Meet some of our Diplomacy and World Affairs (DWA) majors.
Francesca Romero ’25
Renn Stearns ’25
Hannah Christensen ’24
Francesca Romero ’25
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 ’25
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 ’24
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.
To see more Meet Our Majors profiles, visit the main page.