This fall, the Keough School of Global Affairs welcomes a diverse group of undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students to campus — young leaders who are dedicated to working on global policy issues that impact human dignity and flourishing worldwide. More than 120 students, including over 70 undergraduates and over 50 graduate students, are joining the school.
“In a world confronting profound challenges — from climate change and conflict to threats to human rights and democracy — our students bring vital courage, expertise and vision to the Notre Dame community,” said Mary Gallagher, the Marilyn Keough Dean of the Keough School. “Their lived experiences and commitment to the common good are sure to inspire all of us to think bigger and act with purpose.”
Undergraduate major
Some 71 undergraduate students, including 58 first-year students and 13 transfer students, will join the Keough School as global affairs majors this fall.
The cohort includes 16 students who attended high school outside the United States. This year, four students will be part of the University’s Glynn Family Honors Program.
Master of Global Affairs program
The Master of Global Affairs program welcomes 43 new students, including 15 U.S. citizens and 28 international students from 16 countries: Argentina, Bangladesh, Colombia, Ecuador, Georgia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Portugal and Rwanda.
Two students were awarded the Dean’s Fellowship by the University’s Graduate School, and one student has been awarded a Truman Scholarship, an award given to U.S. students who show exceptional leadership and plan to pursue careers in public service.
By major, the class includes:
- Governance and Policy: 14 students
- International Peace Studies: 15 students
- Sustainable Development: 14 students
This year’s students come to the Keough School from a variety of professional backgrounds. Seven are returned Peace Corps volunteers, having served in Colombia, Fiji, Jamaica, Namibia, Peru, the Philippines and Tonga. Two are former AmeriCorps national service members who served as literacy tutors and English-language instructors.
In addition, two students are Notre Dame undergraduate alumni. Three have experience with the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program, having served in Colombia, Spain and Uruguay. One is a fellow of the Oxfam Young Leaders Programme and another previously served as an advisor to former U.S. surgeon general Vivek Murthy.
Doctoral programs
Peace studies
Five students are joining the school’s various peace studies Ph.D. programs.
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Kumilachew Anteneh (Peace Studies and Anthropology) is an assistant professor of social anthropology at Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia. His research will explore youth agency in Ethiopia and how young people restore social belonging and moral order in the aftermath of conflict and displacement.
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Aref Dostyar (International Peace Studies) is the program director for the Afghanistan Program for Peace and Development at the Keough School’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. His research will focus on turning an existing peacebuilding initiative, the Afghanistan Dialogue and Visioning Process, into a generalizable and academically validated framework for dialogue in divided societies.
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Ruth Gelane (Peace Studies and Theology) previously completed a master’s program at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana. Her research will examine gendered, sexualized violence against women, particularly in the Ethiopian context, in a way that is rooted in African womanist discourse and wisdom. She is a Notre Dame Presidential Fellow.
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Sadiqa Sultan (International Peace Studies) is a development practitioner, peacebuilder, researcher and rights activist with more than 12 years of experience. Her research will focus on the ways exposure to trauma and violence shapes women's agency, empowerment and identity in violent contexts.
- Owen Wang (Peace Studies and Political Science) comes from George Washington University, where he recently completed his master’s degree. His research will use the case study of East Asian memory creation in post-World War II China, Korea and Japan to investigate the conceptual groundwork for their memorialization and historical consciousness. He is a recipient of the University’s Richard and Peggy Notebaert Premier Fellowship.
Sustainable development
Three students are joining the Ph.D. in Sustainable Development, a STEM-designated program.
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Fucong Niu will research how international political rivalries impact clean energy supply chains and green investments, focusing on how developing countries can build secure and fair climate strategies.
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Girika Sharma will study how climate impacts such as extreme heat affect low-income communities and how policies can be designed to better protect them. She is a Notre Dame Presidential Fellow.
- Tianyi Xiao will examine how forest conservation policies and farming practices in Africa can protect ecosystems while supporting the livelihoods of small-scale farmers.