"Sacred Heart educators immerse students in diverse global perspectives, developing competencies such as critical consciousness, language facility, and cultural literacy"

— Sacred heart Goal III, Criterion II

The 2024–25 school year marked a milestone for Stone Ridge: the graduation of the first students to complete the Global Studies Certificate Program—a transformative academic journey rooted in the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart education. Designed to prepare young women for lives of global leadership, empathy, and civic engagement, the program blends globally focused coursework, intercultural experiences, job shadowing, and reflection on identity, justice, and culture.

At the heart of the program is the Global Studies Summit, where students share a capstone “teach- out” to demonstrate their growth in global awareness, communication, and critical thinking. This year, three Fourth Academic students and Class of 2025 graduates—Ale, Lara, and Ruth—presented their journeys. Together, they wove a vibrant narrative of service, curiosity, and connection that embodies Goal III: a social awareness which impels to action.

Ale: Building Bridges

When Ale joined the Global Studies program, she didn’t realize just how profoundly it would shape her future. But with each class, volunteer opportunity, and immersive experience, her path became clearer. “I wouldn’t have thought about some of these classes if I weren’t pursuing the certificate,” she said. “But I’m really happy I did. These classes have helped me become more knowledgeable about things going on in the world and helped me realize the role I play in solving those issues.”

That role became clear during her job shadow with Sister Diane Roche, RSCJ, at the Catholic Charities Office for Refugees. There, Ale served as an interpreter for clients navigating immigration paperwork. “This job shadow experience actually helped me finalize what I want to do in the future,” she notes. “I have decided that I want to go into immigration law.” 

Ale continued using her language skills—supporting Spanish-speaking families at Cannon Road Elementary, and returning to her former bilingual school, Sacred Heart School. In each of these roles, Ale used her language skills not just to translate, but to connect—serving as a bridge between cultures and communities, ensuring families were heard and supported.

Her global awareness also expanded abroad through the Sacred Heart Network Exchange Program in Spain, where she lived with a host family and embraced daily life in another culture. Ale also witnessed the confluence of faith and advocacy while attending the Ignatian Solidarity Network Teach-In for Justice. “You’re building a community of people who are also passionate about the same issues,” Ale shared. “And you’re doing it because of your faith.”

“These experiences have helped me realize that you don’t really have to travel the world to make a difference—you can start in your community.”

Ale graduated with the Global Studies Certificate, the Philippine Duchesne Award, the Seal of Biliteracy, and a Department Award in Spanish. This fall, she started at Mount St. Mary’s University, carrying forward her vision of justice, service, and language as a force for change. 

Lara: Leading with Language

Raised in a multicultural household, Lara grew up speaking both Russian and Spanish—and traveling extensively—which helped spark her interest in diplomacy and international relations. At Stone Ridge, Lara pursued global themes through her coursework and leadership, earning the Seal of Biliteracy in Russian and Spanish, tutoring peers, and serving as Student Body President.

Lara’s understanding of global connection crystallized through three intercultural experiences. In the summer of 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, Lara volunteered in Kraków, Poland, distributing food and clothing to Ukrainian refugees. Navigating conversations in Russian was emotionally complex, but it sharpened her awareness of how language and politics intersect.

“A lot of them just really needed someone to talk to,” she shared. “It was a difficult relationship to navigate because I don’t speak any Ukrainian, and most Ukrainians do speak Russian, but a lot were choosing not to.”

The experience fueled her desire to focus more deeply on Eastern Europe. The following summer, Lara spent seven weeks in Kazakhstan after being selected for the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y), a prestigious U.S. Department of State program. There, she saw firsthand the role young people play in citizen diplomacy.

“A lot of the books we’ve read in English are the same books that people are reading in Kazakhstan,” she reflected. “Some of the universal truths in those books are relevant all over the world.”

She rounded out her global education the following summer at the Virginia Governor’s School for the Humanities, where she researched child labor in Asia and examined how U.S. policy can shape more ethical global supply chains.

“I wanted to learn more about how things internationally affect us locally—and how things we do locally affect international politics.”

This fall, Lara began her studies at Vanderbilt University, where she plans to study International Relations with future ambitions in the State Department or Peace Corps. Her path underscores how social awareness begins at home and expands outward in action. 

Ruth: Cultivating Connection

For Ruth, the Global Studies program offered an intentional academic path rooted in empathy and inquiry. Her courses—ranging from World Religions and AP Government to Literature of the African Diaspora and Social Studies for Social Problems—helped her analyze social structures and cultural narratives with a justice lens.

Ruth’s intercultural experiences furthered that mission. On a Stone Ridge photography trip to abroad, she used Spanish to engage with local artisans, discovering how language deepens human connection. “Just by knowing that additional language, I’m able to not only have a deeper conversation and make a closer connection with someone—you get to see a different side of you.”

A visual arts trip to Japan challenged Ruth to step out of her comfort zone and connect without a shared spoken language. Using translation apps and creative exchange, she was reminded that art, like empathy, is universal.

Lastly, a faith-based service trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, to build a local school helped bring it all together. “Faith can really connect us,” Ruth reflected. “Even if we didn’t believe the same things, just the idea of faith can help connect people.”

Back in the U.S., Ruth shadowed at Guidehouse, a global consulting firm, where she saw how global thinking informs business strategy. Her journey affirmed that awareness and action—whether through art, faith, or policy—are inseparable.

“Embracing a globally focused curriculum means applying the questions, analysis, and critical thinking beyond the platform—beyond when it’s required.”

Ruth graduated with the Global Studies Certificate, the Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish, and the Barat Award, one of Stone Ridge’s highest student honors. She is now continuing her studies at the College of the Holy Cross, carrying forward her commitment to inquiry, creativity, and global citizenship.

A Tapestry of Global Citizenship

The journeys of Ale, Lara, and Ruth remind us that global citizenship is not defined by geography but rather by perspective, compassion, and engagement. Each student translated classroom learning into service, advocacy, and intercultural exchange—living out Goal III by recognizing injustice, building bridges, and cultivating connection.

As Stone Ridge celebrates its first Global Studies Certificate graduates, these young women exemplify how Sacred Heart education forms leaders prepared to serve the common good in an interdependent world. Their stories remind us that global awareness must always impel us to act—whether across oceans or in our own neighborhoods.

The threads Ale, Lara, and Ruth have woven are just the beginning of a much larger tapestry, one that continues to grow with each student who dares to ask challenging questions, build stronger bridges, and bring her whole self— language, faith, creativity, and heart—to the world around her. Thanks to the leadership of this inaugural cohort, the next classes are not only inspired—they’re ready to pick up the thread. ❤