Associate Professor of International Relations and Chair of the Department of International Relations at Bucknell University or the Honorable Lech Walesa, Former President of Poland and Nobel Laureate.