Current Students
2020-2021 Year:
Joshua Allen- First Year
Education: B.A. in Political Science and Creative Writing, Minor in Gender Studies
Interests: Constitutional Design, Political Theory, Media Studies, Gender and Ethnicity Studies.
Languages: English
Saskia Bérengère Brain- First Year
Education: B.A. Political Science & International Relations, University of Kent (U.K.)
Interests: Government, Public Policy, Diplomacy, and International Relations
Languages: English, French
Janelle Clausen- First Year
Education: B.A. in Journalism, specialization in Public Policy and Public Affairs – Stony Brook University
Interests: Democratization, democratic backsliding, electoral reform, civil liberties, and modern authoritarianism.
Languages: English
Rebecca Harris- First Year
Education: B.A. History and American Studies University of Sussex with a year abroad at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Interests: Western Democracies, Public Policy and Democratic Backsliding
Languages: English
Wagner “Will” Rodrigues Horta- First Year
Education: Lake Forest College, B.A. in Politics, with a Legal Studies minor
Interests: Good governance, international aid, democratization
Languages: English and Portuguese
Savannah Jones– First Year
Education: Georgetown University, still completing my BA in Government with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies
Interests: Human rights and women’s empowerment, democracy assistance, international relations
Languages: English
Alexander Mayer
Education: B.A. Political Science, Trinity College
M.A. Public Policy, Trinity College
Interests: Political Economy; Institutional Reform; State-Society Relations; Informal / Self-Governance; Political Violence; Latin America
Languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish
Nicholas “Coty” Novak- First Year
Education: B.A. in Politics, minors in Creative Writing and Chinese- New York University
Interests: Electoral reform, nonviolent movements, media development
Languages: English, Mandarin Chinese, French
Paula Pecorella- First Year
Education: Stony Brook University – Major: Political Science | Minor: Journalism & Semester at Sea
Interests: International politics – more specifically in the role and impact of social media and technology in developing countries.
Languages: English
Taylor Williams– First Year
Education: B.A. Triple Major in History, Political Science and Gender Studies – Randolph-Macon College
Interests: Government, Diplomacy and Foreign Relations
Languages: English
2019-2020 Year:
Nicholas Albano – Second Year
Education: B.A. BYU-Idaho
Interests: Conflict and Democracy Relationship, Ethnic Conflict and Peace, Democratic Backsliding, Nonviolent Movements, Peacebuilding
Languages: English
Alexander Baker – Second Year
Education: B.A. Political Science & International Studies, University of Kentucky
Interests: Democracy Assistance, Populism in Europe, and Media Development
Languages: English, Spanish, German
Maeve Edwards – Second Year
Education: B.A. Political Science, Minor in Economics, Mary Baldwin University
Interests: Authority, Government, and Political Economy
Languages: English
Marianna Jardim – Second Year
Education: B.A. Social Communications — Journalism and Minor in International Politics, PUC-Rio
Interests: Electoral Systems, Democratization, Comparative Politics
Languages: English, Portuguese, French, Spanish, German
Augusto Ceasar Pedro Jo – Second Year
Education: B.A. Philosophy at Arrupe Jesuit School of Philosophy and Humanities – Harare
B.A. Theology at Institut de Théologie de la Compagnie de Jésus ITCJ – Abidjan
Interests: African Politics and Governance
Languages: Portuguese, French, English
Ruby Karki – Second Year
Education: B.A. Farleigh Dickinson University
Interests: Civil Society engagement, Political Theory, Development, and the Philosophy of Classical Antiquity.
Languages: English, Nepali, Hindi
Joe Laposata – Second Year
Education: B.A. Government, Minors in Theology and Performing Arts, Georgetown University
Interests: Electoral Fairness, Voting Systems, Democratic Backsliding
Languages:English, Latin
Bowen Qi – Second Year
Education: B.A. Political Science, University of California Irvine
Interests: State Failure, Post conflict peace building, Rise of Populism & Populist constitutional reform
Languages: English, Chinese
Michael Bongani Reinders- Second Year
Education: B.A. Law, University of Pretoria, L.L.B. Honours in Political Science, University of Pretoria L.L.M., University of Pretoria
Interests: Southern African politics, Education policy Reformation, Social justice advocacy, Decolonization
Languages: English, Afrikaans
William Ritchey – Second Year
Education: B.A. Political Science & International Affairs, Minor in History, Certificate in LGBT and Gender Studies, Northern Illinois University
Interests: Conflict and Democracy Relationship, Ethnic Conflict and Peace, Democratic Backsliding, Nonviolent Movements, Peacebuilding
Languages: English, German
Isabella Wilkinson – Second Year
Education: BSc International Relations & History with Mandarin Chinese, London School of Economics
Interests: Local Governance, Political Development & State-Building
Languages: English, French, Mandarin Chinese