Mary is originally from a small town outside of Madison, Wisconsin, and attended Bucknell University, where she majored in International Relations with a minor in Arabic. At Bucknell, she was heavily involved in student government and studied abroad in Jordan for a few weeks. She has interned at the Office of the Governor and a United States Senator’s office in Wisconsin and was also a research intern for an alderperson’s campaign. Through these experiences, she developed a strong foundation in government operations, public service communication, and constituent relationship management. In the Master of Arab Studies program, she is interested in exploring themes related to political authority, conflict, displacement, and gender. She is especially drawn to examining how political upheaval and protracted conflict have reshaped societal relations in the Middle East. In her free time, she enjoys reading, knitting, and trying new coffee places, and is excited to visit the museums and monuments in DC!
