Connor is a rising sophomore at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC where he majors in Politics with a minor in Entrepreneurship. He joins the CTWAC team this summer as the Communications & Media Assistant. In his free time, Connor enjoys hiking, visiting art museums and exploring local coffee shops!

1. When and why did you first show interest in global affairs?
I was captivated by my social studies classes throughout high school, particularly because they helped me to develop an analytical perspective towards both global affairs throughout history and the world today. I enjoyed analyzing long-term patterns and learning about the crucial role that diplomacy has in transforming the world stage. My experience with the Model United Nations Program provided me with the opportunity to use the skills I had gained in the classroom to think critically and ultimately realize that everyone has the potential to create real change through forums for global affairs.

2. Do you have a particular area of interest within global affairs?
I am currently interested in exploring the role that social media holds in altering the norms for state-crafted communication, both domestically and in international or diplomatic situations. Given how recent this tool is and how large its impact is, assessing the way that states use social media to communicate introduces an entirely new mode of analyzing global affairs.

3. What do you do at CTWAC?
I am the Communications and Media Assistant/Intern, and so my tasks are focused on increasing community awareness of CTWAC through the development of effective social media and online posts, emails, and spotlights in local news outlets.

4. What do you do in your free time?
In my free time, I love to hike locally and to spend time visiting art museums (especially the Wadsworth!) I also have a passion for coffee and enjoy checking out the many local CT shops with my friends and family.

5. Why do you think that global engagement is important?
Global engagement is crucial, because I firmly believe that we each possess the duty to change our world, in some way, so that it is improved by our life’s end. This is not possible without being aware of the rich cultures and successes as well as the challenges and difficulties that are shared among our fellow global citizens.

6. Do you have any tips on how to get involved in global affairs?
Find an issue or topic that interests you and keep up with it! There are also many opportunities to attend events with the CTWAC, and countless podcasts from news outlets eager to supply you with global affairs updates.