Elliott School Graduate Student Ambassadors (GSA) are current Elliott School graduate students who have been selected to provide the student perspective and enhance the sense of community within the Elliott School. GSAs will plan and host events throughout the year and are happy to help connect Elliott School graduate students to resources and opportunities.
Rachel MacElhenney
Program: Master of Arts in International Trade and Investment Policy
Hometown: Collegeville, PA
Undergraduate Degree: Hobart and William Smith Colleges; B.A. International Relations and European Studies
Favorite Place You’ve Been: It’s cliché, but I love Paris, France
Favorite Restaurant: El Centro on 14th
Advice: Elliott School has so much to offer its students. Take advantage of your professor’s office hours and the diverse classes available. Step out of your comfort zone and take an elective that you would not normally consider.
Allison Haugen
Program: Master of Arts in Latin American & Hemispheric Studies
Hometown: Vancouver, WA
Undergraduate Degree: Washington State University: B.A. in Political Science; B.A. in Spanish; Minor in History
Favorite Place You’ve Been: Marrakech, Morocco
Favorite Restaurant: Nooshi on 19th and N
Advice: Take advantage of everything that the Elliott School and DC has to offer, two years goes by faster than you know it.
Greg Tourial
Program: Master of Arts in European and Eurasian Studies
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Undergraduate Degree: The University of Georgia; BA in History, BA in International Affairs,
Favorite Place You’ve Been: Rome (Venice and London get honorable mentions)
Favorite Restaurant: This is really lame, but it’s Chipotle.
Advice: Make friends (also known as networking) with students outside of your program. You never know when a common interest or a possible connection with someone can lead you to opportunities you never considered. Having social connections with people from diverse personal and academic backgrounds is also important for gaining new perspectives.
Anne Bergren
Program: Master of Arts in International Affairs
Hometown: Minnetonka, MN
Undergraduate Degree: Hamline University, BA in Economics
Favorite Place You’ve Been: Burma
Favorite Restaurant: Mi Cuba located in Columbia Heights--delicious, family-owned, cheap Cuban food!
Advice: First, make friends with your classmates; they’re hard-working, intelligent, welcoming people who will keep you sane during finals and be your greatest connections in the workplace. Second, keep your life balanced! Take time to relax, exercise, and sleep. I promise, you’ll be both happier and more productive.
Nikhil Gehani
Program: Master of Arts in International Development Studies
Hometown: West Bloomfield, MI
Undergraduate Degree: Michigan State University; BA in Marketing
Favorite Place You’ve Been: The backwaters of Kerala, India
Favorite Restaurant: The Red Hen in Bloomingdale
Advice: Challenge your assumptions and don’t be afraid to push back against professors. Attend events outside your specific field and develop a unique perspective. Ask questions and don’t settle for easy answers. Also, eat your vegetables.
Nicole Catá
Program: Juris Doctor and Master of Arts in International Affairs
Hometown: Flushing, NY and Cortland, NY
Undergraduate Degree: Columbia University; BA in English & Comparative Literature, human rights, and French
Favorite Place You’ve Been: Paris, France and Florence, Italy
Favorite Restaurant: Founding Farmers in Foggy Bottom and Mi Cuba Café in Columbia Heights
Advice: Seek out free events in DC! Some helpful resources include Brightest Young Things, DCist, International Club of DC, Knowledge Commons DC, and Scoutmob DC. Visit the monuments at night, enjoy Jazz in the Sculpture Garden, and explore your neighborhood!
Maxine Wang
Program: Master of Arts in Global Communication
Hometown: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Undergraduate Degree: BA in Political Science
Favorite Place You’ve Been: Seattle
Favorite Restaurant: Old Ebbitt Grill
Advice: There is no one in the world you cannot reach out. Go talk to the person you want to know more about and ask for career advice.
Mariah Martin
Program: Security Policy Studies
Hometown: Yarmouth, Maine
Undergraduate Degree: International Relations: International Security
Favorite Place You’ve Been: Florence, Italy
Advice: Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to people you don’t know at Elliott. You’ll find some of the friendliest and most accomplished people here, and it’s silly to waste any chance to get to know them. Go to student events (especially the ones with free food!) and visit your professor during office hours- even just to talk and get to know them. You won’t regret it!
Phoenix Mourning-Star
Program: International Science and Technology Policy
Undergraduate Degree: Mathematics
Favorite Place You’ve Been: Antarctica/Drake Passage and
Favorite Restaurant: Jay’s Bistro
Advice: Plan the work, then work the plan
