Francisco Gamez was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and grew up in Miami. After almost a decade of experience working in the private sector, Frank will graduate from Florida International University’s Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, along with undergraduate certificates in National Security and Latin American and Caribbean Studies. His academic journey is complemented by a series of internships at various federal agencies, including the General Services Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of State. Frank is an Eagle Scout and dedicates his time to volunteering with organizations such as Rotary International and the Boy Scouts of America. As he looks towards the future, Frank is excited about exploring opportunities for further studies in graduate schools, aiming to deepen his expertise in international relations and foreign policy. His languages include Spanish and French.

Clemencia El Antouri was born and raised in Covington, Georgia. She attended the University of Georgia and double majored in International Affairs and Romance Languages. While in university, she was a Security Leadership Fellow at the Center for International Trade and Security and an ambassador for the School of Public and International Affairs. She also worked at the British Standards Institute as a Research Associate and the Office of Global Engagement as a Junior Advisor. She is most interested in the topics of Middle Eastern affairs, East Asian affairs, refugees and migration, and humanitarian development. Clemencia’s languages include Arabic, Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese.

Gal Cohen was born in Israel and raised in Boulder County, Colorado. She was a first-generation college student at Colby College and graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Global Studies and a concentration in International Relations. Gal has completed internships with non-profits, NGOs, and think tanks across five continents, including the Center for European Policy Studies in Brussels and the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. Gal currently works in the U.S. Senate as a foreign policy legislative staffer and previously worked in the U.S. House of Representatives. Her interests lie in the nexus between foreign and technology policy. Gal’s languages include Spanish and Hebrew.

Piara Biggs was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware. She graduated summa cum laude from Middlebury College with a Bachelor’s Degree in International and Global Studies focusing on Global Security Studies. Piara is passionate about advocating for human rights and humanitarian assistance for vulnerable and displaced populations affected by conflicts and disasters. She has studied abroad in France, Morocco, and in Jordan as a 2019 Boren Scholar. Piara previously worked in the U.S. House of Representatives, and she is currently employed as a Staff Assistant in the U.S. Senate. Her languages include French and Arabic.

Oluwakemi Adewalure is a first-generation Nigerian American from New Jersey. She graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies and American Studies. She has interned at the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission and the United States Trade Representative. Post-graduation, Kemi worked at the United States Institute of Peace on the China and Northeast Asia Team, focusing on U.S.-China relations and ways to strengthen diplomacy to reduce tensions and enhance peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Her languages include Yoruba, Korean, Spanish, Mandarin, and Japanese.

Fardosa Hassan is a first-generation Somali American who was born in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya and immigrated to Clarkston at the age of eight, she brings a unique perspective to her studies and future career. She graduated from UGA with bachelor’s degrees in entertainment and media studies from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and financial planning from the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. Currently, she is an AmeriCorps member serving at the New American Pathways, a refugee resettlement organization. During her time at UGA, Hassan produced, directed, and wrote several short films. Her first film, Zone 5B, received an official selection at the 2023 Student World Impact Film Festival (SWIFF). She also served as a Grady College Ambassador.

Sama Kubba is originally from Iraq and grew up in Virginia. She is concurrently graduating in May 2024 from Harvard College with a BA in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and Government and from Harvard GSAS with an MA in Modern Middle Eastern Studies. Sama has worked at the State Department for two years in several offices such as the Bureau for Near Eastern Affairs and the American Institute in Taiwan, for Senator Warren on immigration, and for Carnegie-China s Director on the Indo-Pacific. Sama currently works for NASA s Office of Interagency and International Affairs.

Efe Oboh-Idahosa was born and raised in Nigeria but relocated to the United States with her family at the age of 12. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She minored in Black, Legal, and Urban Studies and has a concentration in pre-law. Efe’s topics of interest are gender equity and equality, immigration, economy, and politics. Her languages include Pidgin English, Edo, and Yoruba.

Joseph Pesmen is from Chicago, Illinois. He is a COVID-era graduate of American University, where he studied international relations. J.’s career with the State Department began at age 19 and has since included roles supporting the Secretary’s Office of Executive Technology and Operation Allies Welcome. He is currently on an external assignment to the White House Situation Room. His languages include Levantine Arabic, serial commas, and puns.

Tristin Schultz is from Pasco, Washington. He graduated from Seattle University, where he studied International Relations and Economics focused on the Korean Peninsula s political economy and North Korea’s human rights violations. He has interned at the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, where he researched the North Korean informal economy and the security-human rights nexus, and with the U.S. Embassy in the Marshall Islands. In 2019, Tristin studied abroad at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea as a David L. Boren Scholar and currently teaches at a middle school in Masan, South Korea as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. His languages include Korean and Spanish.

Ryan St. Jean originally from New York City, is currently a senior at Syracuse University where he studies international relations with concentrations in international security and Europe. His interests include conflict resolution, arms control, and the promotion of citizen diplomacy. He also has a deep interest in Europe, specifically U.S.-NATO relations. He is proficient in French.

Aaron Yost is originally from Holland, Michigan. He currently lives in Washington, DC where he works as a foreign policy fellow at the House of Representatives. Last spring, Aaron graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa where he majored in political science. While in college, he interned for the Council on Foreign Relations, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and the Department of State’s Office of Foreign Missions. Aaron also studied abroad in London and in Jordan as a Gilman Scholar. He currently lives as one of the few Americans at the International Student House in DC, and he enjoys exploring the city with friends from all around the world.