My name is Samantha Cornick and I recently graduated from the University of California, Berkeley this past May with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science. Growing up in Los Angeles, California, I had originally envisioned a career in the entertainment industry, as it is the path both of my parents chose. However, throughout my studies at UC Berkeley, I became enchanted by the world of politics and public policy, and cannot imagine my professional career absent of these highly impactful and interesting topics. While I had spent most of my summers working in the production department on television movies, these experiences in the film industry never even approached the fulfillment and genuine satisfaction I receive from completing a research paper or policy memo for one of my academic courses. I have been fortunate enough to take a wide variety of Political Science courses from incredible professors at UC Berkeley, but the classes that were most influential in my decision to change my career path were the ones centered around International Affairs. I am extremely interested in conflict resolution in the Middle East, particularly in how leaders and cultural history impacts modern negotiations and tensions. Additionally, as a former writer for an online publication at UC Berkeley, I yearn to combine my extensive writing experience and political knowledge attained through my academic studies, and apply these skills in the “real world” to help create substantive political improvements in the global community. While I do not necessarily know the exact job title I want to pursue given my recent transition in career paths, I am excited about the potential opportunity to work with and learn from other passionate individuals who share the same interests in international policy, and desire to use this knowledge to influence and impact the international community.