Annalise is a sophomore in Columbia College studying Political Science and History from Laredo, Texas. She became involved in the Global Thought Scholars Program to expand her interests in immigration, poverty, politics, economics, and access to clean water. Growing up in a city along the US-Mexico border, she witnessed first-hand the global effects of national policy and was raised with the awareness of international relations and shared cultures. Annalise has championed initiatives to advocate for the border community by organizing charity drives, working to reunite children separated from their families, and conducting legislative research in the Texas Legislature.