My STEP signature project was a study abroad class that was completed in one month this summer with DIS Study Abroad (located in Copenhagen and Stockholm). I learned about the national security challenges across many Eastern European countries since the Cold War and the impact of the invasion of Ukraine. I had the opportunity to visit the Poland-Russia border, Bornholm Garrison, and the European Solidarity Center with my classmates and guest lecturers to speak on today’s sociopolitical and geopolitical changes since the war in Ukraine. This was a transformative experience for me because i knew very surface level of the international politics and security architecture in Eastern Europe. I was able to truly be independent in my learning, to make the most out of living in a foreign country where I knew no one. I was able to have a month where I could “start over” and interact with the locals. I was able to grasp what society was like and how it differs from the United States. I was very fortunate that I was able to afford living and program expenses while in Copenhagen.

One interaction I had with a Denmark military officer named Major Andersen when we visited the Bornholm Garrison in Denmark. He taught us a lot about the ongoing challenges that the Baltic Sea Region and the Arctic faces. He gave a presentation to us about how important resources are to both Russia and China, explaining that the relationship between them and the Western democracies are most likely not going to improve much. With my experience in the US Army, I learned a lot about how important manpower and weapons spending plays into these international tensions. This peaked my interest in international studies and politics, especially because of how important diplomacy plays a role in politics these days. I would love to be able to work in both intelligence and national security.

This development is heavily influencing my leadership capstone presentation with Buckeye Leadership Fellows, Cohort of 2024. As a selected member this past December, we must present a project and topic to our cohort, guests, and other academics that is allowed to be present before we graduate with our undergrad diploma. I am going to present about the role and implications of Kaliningrad Oblast, a semi-exclave located just by the border of Poland and Lithuania. The geopolitical role of KO is a major interest of mine, especially in how it plays in the invasion of Ukraine. I am completing a publication on this topic because it is not heavily discussed nor taught in American higher-education. For those that are far away from the war itself, it’s important that others become more aware of the political turmoil that is happening right now. I would love to present my capstone as my public demonstration since it will be held in the Ohio State Student Union building. I think having open discussions will help educate those around us on the current state affairs of many countries in this region that is facing violence and migration crises.