FSU students engage in global learning at University of Oxford

Ella Garcia, a senior pursuing a master’s in public administration, attended the Oxford Consortium workshop to deepen her understanding of technological ethics and modern human rights frameworks.  

“My main takeaway is that our interactions with technology, our data, and our actions are utilized to create the digital society of the future,” she said. “The overwhelming scale and nature of technology is designed to make us feel like we are passive actors in shaping these platforms. The first step to addressing these injustices is recognizing our power as consumers and participants in the digital age.” 

Molly Stinson, a senior majoring in English and religion, joined the Consortium to explore the possibilities of a career in international human rights.  

“I was able to make incredible connections, not only with the Consortium faculty, but with the numerous professionals brought in to speak to us as well as the students from across the U.S. and around the world,” she said. 

Alanna Densmore, a senior majoring in international affairs with a minor in criminology, attended the Consortium to explore the global impact of AI in criminal justice. Her research focuses on the ethical and human rights implications of emerging technologies. 

“The Consortium helped me see where my work in AI ethics fits into the larger human rights picture,” Alanna said. “Protecting human dignity requires collaborative, cross-sector solutions.” 

On the last day of the workshop, cohorts from each school delivered a presentation on their research projects. FSU’s presentation included reflections on the university’s recent shooting, prompting dialogue on institutional responsibility and the intersection of technology and human rights. 

The group was led by Ross Moret, a faculty member in FSU’s Honors Program, who also presented at the Consortium for the first time this year. His talk, “Polarization and the Business of New Technology,” examined how digital platforms and economic incentives contribute to political division and influence human rights discourse.  

. They return with more confidence, significant new social connections, and a deeper understanding of our society’s most pressing problems. I’m grateful FSU has made this opportunity available to some of our brightest and hardest working students.”

— Ross Moret, faculty member in FSU’s Honor Program

In addition to the Honors Program, students received support from FSU’s Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, and the Department of Religion. 

Legal studies through the College of Law’s Summer Program at Oxford 

Meanwhile, 23 students from the College of Law spent five-and-a-half weeks pursuing legal studies at the University of Oxford through FSU’s Summer Program in Law.  

The program, which took place June 30-Aug. 7, gives students an opportunity to study comparative law and the history and development of English common law and common law institutions in their native setting. Sponsored by FSU’s College of Law and administered through International Programs, the program is now in its 52nd year, making it the oldest summer program at Oxford offered by an American law school.  

Students may earn up to six semester hours of course credit for participation. In addition to FSU students, the program is also open to students in good standing at American Bar Association-approved law schools. Six students from other institutions also participated in the program.