OUR MISSION:
We are a group of undergraduates who support the mission of AGS by helping to advise the leadership about programming, assist in event execution, and coordinate mentoring opportunities, activities, and other series to support students in the larger Duke community. We provide a student perspective to help AGS create a space for all students to learn, engage, and collaborate.
WHAT WE DO:
- Assist with advertising events and marketing other programming and curriculum
- Support events through attendance, written after-event reports, and during-event social media broadcasting
- Advise AGS leadership with programming, curriculum, and community engagement
- Provide published or publishable material for the AGS website and social media
- Manage the Council recruitment process
- Create opportunities for mentoring and community engagement
- Support AGS leadership with miscellaneous tasks
VALUES:
We value inclusiveness, celebrating the diverse strengths, experiences, backgrounds, interests, beliefs, perspectives, and voices of all members of our community. We value open-mindedness and treat others with respect. We honor intellectual curiosity through active engagement within our community, programming, and curriculum. We hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards of integrity, scholarship, acceptance, and professionalism, and we value collaboration with the student body to continually grow and evolve. For more information on our commitments to these values, please read here.
MEET AGS STUDENT COUNCIL:
DEBORAH ADES
Deborah Ades, Class of 2023, is from São Paulo, Brazil but has also lived in Miami, Florida. She is double majoring in Public Policy and History with concentrations in Foreign policy and the Middle East, with a minor in French. Deborah is also fluent in Portuguese. She is broadly interested in the Middle East/North Africa region, with a particular focus on international law, national security, and diplomacy. Deborah has been a research assistant for Dr. Eric Mlyn and is currently a research assistant for Professor Abdeslam Maghraoui working on an open-access journal database for scholars in the MENA region. On campus, Deborah is also involved in Challah for Hunger and Women in Politics. This summer she will be interning for Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) in Washington DC and hopes to study abroad in Paris, France next year. In her free time, Deborah enjoys cooking, skiing, and hiking.
KALEB AMARE
Kaleb Amare, Class of 2023, is a political science major from Dallas, Texas. He is a first-generation American of Ethiopian descent. Broadly, he is interested in the Horn of Africa and America’s future in the region. On-campus, Kaleb is involved in mock trial and over the summer, he was a fellow with the North Carolina Democratic Party. After graduation, Kaleb plans to attend law school and in his free time, he enjoys reading history books and watching basketball.
FRANCIS DE BEIXEDON
Francis de Beixedon, Class of 2023, is a political science major and economics minor. Born and raised in sunny Los Angeles, California, he is broadly interested in history, military affairs, and political economy in the context of the Indo-Pacific region. A veteran staff rider and war gamer, he has participated in the Battle of Gettysburg staff ride, attack on Pearl Harbor staff ride, and AGS’s fall 2021 national security simulation course. Outside of AGS, Francis is an organizer and facilitator for Duke Conversations and a member of the Visions of Freedom Living Learning Community in Crowell Quad. In the summer of 2022, he will be studying abroad through the Duke in Rome program and then improving his Chinese proficiency at National Tsinghua University in Taiwan.
DANIEL BILLINGS
AGS Council Programming Chair
Daniel Billings, Class of 2023, is a prospective History and Political Science major from London, England. He is broadly interested in European Union and the trans-Atlantic alliance. On campus, Daniel is involved in club tennis and is a research assistant to both Drew Shindell and Elizabeth Losos on environmental policy. After graduation, Daniel plans to pursue a Masters in European politics or attend law school either in Europe or the US. In his free time, he can be found watching the BBC, learning a new language, attending the Globe theatre or spending time with his brothers.
PETER CONNOLLY
Peter Connolly, Class of 2023, is a prospective Political Science or Public Policy major from Boston, Massachusetts with a strong interest in international politics and national security. On campus, Peter is involved with the Men’s Club Baseball Team and the Alexander Hamilton Society. Peter served as a Congressional Intern for Congressman Joe Kennedy III, which solidified his interest in politics and taught him the inner workings of a district office. In his free time, Peter manages his blog for millennials, millennialpolitics2k.com, where he writes and edits opinions articles on U.S. politics and international affairs. Peter hopes to become fluent in Spanish by the time he graduates, with a possible minor in Spanish. He also enjoys skiing, spending time with family and travelling.
ALEXANDER GLICK
Alexander Glick, Class of 2023, is a prospective public policy major from Manhasset, New York. Alex is interested in the preservation of civil liberties, environmental policy, and foreign relations with an emphasis on the Middle East. He was one of the first two interns on the Max Rose for Congress campaign in NY-11, interned for Changing the Conversation Together, which is a non-profit promoting civility and tolerance in political discourse, and was a co-sponsor of a Rosen for Nevada event in New York City, directly leading to the raising of over $25,000. Alex also attended the 2017 ACLU Advocacy Summer Institute. He hopes to work in foreign policy areas in the future.
ADAM ISRAELEVITZ
Adam Israelevitz, Class of 2023, is pursuing a major in political science, certificate in decision science, and a minor in Arabic. He grew up in New York City and is a dual citizen of the United States and Israel. Adam is particularly interested in Arabian politics and issues pertaining to global perceptions of world order within international relations. Specifically, his current studies focus on decision-making game theory modeling and global jihadism. On campus, Adam is conducts research with a Bass Connections team designed to better understand how the Coronavirus Pandemic has impacted North Carolinian voting rights and is a Blue Devil tour guide. Last summer, Adam worked at the nonpartisan nonprofit YouCanVote to increase voter access in Hoke and Alamance counties and is an incoming intern at the U.S. House of Representatives for Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. He is conversational in Hebrew and plans to develop proficiency in Arabic during his remaining time at Duke.
DARREN JANZ
Darren Janz, Class of 2023, is a prospective political science and public policy major from Wilmington, North Carolina. His academic and career interests include comparative politics, democratization, election monitoring, and constitutional design. Outside of AGS, Darren serves as a research assistant for the Department of Political Science, an officer for Amnesty International and the Alexander Hamilton Society, and an incoming contributor to the Duke Political Review and the Duke Undergraduate Law Magazine. He has also served as a page in the United States Senate and an intern for various local and state-level political campaigns and legislative offices. After graduating, Darren hopes to pursue further education in political science or public policy and eventually work for a nonprofit organization focused on strengthening democratic institutions in developing countries. In his free time, Darren enjoys planning road trips and spending time outdoors.
BRENT KATZ
AGS Council Alumni Chair
Brent Katz, Class of 2023, is a prospective public policy major from Port Washington, New York and is deeply fascinated by global and domestic politics, culture and food around the world, and history. At Duke, he is a new member of AGS council and is on the campus initiatives committee for the Duke Political Union. Before enrolling at Duke, Brent was an active member of his diverse community in New York, peer tutoring, facilitating a platform for political discourse, and raising money for America’s veterans. He spent his last two summers researching the relationship between immigrant legal status and mobility, interning for the Bezos Family Foundation, advocating with the American Jewish Committee, and organizing mentors to help low-income peers manage the college application process. After college, Brent will likely attend law school and pursue a career in government and policy. He is proficient in Spanish and plans to study Japanese.
JOSEPH (JACK) KOCHANSKY
Joseph (Jack) Kochansky, Class of 2023, is an economics and environmental policy double major from Bronxville, New York. He is particularly interested in the intersection of climate change, renewable energy, and national security. Outside of AGS, Jack is an analyst for the Duke Impact Investing Group, a columnist for the Duke Political Review, and a new member of the Energy Club. He formerly co-chaired Duke Students for Biden and participated in DukeEngage Brazil last summer, exploring clean energy diplomacy in South America. In 2019, Jack interned at Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Drug Pricing Lab in New York City, conducting health policy research. He speaks French proficiently and hopes to spend a semester in Paris before graduation. In his free time, Jack enjoys running, playing chess, and watching Duke basketball.
SAMUEL (SAM) REYNOLDSON
AGS Council Social Media Chair
Samuel (Sam) Reynoldson, Class of 2023, is a public policy and political science major from rural Iowa. Sam is interested in all things international relations, from development and trade to national security, with a special interest in environmental policy. He realized his interest in foreign policy in his first semester at Duke when he took a class on the Middle East and terrorism taught by David Schanzer. He has worked on Congressional and Presidential political campaigns and is a Duke Chapel Student Ambassador. In 2020, Sam worked for Iowa Legal Aid, assisting migrants in the state through the immigration process. After Duke, he hopes to go to law school, pursue a career in diplomacy, and someday run for office. For leisure, Sam enjoys playing sports, traveling, and listening to Henry Kissinger.”
RITIKA SALIGRAM
AGS Council Co-Chair
Ritika Saligram, Class of 2023, is from Houston, and is pursuing a political science major with a minor in history and a certificate in Markets and Management Studies. She grew up in Florence, Italy, which is where she first discovered her interest in international relations. Ritika is interested in national security and counterterrorism issues, with a regional focus on the Middle East. In particular, her studies focus on the global jihad movement and its interaction with U.S. foreign policy. On campus, Ritika is a research assistant to Professor Peter Feaver and a part of Duke Out of the Blue Acapella. Last summer, Ritika worked for The Borgen Project as an advocate for U.S. policy initiatives to combat global poverty. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in security risk analysis. Ritika is fluent in 5 languages and hopes to add Arabic to her list after she graduates. In her free time, Ritika can always be found with a cup of coffee and a good book.
SARA SCANLAN
AGS Council Co-Chair
Sara Scanlan, Class of 2023, is a Public Policy major and Economics minor from Greenwich, Connecticut. She is broadly interested in diplomacy, national security, and political economy. On campus, Sara is involved with Women in Politics, is President of Duke’s chapter of Pancakes for Parkinson’s, and is a member of the Duke women’s club lacrosse team. In the summer of 2021, Sara was a research intern for the Center for Political-Military Analysis where she analyzed US security issues relating to Russia and China. Sara was also a social media and outreach intern for a local political campaign. While at Duke, Sara hopes to become proficient in Spanish and further her interest in international affairs. After graduation, Sara plans to pursue a career in either consulting or law.
EVAN CHAN
Evan Chan, Class of 2024, is a prospective public policy major from Chapel Hill, NC. She is interested in foreign service, the Middle East, and domestic and international counterterrorism efforts. She interned at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, working as a lab technician on intravaginal rings preventing pregnancy and HIV. She spent a summer in Peru, studying the country’s healthcare system and public health. At Duke, Evan is involved in Mock Trial—spending much of her time in practice. Evan has studied Spanish for four years and hopes to eventually learn Arabic. In her free time, she likes to read, go on walks on campus, and is trying to learn how to embroider.
GRACE ENDRUD
Grace Endrud, Class of 2024, is from Birmingham, Michigan, studying Public Policy and International Comparative Studies with a French minor. She lived in Paris, France in middle school, which sparked her initial interest in foreign policy. She is particularly interested in human rights and international law. Grace is a research assistant to Dr. Jennifer Siegel on French intelligence and has interned for two Congressmen. On campus, she is involved in Duke Presidential Ambassadors, research with a Bass Connections team, and is a member of the Student Advisory Board for the Human Rights Center. After graduation, Grace plans to attend law school and in her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, and traveling.
ELIE GENATT
Elie Genatt, Class of 2024, is a Public Policy Major with a minor in Political Science and a certificate in Markets and Management Studies. Elie is interested in national security, diplomacy, and the role of domestic politics in international relations. Her internship for Congressmen Lee Zeldin solidified her passion for foreign policy and allowed her to see how the House of Foreign Affairs Committee operates first-hand. On campus, Elie coordinates events for the Bench & Bar pre-law society, and is a member of the Duke Votes Coordinating Committee and Women in Politics. After graduation, Elie hopes to attend graduate school in Public Policy, and assist in Congressional policy-making with the goal of one day running for office. In her free time, Elie likes to watch biopic films, find new ways to solve a Rubik’s cube, and play soccer.
ROHAN GUPTA
AGS Council Diversity and Inclusion Chair
Rohan Gupta, Class of 2024, is an Economics major from Nashville, Tennessee. His interests in regards to foreign policy mainly reside in Sino-Pacific affairs and Eastern European geopolitical growth. Alongside serving as a member of AGS Council, Rohan is a research assistant with the Margolis Center on Health Policy working to publish his findings on the effectiveness of hypertension intervention in Black men. He also serves as a research assistant with Duke’s Department of Political Science working to investigate and quantify changing racial attitudes in the American South. In the summer of 2021, Rohan is working with the House Committee on Foreign Affairs as an analyst for military and economic developments in the Middle East and the Balkans. After college, Rohan hopes to attend medical school and eventually work in the health policy field. He is UN-certified fluent in Spanish, and spends his free time learning photography, working on cars, and reading.
JACOB HOCHSTEIN
Jacob Hochstein, Class of 2024, is from Duxbury, Massachusetts and is pursuing Public Policy and Political Science majors and an Asian and Middle Eastern Studies minor. He is interested in national security, counterterrorism, and human rights, with a specific passion for the Middle East. On campus, Jacob is involved with the men’s club soccer team and with Chabad. He is also currently working as an intern for the Washington D.C. regional office of the Anti-Defamation League. After his freshman year, he took a gap year in Israel and took classes on the mental health of refugees and the Israel-Palestine conflict. He currently hopes to enter the foreign service and potentially pursue a master’s degree in Public Policy after graduation. Outside of Duke, Jacob loves playing soccer and working at his summer camp.
RUTHIE KESRI
AGS Council Co-Chair
Ruthie Kesri, Class of 2024, is a prospective Political Science and Global Health major from Bowling Green, Kentucky. Her interests include international humanitarian law, cybersecurity policy, and the national security implications of conflict resolution. On campus, Ruthie is a part of the Baldwin Scholars program, serves as a Divisional Vice President for Duke-UNICEF, and is involved in the Cyber Team and the Polarization Lab. She also works as a policy research assistant for the Wilson Center for Science and Justice as well as a research analyst examining theoretical determinants of collective action in the contexts of global power struggles for the Duke Department of Political Science. Ruthie has worked as an intern in the office of Congressman Brett Guthrie and served as a Page in the United States Senate. This summer, Ruthie will be working with the Duke Law Center for Criminal Justice and Professional Responsibility analyzing the effectiveness of the Duke-based Innocence Project.
PETER LEHRMAN
Peter Lehrman, Class of 2024, is a Computer Science and Classical Civilizations major from Greenwich, Connecticut. His academic and career interests include international relations, Roman and Greek History, data science, and entrepreneurship. Outside of AGS, Peter serves as the President of the Duke Chapter of the Thomistic Institute, a Catholic organization that brings speakers to campus. Additionally, Peter is a writer and committee member of the Community Editorial Board of the Duke Chronicle and is a member of the Civil Discourse Fellowship. After graduating, Peter hopes to work in business or start a company that focuses on environmental conservation. In his free time, Peter enjoys playing the guitar and spending time backpacking and fishing.
TAHMARA OUEDRAOGO
Tahmara Ouedraogo, Class of 2024, was born in Paris, France, and grew up in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. She is pursuing a major in Public Policy as well as certificates in Journalism Studies and Markets and Management Studies. Her interests include European affairs, political science, international cooperation, and economic development. Outside of AGS, Tahmara is currently an intern with the Durham Progressive Democrats where she works on fundraising and voter registration. Tahmara is fluent in French and hopes to become proficient in Spanish during her time at Duke. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing, reading, and following the news. After graduation, she plans to go to graduate school for Journalism, Law, or Public Policy."
JACOB ROSENZWEIG
Jacob Rosenzweig, Class of 2024, is a Classical Languages and Political Science major from New York City. His primary interests include the development of International Relations theory in the ancient Greco-Roman world and contemporary Middle Eastern/East Asian geopolitics. Over the summer he was a Political Studies Fellow at the Hudson Institute. On campus, Jacob is an International Law Editor for Juris and a member of Duke Moot Court. After graduating, he plans to attend law school. In his free time Jacob enjoys reading histories and classics, taking walks, and playing basketball.
ELENAOR ROSS
Eleanor Ross, Class of 2024, is a prospective International Comparative Studies Major focusing on French, Arabic, and Wolof and understanding the culture and politics of Africa's Sahel region and the Middle East. Before Duke, Eleanor spent a gap year in Taiba Ndiaye, Senegal, where she learned Wolof (Senegal's lingua franca) and assisted in teaching English at the local high school. She then worked as an Absentee Ballot Clerk at the Charleston County, South Carolina Board of Elections. At Duke, Eleanor is active in non-partisan voting initiatives including spearheading Bull City Vote's Duke outreach during the 2020 election and starting the KIDZ VOTE club to promote early voting engagement in schools. Eleanor also writes biographies for the Dictionary of Art Historians and reports for Durham's 9th Street Journal. This summer she hopes to study in Dakar, Senegal to continue expanding her knowledge of the country and region.
EVELYN SHI
Evelyn Shi, Class of 2024, is from Shanghai, China and plans to major in public policy and biology. She is broadly interested in U.S.-China relations, as well as global health policy. At Duke, Evelyn is a graphics editor and staff writer for The Chronicle and a research assistant at the Duke Center for Cognitive Neuroscience. She is also involved in Duke International Relations Association and Business Oriented Women. Prior to Duke, Evelyn founded Xiaohusai, a social enterprise selling tea to sponsor girls' healthcare in tea-farming villages in China. She speaks Mandarin and Swedish, and can be found drawing comics or exercising in her free time.
MILLIE CAUGHEY
Millie Caughey, Class of 2025, is from Auckland, New Zealand, but has also spent time living in Australia and Singapore. She is prospective history and religion major, with a broad interest in the intersection of religion and geopolitics. She is a part of the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program, a fellow at the Kenan Institute of ethics, and is involved in Duke debate and the Chronicle. In her free time she enjoys roller skating, drawing and Duke basketball.
LAUREL HOLLEY
Laurel Holley, Class of 2025, is a Public Policy and Asian & Middle Eastern Studies - Chinese major from Greenville, South Carolina. Growing up, she lived in Querétaro, México, and Clermont-Ferrand, France, which sparked her passion for international affairs. Her specific interests include conflict resolution, national security, and the US-China relationship. At Duke, Laurel is a Global Fellow with the Office of Global Affairs and International House, working to promote culturally attuned social and professional experiences. She also serves on the student boards of the Duke-UNICEF Innovation Accelerator and Duke-UNICEF Club. Her most recent research is under Dr. Rachel Kuo, investigating the influence of personal migration histories on political media consumption in Asian diasporic communities. Laurel is fluent in Spanish and French, learning Mandarin, and hopes to delve into Hindi while at Duke. Upon graduation, she plans to enter the American foreign service and serve as a diplomat. In her free time, you can find her dancing with Rhydhun, Duke’s premier Bollywood-fusion dance group.
JAZPER LU
Jazper Lu, Class of 2025, is from Dalian, China and plans to major in political science and public policy. His interests within foreign policy mainly reside in Sino-Pacific affairs and U.S.-China relations, as well as broader education policy. Before Duke, Jazper helped administer Mother’s English, a social enterprise which brings free English education to underserved communities throughout China. At Duke, Jazper writes for The Chronicle and serves as a Senator in Duke Student Government for Durham and Community Affairs. Additionally, he is a member of the Duke International Relations Association MUN Away Team and is in charge of recruitment for the Duke-UNICEF Club. After graduation, Jazper plans to attend law school and in his free time, he enjoys playing badminton, travelling, and watching Duke basketball.
ANDREA REYES
Andrea Reyes, Class of 2025, is a Political Science and Russian Studies major from Northern California. She is a first-generation student with Mexican heritage. Her main interests are in national security, U.S.-Russian foreign policy, and political violence. Before enrolling at Duke, Andrea worked as a tutor for immigrants on the path to citizenship and expanded reading opportunities for children in elementary and middle school. On campus, Andrea is involved with the Alexander Hamilton Society, GANO Tutoring, and Define America. Andrea is fluent in Spanish and is currently working towards proficiency in Russian. After college, she hopes to pursue a career in national security. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and practicing Krav Maga.
ZOE SPICER
Zoe Spicer, Class of 2025, is undecided about her major and is from Charlotte, North Carolina. She is broadly interested in US foreign policy in Africa and Asia and the role of international development organizations. Outside of AGS, Zoe is involved in Team Kenan, Arete Fellows, and Duke Debate and will conduct research with the Equitable University-Community Research Partnerships Bass Connections team during her sophomore year. This summer, Zoe is excited to participate in DukeEngage in Durban, South Africa. In her free time, Zoe enjoys reading novels and spending time with friends. She is proficient in Spanish and hopes to learn basic Mandarin before she graduates.
GRANT WERNICK
Grant Wernick, Class of 2025, is a prospective History and Public Policy double-major from Miami, FL. His interest in these subjects stems from a road trip he took in elementary school with his family to all 50 states, including a site for each president. Some of his favorite classes at Duke so far have included Statecraft and Strategy and Telling the Great War Story, where he is the only student. Outside of class, he enjoys being involved in Christian community, serving on AGS Council, interacting with alumni through his job at the Annual Fund, competing in intramural sports and late-night Madden sessions with the boys, and sacrificing weeks of his life in K-ville.