2021-Victoria Puglia
Over the past four years, I’ve been unremittingly myself while challenging existing ideas to move beyond the familiar and become a better thinker, leader, and world citizen. I’ve realized that I find comfort in discomfort and that I thrive the most when challenging myself, let it be through academics, volunteering, relationships, or travel.
Having experienced the positives of multicultural dialogue and exchange, growing up in Spain and The Netherlands, I wanted to contribute to the integration of the International Student’s Association into the broader community. I’ve dedicated three summers to the development of International Orientation by formalizing structures for long-term sustainability. I established leadership trainings for the team, organized programming to build community, and created new information sessions to facilitate the transition of international students to the USA. I re-established International Education Week and founded XPosed to put international issues at the forefront of campus events. My emphasis has been to nurture feelings of belonging for international students while fostering meaningful discussion about international matters regardless of identity. As President of ISA, I have also been a relentless advocate for the unique concerns affecting international students in the face of COVID-19.
My involvement with RefAct inspired me to study abroad in Uganda, where I conducted field research on the effects of food aid in refugee settlements in Adjumani. Through the digital humanities summer scholarship, independent studies, and a senior thesis, I have begun developing new methodologies for exploring migration, conflict, and refugee livelihoods.
Both in and outside the classroom, I challenge those around me to critically think about the world around us. It is when we push the bounds of what’s known and what’s possible that we truly grow as individuals and catalyze change.
Academic Activity/Award 1:
Rhodes Scholar Elect-November 2020-According to the official website, the Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest (first awarded in 1902) and perhaps most prestigious international scholarship programme, enabling outstanding young people from around the world to study at the University of Oxford. The Rhodes Selection Committees looks for young people of outstanding intellect, character, leadership, and commitment to service.
Academic Activity/Award 2:
Schwarzman Scholar (declined due to Rhodes)-November 2020-The Schwarzman Scholars Program is the first scholarship created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century. Scholars are selected “to represent the world’s next generation of leaders – high-caliber individuals with open minds and limitless potential who will serve to deepen understanding between China and the rest of the world.” I was awarded the scholarship but had to decline it due to being awarded the Rhodes.
Academic Activity/Award 3:
Truman Scholar Finalist-April 2020-Truman Scholars are recognized and rewarded to their commitments to devote themselves to public service. I was selected as a finalist but was not ultimately awarded the scholarship.
Academic Activity/Award 4:
Rev J.W. and R.S. Porter Bible Prize-May 2019, May 2020-Awarded annually to students judged by the department of religious studies to have demonstrated high proficiency in the study of religion, based upon work done in their first and second years.
Academic Activity/Award 5:
Sigma Iota Rho (Serving as Vice President) / Phi Beta Kappa Member-May 2020-Sigma Iota Rho is an honors society that offers membership to the best and brightest students who are pursuing international studies within the United States. Phi Beta Kappa is a selective organisation that offers membership to only students who have demonstrated both breadth and depth of liberal learning and who have in the process established for themselves academic records of unquestioned excellence.
Academic Activity/Award 6:
National Conference on Undergraduate Research-April 2020, April 2021-I was selected to give an oral presentation at NCUR for both 2020 and 2021 based on my independent study completed in Uganda. The conference last year was cancelled due to coronavirus but I am hopeful I will be able to present my findings this year.
Academic Activity/Award 7:
Human Development Conference at the University of Notre Dame-March 2020-I was also selected to give an oral presentation based on my independent study completed in Uganda in this esteemed conference focusing on issues of identity, mobility, and human rights.
Academic Activity/Award 8:
Research Assistant / Excel Scholar-2 years-I am working alongside Professor Fischer-Hoffman from the International Affairs department, who is studying the legacy of Bethlehem Steel and Iron Ore Mining operations in Latin America. I am assisting in a range of research-related tasks. I have compiled and synthesized primary and secondary sources in Spanish and English; designed and translated interview guides for field research; created an in-depth annotated bibliography; and created visual maps depicting Bethlehem Steel’s operations. Currently I am tracing Bethlehem Steel subsidiaries in Latin America, collecting data on iron ore operations, creating data visualizations, and transcribing/translating over 50 hrs of interviews.
Academic Activity/Award 9:
Marquis Scholar-4 years-Four year merit-based scholarship to study at Lafayette awarded to students that display the Marquis’ ideals of global citizenship, scholarly pursuits, leadership, and concern for others
Academic Activity/Award 10:
McKelvy Scholar-3 years-The McKelvy Scholars Program at Lafayette is a co-ed community of intellectually curious students who have different academic interests and personal backgrounds that participate in weekly student-led discussions. I have been an avid participant of all discussions, and facilitated conversations on the ethics of volontourism, sex & capitalism, and on the intricacies associated with technological progress and universal access to the internet. I am currently serving as Co-President of the House.
Campus Service Activity /Award 1:
International Students Association (President, Secretary)-3.5 years-I have served on the ISA Board since my freshman year as Secretary (2018-2019), Head Peer Advisor (2019-2020), and President (2020-2021). My first two years, I rebranded and re-established International Education Week alongside another ISA Board Member. This initiative had been dropped a few years back, yet offered an opportunity to put international issues at the forefront of campus programming. In conceptualizing the week, our goal was to nurture a feeling of belonging on campus for international students while fostering meaningful discussion about international matters regardless of one’s citizenship or ethnicity. In 2018, the inaugural IEW attracted over 600 domestic and international students, and IEW was nominated for Best Program of the Year. To broaden our reach our second time, we collaborated with an NGO in New York to bring in artists, including the Grammy-nominated Moroccan band Innov Gnawa, who explored identity, slavery, and blackness through Morocco’s ritual trance music. We also established When Worlds Collide, which is an ISA Party open to the entire campus. It has been held in the (former) Spot and Pfenning Alumni Center. I have also established XPosed, a series providing high quality panel discussions on key global topics (ie. Kashmir) featuring experts in the field. As President (2020-2021), I spearheaded a petition to the Administration in the face of Covid-19 to secure international students would be able to remain on campus and to ensure that international student issues would be considered in the transition to the remote Fall 2020 semester. I also had to quickly and effectively redesign programming to meet the new constraints of remote learning; currently implementing new initiatives to ensure International Students are accommodated throughout the pandemic. Currently, I am overseeing the operations of ISA’s different events: Extravaganza, March Around the World, ISA & Chill/General Body Meetings, XPosed, among others. This year, I helped organize Xinjiang XPosed: History, Crisis, and Oppression, which brought in external activists to discuss the current crisis taking place in China. I am also in the processes of restructuring the board, creating a transition document to help with long-term sustainability, overseeing the initiative to secure an ISA house, and implementing a new ISA Mentorship Program.
Campus Service Activity /Award 2:
International Orientation Peer Captain and Head Peer Captain-2 years-As Peer Captain (Summer 2018) I was responsible for overseeing a small team of students through international orientation and facilitating their transition to the United States and Lafayette. As Head Peer Advisor (Summer 2019), I organized International Orientation for 87 freshmen. This included coordinating their arrival logistics, and developing and carrying out programming to ease assimilation into US culture & education. As Head Peer Advisor, I also implemented a team orientation, which has now been permanently adopted as part of international orientation.
Campus Service Activity /Award 3:
Frances Ocansey-Ahene Spirit of Multiculturalism Award-May 2020-Awarded to an upper-level student whose commitment to academic excellence and inclusive leadership within the community transcends all barriers and exemplifies the ethos of multiculturalism at Lafayette College
Campus Service Activity /Award 4:
Lafayette Student Alumni Council-1 year-As part of the Lafayette Student Alumni Council, I helped organize / run various events, including Lights Out Lafayette and Lafayette Escape Rooms during Alumni Weekend.
Campus Service Activity /Award 5:
Student Government (Vice President, Director of Stu Orgs, Chair Academic Affairs)-2 years-As a chair on the academic affairs committee, I initiated a research portal to provide a streamlined system of research opportunities for students. I briefly served as director of student organizations before being internally selected as Vice President. As VP, I oversaw Student Government funding and managed budget allocations for Student Organizations. Revised guidelines for the budget committee to make them more inclusive. I also sat on the faculty committee for student life.
Campus Service Activity /Award 6:
Spanish Conversation Partner / EPortfolio Mentor / Teaching Assistant-3 years-As teaching assistant I was responsible for organizing Spanish sessions outside of class lectures. I was the TA for a 300-level Spanish class; I graded papers, organized sessions that helped deepen students’ cultural understanding of Spain, and improve their grammar, speaking fluidity, and pronunciation. This overlapped with my responsibilities as a conversation partner. I have also worked as an E-Portfolio mentor, grading papers for various professors in French and Spanish. As proctor, I was responsible for overseeing students using the language lab/helping them with assignments.
Campus Service Activity /Award 7:
Lafayette College Forensics-1 year-During my first-year at Lafayette, I participated in Debate, Extemporaneous, and Impromptu events. I placed Gold in Novice LD Debate at the Hillsdale Tournament and was awarded the Best Speaker Award.
Campus Service Activity /Award 8:
Writing Associate-2 years-I helped students improve their writing; support courses in the college’s general curriculum and a wide range of disciplines. I have worked with four different classes, meeting with all students at least four times per semester for 30 minute conferences. During those, I offered insight on students’ papers. I also provided faculty with feedback on assignment design and student progress. I have worked in the drop-in service to help students not affiliated in the program. I was a WA for two First Year Seminars and one-200 level course.
Campus Service Activity /Award 9:
Lafayette College Chamber Orchestra / Cello Courses-3 years-I have played the cello since I was in first grade. My first year at Lafayette, I participated in Chamber Orchestra and took private cello classes. I continued cello lessons up until my senior year at Lafayette, however, I still play on my own.
Campus Service Activity /Award 10:
Open Debate Club-2 years-I was an active member of the open-debate club my freshman and sophomore year.
Community Service 1:
Refugee Action-3.5 years-As a freshman, I was intimately involved in the resettling of our first family into the Easton community. I tutored family members daily and helped coordinate medical and government appointments. I helped create some structure around tutoring by creating lessons that incorporated the English words necessary for future employment. As Government/Medical Chair (2018-2019), I navigated the US resettlement process to ensure refugees had required documents and enrolled in all necessary programs for a successful life in the USA. I also enrolled families in medical insurance schemes, coordinated medical appointments, and ensured health needs were being met. As Finance Chair (2019-2020), I helped develop a financial literacy program for families to understand US economic and banking systems, as well as employment. I helped facilitate discussions concerning the importance of financial literacy and financial autonomy. As treasurer (2020-Jan 2021), I oversaw club finances for event planning and for resettlement; as well as managing external donations. On the side, I also helped spearhead the initiative to secure a joint ISA/Refugee Action Van. I helped write an entire proposal and attended multiple meetings with administrators. Though the proposal never came to fruition, it was a large project.
Community Service 2:
Alliance Forum for Development (Volunteer)-1 month-While carrying out research in Adjumani, Uganda, I was also volunteering with the Alliance Forum for Development (AFOD), the main implementing partner for the World Food Programme in the area. I participated in food distribution efforts across different refugee camps in the district over the period that I was there.
Community Service 3:
Global Livingston Institute (Research Coordinator)-6 months-I was responsible for carrying out global research on workforce development statistics, relevant initiatives within the continent, and local-level partnership building to better inform program development. I wrote proposals to Ugandan universities to implement workforce development trainings. I also converted the in-person training to an online workshop; helped organize and facilitate the online training; and edited and provided feedback to participants on their CVs and resumes.
Community Service 4:
The Green Lion (Volunteer)-1 month-For one month, I worked at a local temple with a group of Buddhist nuns; assisted in cleaning, painting, refurbishing, and laying bricks. I also cleaned, painted, and refurbished a local preschool, and assisted in some activities and teaching including to improve the English syllabus. I have always had some ethical qualms with voluntourism and the program itself, so prior to going, I did extensive research on how to be most ethical while volunteering abroad. I engaged in conversations with my program coordinators to deeply reflect on the ethical questions I was wrestling with. The experience was fundamental in shaping my opinion on voluntourism, which has become much more nuanced and complex thanks to the conversations I had while there.
Community Service 5:
Garlic Fest / Bacon Fest-1 semester-I participated in Garlic Fest and Bacon Fest conducting surveys rating people’s experiences / reasons for coming. These findings were used as part of a report that was delivered to the Easton Municipality to help with their development plans for the area. As part of my Mapping World Cities Class, I helped create maps from drone imagery that was also used as part of the final report.
Community Service 6:
March Around the World-1 year-Participated in March Around the World in March Elementary School as a “shepherd.” I led a team of students around different stations and engaged in conversations about different countries and cultures. Helped with the organization and logistics of the event.
Athletic Activity /Award 1:
Lafayette College Dance Company-3 semesters-I have taken various classes with the Lafayette College Dance Company including contemporary, jazz, and hip hop. I also taught my own jazz/hip-hop fusion class for one semester.
Athletic Activity /Award 2:
Camp Pocono Trails (Counselor)-3 months-I was responsible for a group of 10 campers with the goal of helping them lose weight and develop healthy lifestyles. I assisted in fitness, sports, nutrition, and health classes.
Special Interest Activity/Award 1:
Independent Study (Abroad)-4 months-Refugees who rely on food aid for survival erratically face food insecurity at a household level due to the susceptibility of humanitarian assistance to funding cuts. The Government of Uganda’s championed self-reliance model is designed to instill resilience in refugees as a means to compensate for and overcome external shocks, however, this has not been the case. With no other means of enhancing their livelihoods, refugees are dependent on handouts for everyday functioning and long-term survival. This study aims to assess the impact of humanitarian food assistance on socioeconomic structures in refugee settlements in Adjumani, Uganda to understand the consequences of unstable food aid beyond food insecurity. In contrast to existing literature, my research emphasizes the links between food aid, food security, livelihood, and socioeconomic structures. Literature focuses mostly these elements in isolation. By exploring the intrinsic and bidirectional links between food aid and socioeconomic structures I am able to identify new gaps in humanitarian interventions. My research also contributes to scholarly work on refugee experiences in Adjumani, which is limited despite the increasing numbers of South Sudanese refugees. Over a period of four-weeks I conducted key-informant, in-depth, and focus group interviews. Data was also collected through participant observation of food and cash distribution, and a household food insecurity questionnaire. My findings illustrate how refugees are using food aid as an economic asset to fuel an inexistent economy and fend for their needs. However, such transactions are condemned by NGOs operating on the field. Rather than denying the reality on the ground and sticking to the theoretical ideals that underpin food aid, I argue that food aid must be reconceptualized and appreciated for its role as an economic asset. Doing so highlights the importance of income-generating activities in forming strong socioeconomic structures for refugees to provide them with alternative and more sustainable means of achieving food security.
Special Interest Activity/Award 2:
Independent Study (Abroad)-1 week-During a one-week stay in Kapchorwa, Uganda, we were tasked with creating a research project / policy recommendation document outlining a challenge being faced in the community. Through extensive field interviews with NGOs, local women’s associations, medical facilities, doctors, and village elders, I created a project examining Sabiny female genital mutilation and male circumcision to understand the tensions that can arise between development (as we conceptualize it here in the West), human rights, and culture. The result was a nuanced exploration on how to modify traditional rite of passage ceremonies in a manner that simultaneously stands up for human rights without coming across as an attack on culture and tradition. Our project was shared with the local community.
Special Interest Activity/Award 3:
Independent Study (Lafayette)-9 months-This exploratory study examined refugee wellbeing at a macro level by exploring the various factors that might contribute to general acute malnutrition and food insecurity across different variables and settlements in sub-Saharan Africa. I ran standard r-squared regressions estimating the effects of various demographic, geographic, environmental, governmental, health, WASH on general acute malnutrition, stunting, and mid-upper arm circumference. Data was collected using existing UN data portals (UNHCR’s Standardized Nutrition Survey, the UNHCR’s WASH Dashboard Overview Portal, and the UNHCR’s Health Facility Balanced Score Card), as well as the UNHCR’s Global Focus Country Pages, World Governance Indicators, and World Development Indicators. I also conducted various analyses using QGIS and Excel. The findings indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between general acute malnutrition and liters of potable water per person per day, anemia prevalence, net primary productivity, vegetation, government effectiveness, voice and accountability, and nearest hub population greater than 500,000 people. These findings highlight the potential importance of vegetation in curbing food insecurity, settlement placement near a city of over 500,000 people, and of rapid malaria prevention, detection, and cure. To my knowledge, no study of this scale / methodology has ever been carried out.
Special Interest Activity/Award 4:
Senior Thesis-1 year-My thesis employs a geospatial analysis and multivariate regressions to explore demonstrable relationships between food insecurity and patterns of migration, at the population level. While there are numerous studies on voluntary migrations as a coping strategy to mitigate seasonal food insecurity, there is a paucity of literature examining the role of food insecurity as a driver of forced migrations as well as scant quantitative research examining the nexus conflict-food insecurity-migration nexus. I self-taught myself how to use R to carry out this project. The findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between moderate food insecurity and forced migration. Furthermore, the findings indicate that food insecurity diminishes the effects of conflict on migration and vice-versa, providing quantitative evidence for the food security-conflict-migration nexus. My findings challenge us to critically reassess the role of food insecurity as a driver of forced migrations as well as critically re-examine the notion of who is a refugee. Climate change will only exacerbate food insecurity. Knowing that food insecurity acts as a driver of forced migration raises questions about refugeehood and refugee status. My methodological approach is innovative and offers contributions to the literature on how to use geospatial analysis to better understand the mechanisms driving forced migration.
Special Interest Activity/Award 5:
Digital Humanities Summer Scholar-2 months-The Digital Humanities Summer Scholarship is a competitive, six-week internship that focuses on engaging with digital tools, methodologies, and community practices during class and lecture time in order to build an independent research project. My project focused on the disarmament in South Sudan in the period between 2005 and 2013. I created a “crash-course” style video, in-depth interactive timeline of South Sudan (and formerly Sudan) from 1899 to 2019, a map tracing arms proliferation, an interactive map of South Sudan with descriptions of the disarmament approach in each state, and infographics visually representing the disarmament campaigns. The purpose of the project was to understand the political framework that guided disarmament in South Sudan between 2005 and 2013, explore why disarmament campaigns failed and the subsequent implications, and question why certain states have no reported disarmament activities. The full research project is available here: https://pugliavictoriavictor.wixsite.com/disarmamentssd
Special Interest Activity/Award 6:
Namaya Productions (Administrative Manager)-1 year-I spearheading Agent Orange: Do Not Forget Me, an exhibition taking place in late 2021 in Vietnam raising awareness on the adverse effects left behind by Agent Orange. The aim of the exhibition is also to showcase heroes with disabilities and facilitate dialogue around living with a disability. I prepared a presentation that was delivered at the Veterans for Peace Foundation. At an administrative level, I oversee social media and marketing, head the monthly newsletter and blog posts to raise awareness of the impact of US war and militarism around the world. I have also created a database to organize funders and venues, am overseeing the entire reconstruction of the website, have copy-edited multiple manuscripts, and have done extensive research for human rights projects that will take place in Colombia and The Netherlands.
Special Interest Activity/Award 7:
Global Senegal: Alternative Modernities via Lafayette College-3 weeks-3-week course covering the role of modernity, class, diversity, and globalization on Senegal’s current socio-economic conditions and cultural environments
Special Interest Activity/Award 8:
Contemporary India via American Institute for Foreign Study-3 weeks-3-week course in Hyderabad on contemporary socio-cultural, political-economic, and development issues & realities in India.
Special Interest Activity/Award 9:
Global Development Studies via School for International Training-4 months-4-month study abroad program concerning contemporary global debates focused on globalization and its impact on Uganda, paired with case studies on environment, health, business, gender, and civil society in Kampala. The program included Luganda courses, 1-month independent research, 1-week rural homestay/research, and volunteer opportunities.
Special Interest Activity/Award 10:
Climate Change via Council on International Education Exchange-3 weeks-3-week course in Cusco, Peru exploring the impact of pollution & waste on the local environment and the effects on Andean farming practices.