Professor Julie Mughal is the Associate Director for Humanitarian Action in the Center for Social Impact at Fairfield University. She facilitates co-curricular humanitarian-related activities as well as co-manages the Humanitarian Action minor. Before joining Fairfield, Professor Mughal worked in the field of humanitarian action and international development for 20 years, working at Save the Children in both the US and Pakistan and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Geneva, Switzerland. She is pleased to share some information concerning the College Year in Athens program in collaboration with the Humanitarian Action minor.
Overview of Program
The Humanitarian Action program was particularly drawn to initiating a semester in Greece because it has been at the crossroads of migration for millennia. Today, it continues as the world faces the largest refugee crisis since the Second World War. It provides students with the unique opportunity to live and study in a country which they’ve learned about in their HA courses.
Who leads the program?
The program is with College Year Athens through Global Fairfield.
How often is the program offered?
Students can apply for either the fall or spring semester.
What kind of students are best fitted for this program?
We welcome students who are in the Humanitarian Action minor with junior status. Participants should be at least juniors because one of the unique parts of this semester is that students will participate in an internship with a non-profit agency in Athens. HA students are able to take one elective related to migration and a 3-credit internship which is an exciting part of the program. This semester, the internships are as follows: Grace Brogioli ’25 Environmental Science: Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos (MedINA) and Nicole Moccio ’25 Business: Network for Children’s Rights, Athens.
Why is the program best fitted to Greece as opposed to other international locations?
A semester in Athens enables HA students to have the unique opportunity to make a direct connection between their coursework and humanitarian operations in Athens, Greece, one of the epicenters of the European refugee crisis.
What is common feedback you hear from these students during or after the program?
This is our inaugural semester! I’m looking forward to hearing from our two students who are currently studying in Greece.
How do you think this program positively impacts students?
In addition to the many important benefits which study abroad offers to students, the semester in Athens provides a transformative understanding of working in the field of humanitarian action and provides students the opportunity to learn firsthand about the plight of refugees and refugee policies in one of the frontline receiving countries.
Similarly, do you feel that this experience opens doors for students?
Absolutely. Studying in Greece as well as interning in Athens will enable students to apply learning obtained through humanitarian action courses at Fairfield and CYA as well as their experiences working in the humanitarian sector of Greece and Europe. This unique career experience will lay the groundwork for competitive postgraduate studies, fellowships and job opportunities at home and abroad.
What else would you like people to know about you and this program?
Students are welcome to reach out to either Dr. Janie Leatherman (jleatherman@fairfield.edu) or to Julie Mughal (jmughal@fairfield.edu) if they are interested in learning more about this unique opportunity!
Student Feedback
“So far I have loved every second of my experience in Greece! Everything here is so laid back, the weather has been so nice and all the sites and exploration is endless! With classes I am taking 4 classes and an internship which is 10-15 hours a week! One class I'm taking is Cultural Landscapes in which we learn about the natural environment and Greece and we go on a lot of field trips. Today, we actually just went to the National Gardens! I am also taking an Evolution of Human Rights class as well as Borders, Boundaries, and Human Mobility, and Feminist Urbanism. All these classes so far have been really interesting and have been giving me a diverse perspective on important issues not only in Greece but around the world. CYA is an excellent program and I highly recommend it to everyone at Fairfield. The people I have met are so kind and fun as well as the professors being super knowledgeable and supportive! For my internship I’m working with MedINA and doing a lot of research that connects to sustainable development goals which relates to humanitarian action.” - Grace Brogioli ‘25
“Being able to study abroad in Greece through the Humanitarian Action Minor’s CYA program has truly been so amazing thus far and I am so happy and excited to be studying at CYA! I have met so many amazing people and have already seen so much of Greece. One of my humanitarian action classes called Borders, Boundaries, and Human Mobility has already taught me so much about how borders function and how they impact the identity of migrants and immigrants all over the world. My other course, Immigrants, Citizenship, and Nationalism, has also been a great source of knowledge as it has taught me lots about how citizenship affects immigrants and their identity as well. Through the Humanitarian Action Minor’s CYA program I have been able to secure an internship at the Network for Children’s Rights here in Athens! It has been an amazing opportunity so far and it is really awesome to be able to work with such an inspiring nonprofit. The Network for Children’s Rights focuses on working with children migrants, unaccompanied minors, and youth around the local communities as they raise awareness for their rights and provide them with various services to help with their development. CYA has offered me so many wonderful opportunities, is always there to help, and makes adjusting to your new Greek life and culture a lot easier than I thought it would be! They have immersed us in various new adventures and have been showing us everything that Greece has to offer! The field studies to different places in Greece have been some of the best experiences yet and being able to meet new people and make amazing memories along the way is something I will cherish forever!” - Nicole Moccio ‘25
