Meet Our Majors

Meet some of our Diplomacy and World Affairs (DWA) majors.

Will McMillan

Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Major: DWA Minor: Russian Studies

What was your motivation to major in DWA?

When I applied to Oxy, I had little doubt that DWA was going to be my major, but it wasn’t until a gap year experience in Ukraine that I knew I wanted to focus on Eastern Europe, authoritarianism, and conflict analysis. Though I’d seen life during wartime in Kyiv, I knew little about the theoretical frameworks for why conflicts occur. As a result, my time there left me with a desire to understand how conflicts are analyzed on the macro-level and how our international system works to prevent them.

Can you describe your working relationships with DWA professors? Are there any standout classes you’ve taken?

At Oxy, I was lucky enough to find a professor who specialized in Russian politics. Though there weren’t any specific classes around Russian internal politics, I’ve since worked with Prof. Logvinenko to hone my interests and apply my DWA focus to Eastern European studies. Though security studies are my focus, the DWA department’s emphasis on human rights exposed me to a field of study that I would have otherwise not looked at. Furthermore, DWA 102 and my junior seminar were crucial in building my understanding of the international human rights framework. Analyzing the successes and failures of international organizations through DWA gave me a foundational view of conflict prevention and human rights that I hope to employ in future research.

Studying Estonian security in a time of daily Russian threats solidified my desire to learn from the field, and my time there added gravity to my studies that has kept me motivated to continue this path.

Did you study abroad? How did it enhance your education?

When choosing a place to study abroad, DWA and the Russian language were my primary motivators. Estonia provided the perfect crossroads between these two disciplines. I took an intensive Russian language program, which was complemented by experiences in Russian-speaking communities in the country. Additionally, I worked at an Estonian defense and security think tank that delivered analysis to the Ministry of Defense. Studying Estonian security in a time of daily Russian threats solidified my desire to learn from the field, and my time there added gravity to my studies that has kept me motivated to continue this path.

What are your ambitions post-Oxy and how has the liberal arts approach helped to put you on this path?

Despite the varying interests and specialties of students and teachers, the DWA department has been a place in which I’ve been able to build foundational skills to apply to my research interests. Regardless of my path forward, I hope to work in an environment that fosters the collaborative atmosphere I found here. As a result of studying abroad and my studies at Oxy, I would like to get back to Eastern Europe and continue research on how Europe is adapting to Russian threats.

What is the vibe of the DWA department?

Diverse! The wide scope of the major and discussion-based classes lend themselves to diversity of thought, opinion, and interests. I’ve spent more time discussing class topics outside the classroom, which I think is a testament to how relevant the subject matter is to the world around us.

Aadya Nayak

Hometown: San Diego, CA
Major: DWA Minor: cognitive science

What was your motivation to major in DWA?

When I first started at Oxy, I was initially interested in studying politics and constitutional law. However, I took DWA 102 with Prof. Chase, a course focused on the structure and work of international organizations, and participated in an end-of-semester interactive simulation on United Nations Security Council reform. This exposed me to the intersections between multilateral institutions, human rights, and international law, which I discovered I was really intrigued by and wanted to explore further as a DWA major.

Can you describe your working relationships with DWA professors? Are there any standout classes you’ve taken?

My working relationship with DWA professors has been overwhelmingly positive—they are very supportive while also pushing students to think critically about material we engage with in class. I have appreciated the professors’ commitment to ensuring that as DWA students, we have the tools to actively contribute to academic discourse and to synthesize our personal interests with international affairs. One standout class I took was “A Primer for Revolution” with Prof. Reddy. This class focused on the history of student-led social movements, which allowed me to learn about the different strategies young people internationally have used to advocate for both civil and human rights.

I am currently in New York as a part of the Kahane United Nations program where I am working with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Did you study abroad? How did it enhance your education?

In the spring of 2026 I studied abroad at the University of Sussex in England in their Global Studies Department. Since I had never been anywhere in Europe before, my study abroad experience was monumental for not only learning about international affairs from a different perspective, but also for developing my cultural competency which is important when studying global politics. I highly recommend study abroad for any student even remotely interested in international affairs! I am currently in New York as a part of the Kahane United Nations program where I am working with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This experience so far has been invaluable in terms of giving me hands-on experience to learn how concepts we read about in our courses, such as human rights and international law, are actually making an impact through a multilateral forum like the UN.

What is the vibe of the DWA department?

I would describe the vibe of the department as inquisitive, driven, and supportive. The professors really do want students to find what they are passionate about, and are ready to support as needed whether through research opportunities, course suggestions, or office hours. I am grateful for the space the DWA department provides to engage with difficult concepts in a nuanced manner and to think critically about our contributions both as individuals and academics in an increasingly fast-paced and globalized world.

Evan Jensen

Hometown: Ida Grove, IA and Kathmandu, Nepal
Majors: DWA, economics

What was your motivation to major in DWA?

When I committed to Occidental, I knew I wanted to major in DWA. But I had no clue what that would entail. I assumed our intro class would be all about the history of diplomacy. When I walked into DWA 101, Prof. Chu completely reframed the major. Fundamentally, we were there to question, to understand, and to see the world through different lenses. While these frameworks—Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism, and more—are oversimplifications, I understood that we were moving beyond simple history or theory. In my first class, I was given tools to practice observing and to seek a truer understanding of the world around me. That’s when I knew—I was sticking with DWA.

Our professors want to invest in you.

Can you describe your working relationships with DWA professors? Are there any standout classes you’ve taken?

All DWA professors I’ve interacted with at Oxy are genuinely interested—in their classes, in their area of research, and in you as their student. I’ve found it so easy to talk with professors about class materials, assignments, their research, or general advice, and to pick their brains and get to know them! Our professors want to invest in you. As an example, my advisor, Prof. Logvinenko, has been extremely helpful. He’s given me great recommendations for classes, professors to chat with, and even opportunities to explore during my summers. A standout class I’m taking right now is "Contemporary Issues in International and Human Rights Law" with Prof. Chase. Because it's a seminar-style class, students have much more leeway to debate and discuss issues with one another. This engagement-based class really encapsulates the best of what Oxy can offer and is an environment that the DWA department both equips you for and allows you to thrive in.

Have you taken part in any student research opportunities through Oxy?

Yes, I have been able to conduct research with Prof. Logvinenko, alongside two other students, on renewable energy policy in Eastern Europe. Not only does the research help all of us understand the region, but it’s also laying the groundwork for a two-week research trip to Croatia through the Richter Faculty-Led Research Program, where the group will engage with policymakers, businesses, and local communities on the ground.

Did you study abroad?

International experience opens your eyes to the world. While I don’t plan to study abroad at Occidental, I grew up partly in Kathmandu, and any situation that pushes you beyond your comfort zone changes how you see everything after it. That’s what I bring into the DWA classroom, and it’s the mindset the team heading to Croatia will need.

A liberal arts education has been crucial to approaching my future with confidence. It allows for growth and learning, both inside and outside the classroom.

What are your ambitions post-Oxy and how has the liberal arts approach helped to put you on this path?

My ultimate goal is to work in the foreign service. A liberal arts education has been crucial to approaching my future with confidence. It allows for growth and learning, both inside and outside the classroom. I’m able to explore topics and interests I never knew I’d find myself immersed in. Suddenly I’m an econ double major? This is a space that no technological innovation can replace—no matter what, as long as you choose the path of engagement, you'll be debating and arguing, developing critical-thinking skills. Critical thinking—this is the calling card and the value of the liberal arts.

What is the vibe of the DWA department?

Curious. Why is the world the way it is? How could we change it? An institution that emphasizes research and exploration, a liberal arts experience focused on well-roundedness, and a major built on critical thinking—together, these nurture naturally curious students. Students across the board are so friendly and ready to connect; we're all here to learn, and it's easy to strike up conversations with classmates.

Harper Burton

Hometown: Canberra, Australia
Major: DWA Minor: German Studies

Have you taken part in any student research opportunities through Oxy?

Last summer, working with Prof. Klemm, I participated in the Undergraduate Research Center’s Summer Research Program to research the political reconstruction of Germany after World War II. This was an incredibly valuable experience because I not only got to improve and test my critical research and writing skills, but also explored my academic interests and took my academic work to the next level.

Did you study abroad? How did it enhance your education?

I am currently studying abroad in Berlin! Berlin is an amazing city in which to explore the legacy of internationalism, and it complements my classwork very well: I get to visit sites, museums, and cultural centers that reflect much of the theory and events that we explore in DWA classes.

[Undergraduate research] was an incredibly valuable experience because I not only got to improve my critical research and writing skills, but also explored my academic interests and took my academic work to the next level.

What was your motivation to major in DWA?

I knew I wanted to be a DWA major after participating in the Global Crisis Simulation as part of DWA 101! I had so much fun working with a team to mitigate crises as a country, and enjoyed being able to actively employ the skills and knowledge I had gained throughout the course. I loved how hands-on we could get with the concepts we explored during class.

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To see more Meet Our Majors profiles, visit the main page.

Past Majors

Francesca Romero

Hometown: Walnut Creek, CA
Major: DWA; minors: politics, Latino/a and Latin American Studies

What was your motivation to major in DWA?

I was really interested in political science when I got to Oxy and was convinced I would be a politics major. I decided to take DWA 101 on a whim and really loved the comparative element of the major, the focus on discussion in the class, and of course the simulation at the end of the semester. I ended up declaring after that and have found that many of the other DWA classes have been just as engaging, if not more so.

What is the “vibe” of the DWA department?

The vibe of the DWA department is super cool honestly! The professors are sweet and they truly do care about their students and the work they’re doing. Most students in the major are genuinely interested in it and love diving deep into their research. I also feel like the major tries to build a community—there are faculty-student hikes, professors will bring their dogs sometimes, and an annual DWA party at the end of the year. Overall, it’s an awesome major!

Can you describe your working relationships with DWA professors?

I feel like so many of the professors within the major are super willing to sit down and listen to your interests and what you think about the readings or what’s currently going on in the world. I’d describe myself as fairly shy, but I still feel like I’ve been able to cultivate a relationship with my professors and their support has truly made me feel much more confident in my abilities as a student. I think some standout classes I’ve taken so far are Professor Laura Hebert’s Gender and International Human Rights class and the DWA Task Force where students can conduct research for a client. Professor Hebert’s class really sharpened my ability to think critically about why and how issues are centered within international relations and the Task Force is just so unique because I never imagined being able to conduct this kind of research in my undergraduate career.

So many of the professors within the major are super willing to sit down and listen to your interests and what you think about the readings or what’s currently going on in the world.

Have you taken part in any student research opportunities at Oxy?

Currently I’m participating in the DWA Task Force! We’re working with the Human Rights Cities Alliance on a threefold research project that will culminate in the creation of a guidebook for cities who are interested in becoming human rights cities. Again, the opportunity is so unique and I feel that it will be one of the highlights in my academic career here at Oxy. As for senior comps, we are beginning to look at potential ideas for research. I’m currently considering doing my senior comps project on memory work done on femicide in Latin America.

What do you find most compelling about studying DWA?

I think what I find most compelling about studying DWA is how many directions you can really take it. I’m super interested in Latin American studies and have been able to take so many classes related to that and it can count for my major. The professors in the department really encourage you to seek out your interests and are very willing to help you out. Additionally, I feel like your peers are so fascinating to talk to because everybody always has something different to offer in discussions. Nobody is just repeating the same sentiment, they always have a unique take on the topic.

What I find most compelling about studying DWA is how many directions you can really take it. I’m super interested in Latin American studies and have been able to take so many classes related to that and it counts for my major.

What are your ambitions post-Oxy and how has the liberal arts approach helped to shape these ambitions?

My ambitions post-Oxy are to become a movement lawyer and work with local communities and coalitions on housing reform. The liberal arts approach has helped to shape these ambitions because I feel like the DWA major has given me the ability to look into how other countries are doing liberation and building from the bottom up—lessons we can learn from here in the U.S. Meanwhile, other classes I’ve taken for minors and core requirements always match up in really interesting ways. Last semester I took Introduction to Linguistics and it really added so much more nuance to my understanding of how to make things more equitable, right down to how things like policy or surveys are written. Things like that are what make a liberal arts education so valuable to me. Without the push to really go out and explore things on a whim, I feel like I would have missed out on so much knowledge that has helped to shape my understanding of the world in a nuanced way.

Do you have any advice for a student considering a major in DWA?

First: Have fun! Take classes you love and are interested in because it really will help you to enjoy the content you learn about and want to look for applications in and out of the classroom. Second: Plan early! The major is certainly intensive and planning helps out a lot. If you want to study abroad, do the UN program, or simply want to finish your major on time, you should be planning things out sooner rather than later.

Renn Stearns

Hometown: Missoula, MT
Major: DWA; minors: politics, art history

What was your motivation to major in DWA?

While I originally intended to major in politics, after taking DWA 101 my first year I learned how exciting expanding my existing knowledge of American politics could be through a comparative perspective. I was particularly inspired by that class because I met great classmates who are now some of my best friends and my professor was great at introducing the theories of international relations while connecting them to our shared interest in the diffusion of LGBTQIA+ rights internationally. After this experience, I continued with DWA and took the department’s 102 class where I learned about international organizations, which solidified my interest in the major.

Can you describe your working relationships with DWA professors?

I have great relationships with all of my DWA professors, which has created a strong foundation for my interest in international relations. Each of my professors has taken an interest in the lives of me and my classmates outside of the classroom while similarly prioritizing their students’ academic success and interests. A class that stands out in this regard would be the recent Gender and International Human Rights class I took with Professor Hebert. There I was able to engage with exciting topics such as the challenges facing international feminism and the gendered experience of war in an academic but friendly environment facilitated by my peers and our professor.

Each of my professors has taken an interest in the lives of me and my classmates outside of the classroom while similarly prioritizing their students’ academic success and interests.

What do you find most compelling about studying DWA?

Having arrived at Oxy interested mainly in domestic affairs, the DWA department taught me the importance of studying the world and how it can both shape and be shaped by states themselves. This unique dynamic allows for the creation and diffusion of human rights, the protection of state sovereignty and self-determination, the facilitation and regulation of global finance, international cooperation on sustainable development, and so much more. Through this, I have been able to either discover or expand my interests in international LGBTQIA+ and women’s rights, sustainable development, and the distinct role of international law.

Do you have any advice for a student considering a major in DWA?

My advice for anyone considering the DWA major would be to take the intro classes early so you can better take more classes from other departments that complement your major classes throughout your time at Oxy. Since I started the intro courses my first year, I’ve been able to supplement my major with classes in departments such as Critical Theory and Social Justice, politics, and beyond, which has allowed me to gain an interdisciplinary approach to my education in international relations. Outside the DWA major, I am minoring in politics, which gives me a domestic perspective on many of the themes I study in DWA, and art history, which allows me to think about the origin of the structures we study in DWA today through a creative lens.

As DWA majors, we are interested in studying the fast-paced and complicated issues of global change, interconnection, and governance.

What is the “vibe” of the DWA department?

If I had to classify the vibe of the department I would say it draws students who are driven, curious, critical thinkers, and open-minded. As DWA majors, we are interested in studying the fast-paced and complicated issues of global change, interconnection, and governance. Similarly, the professors are all passionate about these ideas and their students’ success, and each brings a wide range of specialties and interests to their instruction.

Hannah Christensen

Hometown: Seattle, WA
Major: DWA; minor: history

What was your motivation to major in DWA?

My passion for international relations and human rights started at a young age. I was around seven when I was given a book that UNICEF created, which discussed the lives of children in different regions of the world. As a young child, I was also transformed when reading about human rights crises such as lack of access to sanitary drinking water, access to education, refugee crises, and more. Since then, I’ve always had the drive to learn more about the world around me and enter some kind of human rights work at some point in my life.

Can you describe your working relationships with DWA professors? Are there any standout classes you’ve taken?

The professors in the Diplomacy and World Affairs department are a deeply supportive group of faculty who are dedicated to enriching the minds of students and helping us not just be consumers of knowledge, but also producers and active agents in academic discourse. Their research interests are incredibly fascinating and go beyond what could be considered the traditional topics within international relations. They have pushed me to think about world affairs in ways that I never thought possible when I first arrived at Oxy. In particular, Professor Lan Chu helped me explore and develop my interest in the relationship between religion and international relations, an intersection I never would have thought to pursue had I not taken a class with her and engaged in one-on-one conversations on the topic during office hours.

The professors in the Diplomacy and World Affairs department are a deeply supportive group of faculty who are dedicated to enriching the minds of students and helping us not just be consumers of knowledge, but also producers and active agents in academic discourse.

Have you taken part in any student research opportunities at Oxy?

I participated in the Occidental Summer Research Program the summer after my junior year. I researched the relationship between far-right evangelicals and U.S. refugee policy for Iraq and Syria. I am using my summer research to complete my senior comps project on the rise of ethno-religious nationalism in the 21st century, where I am using the U.S. and Turkey as my case studies.

Did you study abroad? How did it enhance your major course of study?

I studied abroad in Tunisia, with a three-week period in Sicily where we studied migration flows. My program’s focus was Politics and Religious Integration in the Mediterranean, which I really enjoyed because I got to further explore the intersection between religious and political identity. I had the opportunity to conduct research on Political Islam and women’s rights in the wake of the 2011 Jasmine Revolution. Along with my international study experience, I also participated in the Kahane Oxy-at-the-UN Program, where I interned with Outright International, a civil society organization dedicated to advancing the human rights of LGBTI people internationally. This experience helped me understand the role of civil society within institutions like the United Nations and how they work to influence international norms.

The major also has so many fascinating entry points, whether you study the discipline from a human rights perspective or a political economy perspective. There is always a new perspective to learn from.

What do you find most compelling about studying DWA?

For me, the most compelling part about studying DWA is the interdisciplinary nature of the major. International relations are relevant to everyone, and no matter who you are or what you study, global affairs impact you. The major also has so many fascinating entry points, whether you study the discipline from a human rights perspective or a political economy perspective. There is always a new perspective to learn from.

Do you have any advice for a student considering a major in DWA?

Take as many classes in the department as you can. Diplomacy and World Affairs is such an expansive field with so many different subfields that you can explore. Just because one subfield isn’t for you doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy another. Also, get to know the faculty! They are exceptional mentors and I always enjoy my conversations with them in office hours.

Meet Our Majors

Will McMillan

Aadya Nayak

Evan Jensen

Harper Burton

Past Majors

Read more profiles

Francesca Romero

Renn Stearns

Hannah Christensen

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