About Us

The World Mind Magazine is an undergraduate organized and produced publication at American University.

Each issue, its contributors seek to contribute cutting-edge analyses on pertinent topics in the international community: foreign affairs, domestic politics, economics, military conflict, humanitarian crises, and political theory.

Meet the Executive Board

Executive Editor: Chloe Baldauf

**Chloe Baldauf** is a third-year student majoring in International Studies with a concentration in Global Inequality and Development. She has worked for *The World Mind* for two years, previously serving as a Staff Writer and Marketing Editor. Seeking to understand politically diverse perspectives on education policy and pedagogy, Chloe has experience working with the Memphis Teacher Residency as a literacy fellow, Teach for America as an IGNITE fellow, and the Cato Institute’s Sphere Education Initiative as a research intern. Currently, she is working with the Brookings Institution’s Center for Universal Education as a research intern. In her free time, Chloe enjoys playing basketball and studying Chinese on Duolingo. She is originally from Cleveland, Ohio.

Managing Editor: Katie Barnett

**Katie Barnett** is a third-year student majoring in International Studies with minors in Arabic Language and African American/African Diaspora Studies. In addition to the World Mind, Katie is a member of the SIS Honors Program and an Arabic coach at CLEAR. She is also a former member of the Community-Based Research Scholars (CBRS) program, where she conducted research for a youth organization in DC. She has previously interned at the Institute for State Effectiveness, where she studied ongoing development efforts in Mongolia, Lebanon, and Indonesia. Her current scholarly interests include environmental justice, political economy, and critical race/gender theory. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, watching true crime, and hanging out with her cat Sabrina. She is originally from Fishers, Indiana.

Marketing & Design Editor: Candace Graupera

**Candace Graupera** is a fourth-year student majoring in JLC (Justice, Law, and Criminology) with a concentration in Terrorism and Security studies and a minor in the Spanish language. Candace writes about the Americas for the World Mind. She has interests in writing and researching about religion's impact on policy, economics, and legislation in Latin and South America. In addition, Candace is in the Army ROTC program and is interning at the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia in the Criminal Division. In her free time, Candace likes going on runs, playing soccer and tennis, reading, and trying new pasta recipes. She is originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Outreach and Planning Director: Luke Wagner

**Luke Wagner** is a third-year student majoring in International Studies. He manages the Weekly Briefing section and writes for the Middle East column focusing on politics, diplomacy, and conflict resolution. Interested in languages, Luke has studied French, Turkish, and Arabic. During the fall of 2023, he was an Economic Intern at the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Israeli and Palestinian Affairs. The previous year, he interned for the Turkish Industry and Business Association’s U.S. Representative Office where he conducted research on U.S.-Turkish diplomatic and economic relations. Outside academics, he enjoys making art, his dog, and stand-up comedy. He is originally from St. Louis, Missouri.

Meet our Faculty Advisor

Dr. Angela Pashayan

**Dr. Angela R. Pashayan** is a full-time lecturing professor at American University, Washington, DC, in the School of International Service (SIS). She earned a PhD at Howard University in Political Science and International Relations, graduating as distinguished scholar. She holds an MA degree from Norwich University in Vermont, and a BA degree from UCLA where her extensive global travels began to learn about the human condition. Her expertise is in African Informal Settlements which intersects gender, health, climate, food security and human rights. Dr. Pashayan’s experience in extreme poverty reduction includes projects in Peru, India, Nepal, Indonesia, Cuba, Tanzania, and 10+ years of experience in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. Her recent book, “Development in Africa’s Informal Settlements; Below the Proletariat” (Nov. 2023), and podcast with Brookings Institution (May 2023) are a testimony to her knowledge about slums in Africa. Dr. Pashayan has spoken on the UN floor as an ECOSOC Advisor to the UN, lectures on health and climate conditions in slums, and sits on the American University Deans Advisory Council for DEI. Dr. Pashayan’s lived and academic experiences provide a unique perspective on geopolitical issues that intersect extreme poverty and policymaking on the continent of Africa.

Meet the Contributing Editors

Ashton Dickerson

**Ashton Dickerson** is a third-year student pursuing a dual degree in International Studies and Art History. She has worked for *The World Mind* since her freshman year as both a Contributing Editor and a Staff Writer. Her thematic concentration within the School of International Service is Foreign Policy and National Security as well as Peace, Global Security, and Conflict Resolution. Focusing on Europe and Eurasia, her research interests include cultural diplomacy and human rights. Additionally, she has experience working as an Associate Editor for Food-Fueled, an American University undergraduate journal dedicated to covering food issues as part of the RECIPES project. In her free time, she enjoys film photography and watching crime shows. She is originally from Asheville, North Carolina.

Carmine Miklovis

**Carmine Miklovis** is a second-year student majoring in International Studies and pursuing a Spanish Translation certificate. His research interests include the status of global democracy, the rise of China, and climate change and energy. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, listening to music, visiting new places, and hanging out with friends. This past summer, he spent six weeks in Spain interning at the Fulbright Commission’s office in Spain. He is originally from Chicago, Illinois.

Aaron Shires

**Aaron Shires** is a senior majoring in Foreign Language and Communication Media with a minor in Political Science. His focus areas are French and Journalism. Aaron is a Communication Law tutor and a member of the American University French Club. He also tutors students learning English as a second language. He has previously interned for the American Bar Association Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice. During this internship, he monitored legal and legislative developments in the world of social justice and aided in the creation of rapid response programming to educate the public on how social justice decisions impact them and what they can do to help. His current scholarly interests include constitutional law, intellectual property law, philology, language learning, and francophone culture. In his free time, Aaron enjoys playing guitar, singing, photography, and spending time with his cat. He is originally from Danville, California.

Meet the Staff Writers

Diya Jain

***Diya Jain*** is currently a freshman in the School of International Studies, with plans to pursue a joint degree in International Studies and Economics. Her academic interests center around the study of regional conflict with regards to development and economic growth. She hopes to explore the functions of various economic and trade coalitions and how they influence relationships between nations. In her free time, Diya enjoys going to local cafés with friends and reading books from all different genres. Originally from New Jersey, she is excited to spendher first year at AU exploring all that DC has to offer. Amongst these interests, she is thrilled to be writing for the Foreign Policy and Global Security column of the World Mind.

Sarah Marc Woessner

**Sarah Marc Woessner** is a third-year student in the School of International Service, pursuing a BA in International Studies. She is originally from Avignon, a small town in the south of France, but she now lives in Sarasota, Florida. In her free time, Sarah enjoys reading, hanging out with her friends and visiting museums!

Clair Sapilewski

**Clair Sapilewski** is a sophomore studying Journalism and Photography with a minor in Environmental Science. She will be writing for the International Development column this semester. From Redwood City California, Clair wrote for her high school newspaper and also writes for The Eagle. Outside of journalism, Clair enjoys origami, distance running, reading and exploring DC.

**Sofiya Cole**

**Sofiya Cole** is a sophomore majoring in International Studies with a minor in Environmental Science. Her hometown is just outside of Cleveland, Ohio. She is thrilled to be writing for the Asia column as she has a deep interest in the region, especially East Asia. Additionally, she possesses a strong passion for matters related to the environment, particularly the ways in which they impact human health.

Anna Keyes

**Anna Keyes** is a third-year international studies student, who writes for the Human Rights column. Her scholarly interests include gender-based violence, feminism, and political violence, particularly in the Balkans. At AU, she was an Olson Scholar and pursued a project on sexual violence during the Kosovo War, which she received a grant to conduct interviews in Kosovo this past summer. Currently, she is in the SIS Honors program, and is also a reviewer for Clocks and Clouds. Beyond academics, she loves to read and go on long walks around the city. She is also Canadian and is from Baltimore, Maryland.

Helen Lallos-Harrell

**Helen Lallos-Harrell** is a first-year student in the School of Public Affairs, working towards degrees in Legal Studies and Public Health. As a contributing editor for The World Mind, she writes for the International Development column with an additional passion for public health. Last summer, she was a student ambassador for Northwestern University’s Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research, where she worked on public health campaigns alongside peers. Outside of academics, Helen enjoys distance running, film photography, and visiting DC’s museums. She is originally from Chicago, Illinois.

Mia Westfere

**Mia Westfere** is a second-year student majoring in International Studies. She writes for WM’s Asia column with an emphasis on making sense of current events via historical and philosophical reflection. As program leader for a Religion and World Politics seminar, she also pays close attention to the role of faith in the pursuit of power. Outside of AU, she devotes considerable time to fostering equitable, multicultural learning environments as a tutor and classroom aide in service to both the Latino Student Fund and DC Public Schools. Mia was born in Liuzhou, Guangxi and grew up in Toledo, Ohio.

Diego Carney

Diego Carney is a second-year student majoring in CLEG with a double minor in Philosophy and Public Administration and Policy. Originally from Panama, he writes for the WM’s Latin America column. Interested in the intersection of Ethics and Law, he often researches crime, corruption, and unethical management in the region. Aside from the WM, he is also involved on campus as an Eco-Rep and an AU Diplomat.