"I could not have picked a better pair of parents. With their work ethic and business success, they have been amazing examples to follow, and they gave me just enough freedom to make my own mistakes. From this, I grew into an incredibly independent person," says Kate Molony, an Honors student who is carrying a double major in International Affairs and Psychology.

"Because my family is Australian (I have dual citizenship), I have always had exposure to current events outside the U.S., and I am well traveled. Learning about different cultures at a young age sparked my interest in International Affairs," Kate says. Performing exceptionally well on the Psychology portion of her International Baccalaureate exams, she thought she could easily manage it as a second major. "I really enjoy Psychology and knew it would help me learn to deal with people."

Under the guidance of Dr. Graham Kinloch, College of Social Sciences, Kate is now completing her Honors in the Major Thesis in International Affairs. "My research discusses the factors that are currently inhibiting the U.S. from addressing the human rights violations in Zimbabwe. To the current events between the two countries, I've applied four major conditions that would be conducive for any country to intervene directly—the presence of international support, the absence of other more important foreign policy issues, the absence of a major backlash from such action, and the absence of other more appropriate entities to initiate humanitarian intervention."

Kate's "pride and joy" are her academic achievements. She maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA, has been in the Honors Program since her freshman year, and recently discovered she is ranked first in the spring 2008 graduating class.

An "amazing highlight" of her academics was a summer spent in Paris, France through FSU's International Programs. "I loved every second of it! Being surrounded by everything French, my language skills flourished. All the things I had studied in class came to life. I got to know the city on a personal level by walking everywhere. I sampled different French cuisines, and, of course, I lost myself in the Louvre a couple of times. Afterward, my friend and I took trains across Europe, visiting Austria, Germany, Italy, and the French Riviera."

What's next for this student of the world? First, to obtain her private pilot's license, a process she's now working on. During the summer, she'll travel to Arizona for a leadership conference and to Australia to visit family. In the fall, she begins Law School, while also working toward an MBA.

"I believe each day will be better than the one before. Carpe diem, that's how I live!"