I am currently a rising senior at Emerson College majoring in political communication. My past experience in politics working as a Page for the Idaho House of Representatives and as an Intern with the Idaho Republican Party has made me want to get more involved in government, which is why I decided to attend Emerson and learn more about the world of politics. While at Emerson, I focused on studying international communications, specifically international public relations and public diplomacy. I would like to take my knowledge in the fields of communication and apply them to the field of foreign affairs, particularly pertaining to French-Speaking Africa. Africa was a region of the world I learned very little about in high school, despite it being one of the areas of the world seeming to me to be one of the most important regions in the world. Especially as its population is projected to grow exponentially throughout the century. As such, I began reading and researching the continent, and my interest grew. In particular, reading “Dancing in the Glory of Monsters: The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa” by Jason Stearns and researching French foreign policy in Africa got me interested specifically in French-Speaking Africa. I have since begun learning French and further researching Francophone Africa to better prepare for a career in the region.