Citizenship: United States

Born in the entertainment capital of the world, Burbank, California, I spent my formative years traveling the world and calling many different places home due to my father’s position as a US military officer. After resettling in Los Angeles, my journey as a first generation Armenian-American brought me to UC Davis, where I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (Honors) and minored in Japanese. During my undergraduate studies, I interned at a law firm and conducted research on a variety of topics, including women in governmental positions in emerging East Asian and Pacific nations and copyright law for Japanese media. I also enjoy thinking about how my interests tie in with my personal experiences, for instance, my project on how different forms of performing arts, such as the Takarazuka Revue and Armenian folk dance, convey cultural transmittance and inspire audiences to make lasting change in their societies. At Columbia, I am eager to develop research that will empower international communities to improve the welfare of our ever-changing world.