Eckerd College students met with a lawyer from the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, an international NGO focused on peaceful diplomacy and human rights. Photos supplied by Keara Keast ’27
Once summer began, Professor Emerita Mary Meyer McAleese, Ph.D. and Director of Leadership Giving Kyla Smith ’19 escorted 13 students to Geneva, Switzerland, and Strasbourg, France, to apply their learning on the institutions, rules, and regulations that shape international law and governance to real organizations and institutions.
This Spring-into-Summer course, titled Geneva International Law and Governance, examined the intricacies of international law for four months before moving beyond the classroom.
In Geneva, with a more global focus, the students visited international organizations, such as the World Trade Organization and the International Labour Organization, and non-governmental organizations, including the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, the Global Detention Project, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum and other historically important sites. Throughout their time in Geneva, students engaged with specialists who shared their professional expertise on global affairs.
“Seeing these institutions, meeting these real people, and observing the passion and genuine desire to work with other countries on global problems has given me hope in a time of declining international relations,” says Miranda Arias, a junior international relations and global affairs student from Norwalk, Connecticut.
Students participated in a briefing hosted by the Centre d’Accueil de la Genève Internationale, engaging with retired officials from the International Labor Organization, the United Nations Development Program, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
Students joined Gabe Mazza ’68 at the Council of Europe, where the class met with Council officials to learn about the organization’s role.
“Much of this work goes overlooked and unseen by the majority, but they are helping and working towards major progress for people and situations that need it the most, and most importantly, they are doing it together,” she says.
After Geneva, the students headed to Strasbourg to investigate governance at the European regional level. Major visits included the European Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights, and the Council of Europe. Through tours, lectures, and discussions with experts and officials, students gained valuable insight into how these institutions help shape policy and uphold democratic values across Europe.
These impactful visits could not have been organized without the help of Gabriele G. Mazza ’68. An Eckerd alumnus and honorary trustee, Mazza eagerly stepped in to help his fellow Tritons with their studies. Not only did he take time out of his retirement to organize and accompany the students on visits and lectures, but he also welcomed them with open arms, encouraging questions and aiding their learning “not as an expert, but more as a big brother I should hope.”
The students met with several Council of Europe officials to learn more about the role of the organization.
One aspect of his distinguished career was serving as director of education and culture for the Council of Europe. Through his connections, students participated in specialized discussions with members of the European Council, including officials from the Youth Center and the Parliamentary Assembly. This visit was particularly meaningful for Mazza, as it was his final post before retirement, and he had not set foot in that building for nearly 15 years before returning with the students.
“Gabe Mazza was such an incredible help to me and the rest of the students on our trip. Despite being a European citizen who has not attended Eckerd since before I was born, he gladly jumped at the chance to help each and every one of us and interacted with us like peers,” says Rio Edmondson, a senior international relations and global affairs and political science student from Durango, Colorado. “That is what Eckerd is all about—helping one another and being a tight-knit community no matter the time or distance.”
