The World Affairs Council of America (WACA) held its national conference this past week with
the overarching theme being navigating a fractured world. I and four other Bradley students had the honor of attending the conference in Washington DC. The conference was an excellent opportunity for me to connect with like-minded peers and learn from scholars about the most pressing issues in today’s world
I especially enjoyed the networking event with the CIA. This event allowed the students and
young professionals at the conference to have one-on-one conversations with individuals working for the
CIA. This experience expanded my knowledge of the CIA, as well as the different careers within the CIA.
I also greatly appreciated the opportunity to ask questions and have all of my inquiries answered.
A lecture that I found to be interesting and learned a lot from was the Ukraine and Russia talk led by Marie Yovanovitch, Fiona Hill, and Jill Doughtery. I have been taking a Political Science course on Russia and its neighbors this semester, so I was especially invested in learning more about Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine from experts in the field.
Additionally, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass was in attendance at the
conference and spoke about the United States Air Force. What I enjoyed most about her talk was the
insight that she provided about Generation Z and its involvement in the military, as well as her discussion
about the future of our military.
Finally, I had the opportunity to attend a Think Tank at the Middle East Institute. The topics discussed at the Think Tank were very engaging and informative, and I particularly found the discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to be very insightful.
I am incredibly grateful and honored to have been given the opportunity to attend and participate
in the WACA National Conference. I not only had the chance to meet and get to know other college
students who were as passionate about World Affairs as I am, but I was also able to meet and learn from
scholars in the fields that I am interested in. As a soon-to-be college graduate, I plan to continue
challenging myself to learn more about the state of our world as I enter the workforce and navigate the
world as a young professional, and this conference inspired me to continue with my involvement in global
affairs organizations.
