Current Students
Current First Years- Class of 2024
Milan Bailey
Education: BA in Political Science & Sociology from Campbellsville University
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Intended Academic Focus: The relationship between democracy and religion, interagency coordination, the MENA region
Charlene Batlle
Education: B.A. in Humanities with a concentration in Politics and Ethics from Bard College Berlin
Hometown: Pinar del Río, Cuba
Intended Academic Focus: I would love to become an expert in Latin American Politics one day and offer advice in how to promote democracy in countries of the region.
Louis Bonnefous
Education: B.A. in Political Science and International Affairs from Northeastern University
Hometown: Paris, France
Intended Academic Focus: Immigration and refugees issues, and relation between nationalism and democracy
Leesa Danzek
Education: BA Political Science, University of Southern California
Hometown: Simi Valley, California
Intended Academic Focus: Civil society, conflict zones, threats to democracy in the U.S. and abroad
Sohila Hassan
Education: George Mason University
Hometown: Cairo, Egypt
Intended Academic Focus: involvement in international conflict, cultural and societal adaptations correlated with peace and conflict, security studies
Tyler Heffern
Education: BA in Politics from Fairfield University
Hometown: Stratford, Connecticut
Intended Academic Focus: Democratic Institutions, American Election Administration and Reform, Voter Suppression
Collin Hulling
Education: Western Oregon University
Hometown: Sheridan, Oregon
Intended Academic Focus: Impact of Authoritarian regimes, especially China/Russia in young, and established democracies around the world.
Opal Malai
Education: University of Kent (UK)
Hometown: Thailand
Intended Academic Focus: Political theory related to democracy
Ruwaidah Maudarbux
Education: BA Media and Communication – De Montfort University, MA International Studies and Diplomacy – School of Oriental and African Studies SOAS
Hometown: Northamptonshire – England
Intended Academic Focus: Democratic Backsliding, Emerging Democracies and Political Development of States & International Organisations.
Rafael De Osma
Education: BA in International Business at Rollins College
Hometown: Lima, Peru
Intended Academic Focus: Democratic backsliding and the rise of totalitarianism in Latin America.
Nathan Posner
Education: currently a dual BA/MA student with a major in Government and minors in Journalism and Hebrew.
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Intended Academic Focus: Democratic functionings at the ground level, recruiting and retaining election workers, democratic backsliding and how it effects those working within the electoral system itself.
Katja Volz
Education: BA in Sociology from University of British Columbia
Hometown: Boulder, Colorado
Intended Academic Focus: Democratization, Foreign Policy, Government Affairs
Current Second Years – Class of 2023
Michael Angeloni
Education: BA in Politics & International Affairs from Wake Forest University
Interests: Democratic backsliding, democratic transitions in Central and Eastern Europe, the global rise of authoritarianism
Languages: English
Ian Archbold
Education: B.A. in Political Science with a Minor in History, The University of Tampa
Interests: Democratization, Rule of Law, Constitutional Design, and Comparative Politics
Languages: English
Kion Bordbar
Education: B.A. in Political Science – University of Ottawa
Interests: Electoral Reform, Democratization, and Democratic Backsliding
Languages: English
Yusuf Can
Education: California State University, Sacramento Academic
Interests: Corruption, Politics of Turkey and of the Middle East, US Politics, Freedom of Press’ Freedom of Speech
Languages: English, Turkish
Abby Carlson
Education: B.A. in History and Pre-Law at Ohio Wesleyan University
Interests: Relationship between government and social movements, policy making and corruption in democracies
Languages: English
Max Henning
Education: University of Southern California, BA Neuroscience 2015
Interests: How efforts to renew and secure democracy can be strengthened through a biological understanding of feeling.
Languages: English, Neuroscience
Evan Mann
Education: BA in Political Science/International Relations, Minor in Human Rights- University of California, San Diego
Interests: International Relations/Comparative Politics, Democratic Backsliding/Deconsolidation, Electoral Authoritarianism
Languages: English.
Owen Myers
Education: B.A. in Political Science, B.A. in International Political Economy – Carthage College
Interests: Democratization as a Grand Strategy, Security-Sector Reform, Post-Conflict/Transition Democratization,
Languages: English,
Lindsey Levy
Education: B.S. Nonprofit Management and English Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison- Academic
Interests: Democratization in the Middle East, specifically focusing on counter-terrorism, anti-corruption, and human rights advocacy within Israel/Palestine-
Languages: English, Hebrew
Maryam Rayed
Education: MA in Gender and Women’s Studies & BA in sociology and philosophy- Kabul University
Interests: Democracy promotion in post-conflict
contexts, decentralized government systems, and good governance
Languages: Farsi/Persian, Pashto and English
Sammy Saleh
Education: The Catholic University of America, BA in Political Science
Interests: Government, International affairs relating to democratization and understanding democratic backsliding, Corruption.
Languages: English, Arabic
Kenza Sandi
Education: B.A. in Government & Politics – University of Maryland, College Park
Interests: Politics in the Middle East, Arab Politics & Social Movements, U.S. Foreign Policy, Democratic Backsliding, Political & Security Risk Assessment
Languages: English, French, Arabic, Spanish
Molly Sweet
Education: B.A. in Political Science with a Minor in German- Roger Williams University.
Interests: Climate and sustainability policy in developing nations and human development in democratic states and transitioning democracies.
Languages: German
James Venslauskas
Education: University of Toronto, Honors Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Development
Interests: Institutions of Governance and Representation; Constitutionalism and Democracy
Languages: English