I am a graduate student at Villanova University as part of the five-year BA-MA program. During my undergrad I majored in Political Science and minored in History and Russian Area Studies, which included three years of courses on the Russian language. I am currently in graduate school at Villanova in the Political Science program. I generally focus on war and conflict regions both past and present in my studies. The former Soviet Union is often a focal point, but is not my sole focus. Issues in East Asia regarding China, or in the Middle East regarding Iran or Egypt are also areas in which I study. I stay up to date on international news using a variety of sources, and specifically track ongoing conflicts, including the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, the post-War in Afghanistan conflicts, the brewing conflict in West Africa, among many others. In studying history I attempt to relate it to current events, drawing parallels between two historical events, or direct causations from certain events to others. I am global and historical in my outlook, and I always want to hold as informed a viewpoint as possible on historical and current events across the planet. I have experience in fast and slow paced work environments. I previously worked in a busy fast-casual restaurant where keeping pace with my coworkers and working as a team was very important, and I was entrusted with some leadership responsibilities by my managers. This job was rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic and I am proud to have persevered through the intense change and uncertainty. I currently work at as an office assistant at the Villanova Career Center, where I have gained experience working in an office, dealing with employers, setting up for events, and approving or denying internship and job postings.In the summer of 2023 I studied abroad as part of IES' European Union program in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, where I learned about the functions and politics of the EU and its member states, and went on academic trips to Strasbourg, Paris, Brussels, and Stockholm. I also travelled during and after the conclusion of the program, visiting Zuerich, Basel, (Switzerland) Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Cologne, (Germany) Milan, Rome, Florence, (Italy) Ljubljana, Maribor, (Slovenia) Vienna, (Austria) Bratislava, (Slovakia) and Munich, (Germany) with the goal of absorbing the cultures and histories of each of those places.