School of International Studies

The School of International Studies, or SIS, is a school within University of the Pacific. It is one of the only six undergraduate schools of international studies in the United States and is the only school in the country that requires all of its students to study abroad. The school offers four Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, Global Studies, International Affairs and Commerce, and Development as well as a minor. The school also offers a M.A. in Intercultural Relations. [ [http://sis.pacific.edu/international-studies-programs.htm School of International Studies - University of the Pacific ] ]

Social Entrepreneurship

The School of International Studies has recently increased its emphasis on Social Entrepreneurship. In 2006 one of the leading microfinance lenders for Central America, The [http://www.katalysis.org/ Katalysis Bootstrap Fund] , relocated to the University of Pacific campus, making UOP the first U.S. University to have a microfinance center operating on its campus. [ [http://sis.pacific.edu/events/docs/Katalysis-press-release.pdf School of International Studies - University of the Pacific ] ]

Also in 2006, the School of International Studies opened The Global Social Entrepreneurship Center. According to the center’s site, the center conducts research on Social Entrepreneurship as well as acts as a gathering place of social entrepreneurship. The center is also in the process of developing a Social Entrepreneurship specialization for its B.A. program as well as a certificate program. [http://sis.pacific.edu/events/global-social-entrepreneurship-center.htm School of International Studies - University of the Pacific ] ]

Two University of the Pacific graduates have been awarded by the Skoll Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. In 2005, Martin Burt received an award for his agricultural education and rural entrepreneurship program, [http://www.fundacionparaguaya.org.py/ Fundación Paraguaya] . In 2006, Sakena Yacoobi was award for her foundation, [http://www.creatinghope.org/afghaninstituteoflearning Afghan Institute of Learning] , which aims to restore education and health programs.

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