Ravi Patel

Global Affairs Intern

I am a rising junior at Tufts University majoring in International Relations, with a concentration in security. As a child of Indian immigrants with a multicultural upbringing, I was introduced to the importance of global citizenship from an early age. Paired with my interests in strategic affairs and language learning which I developed in part due to my background, I felt compelled to merge my passions into my current academic track.

My experiences at Tufts and with the IGL have allowed me to thoroughly engage with humanitarianism and international security. Through my Arabic courses, I was able to interview Middle Eastern refugees about their personal struggles and advance my comprehension of significant Middle Eastern political events, such as the Arab Spring, and their ramifications on the individual level. As the ROTC representative for ALLIES, I organized and participated in meetups between military fellows at The Fletcher School and cadets, and through these conversations I was able to better grasp the real-world applications of theoretical frameworks of international relations, along with the essentialness of incorporating diplomacy and soft power to advance national interests. I have also been involved with MERG as the IGL Liaison and Outreach Coordinator, where I have been able to greatly deepen my understanding of Middle Eastern humanitarian and security affairs, organize panels with highly esteemed speakers, and truly discover the impressive network of IGL alumni.

I was drawn to The Trebuchet due to my eagerness to collaborate with Sherman and the rest of the Trebuchet team in their inspirational work. My journey has began here with becoming a teaching assistant for Sherman’s Global Challenges course at Sai University. I hope to contribute to an outstanding community and bridge divides across all groups and cultures.