District 6330 Global Scholars

As a Rotary Global Grants Scholar in the 2016-2017 academic year, I studied at the University of Cambridge pursuing an MPhil in International Relations and Politics. This year’s experience has been invaluable for my growth as a researcher, academic, and scholar. Throughout the course of this year, I was exposed to the cutting-edge of my academic discipline and made to broaden my intellectual horizons in ways that I could not have imagined. During the final term, I conducted archival research, analyzed my data, and produced a 25,000 word dissertation entitled “Perpetual Peacebuilding: Charting Somalia’s Role in Discourses of the International.” With the submission of my dissertation on July 15, 2017, I successfully completed the requirements for the MPhil in International Relations and Politics.

 

Visiting the Rotary Clubs surrounding Cambridge absolutely enriched my learning experience over the course of the year. I was invited to speak at the Cambridge club, Ely Hereward, and spend the night in Norwich. These experiences allowed me to burst the academic bubble, to come to know the surrounding areas of Cambridge with a degree of comfort that otherwise would not have been possible without Rotary. As well, I grew close to several of the other Rotary scholars, which allowed me to create (hopefully) lifelong connections with bright young people that endeavor to change the world.