Anoush Baghdassarian ’17: Discovering a New Resource: The Diary of Hovhannes Aharonian, a Survivor of the Armenian Genocide
Anoush is a senior at CMC dual majoring in Psychology and Spanish with a sequence in Holocaust and Human Rights studies. She plans to go to law school after college to become a human rights lawyer and work on cases of crimes against humanity. Anoush is a published author of a historical fiction play about the Armenian Genocide entitled FOUND which has been presented at book events in California, New York, Uruguay, and Argentina, as well as has produced for stage productions in New York and California. In addition to writing, Anoush has interned at various human rights organizations throughout her undergraduate career including Culture Project, the Cardozo Law Institute in Holocaust and Human Rights, the Luisa Hairabedian Foundation, and Human Rights Watch. At CMC, Anoush has been involved with the Mgrublian Center for Human Rights in different capacities. She is a co-founder and member of the human rights legal task force, she helped to historically annotate a memoir of the Armenian Genocide, has done work with human trafficking issues, and is a member of the Center’s Amnesty International chapter. She is also the co-founder and president of the Claremont chapter of the Armenian Student Association, a school tour guide, a senior interviewer, a first year guide, a member of the theatre group, and the College Programming Board. Anoush is a dean’s list scholar and was invited to attend the 2015 Student Conference on US affairs, participate in the 2016 USC Innovate Armenia Undergraduate Retreat, and present at the 2016 UCLA Undergraduate Colloquium in Armenian Studies. She feels very humbled and honored to have been chosen as a 2016-17 Fellow and is eager to make the most of her last year here.
Fiona Bare ’17: An Institutional Critique of Humanitarian Aid in Conflict Zones
Fiona is a senior at CMC majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with an interest in Arabic, human rights, and international relations. She grew up in the Midwest, but has a strong passion for travel and learning about the world. Having spent significant time in Jordan for study abroad, research, and a sponsored internship, Fiona observed many international agencies operating in the region to address the Syrian war. This piqued her interest in the dynamics of international aid, leading to her current research and hopes for a career in international development or conflict intervention. On campus, Fiona is president of the Model United Nations team and works as a student manager at the Roberts Environmental Center.
William Cullen ’19: Environmental Injustice in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
Will is a sophomore at CMC majoring in Environment, Economics, and Politics with a sequence in Human Rights, Genocide, and Holocaust Studies. He was born and raised outside of Washington, DC in Bethesda, MD. On campus, Will is a Research Analyst at the Roberts Environmental Center, working on environmental outreach projects on water reduction and food waste policies in California. Previously interning at the Enough Project in D.C., he is passionate about preventing genocide and crimes against humanity. As a campus leader for J Street U, a student advocacy organization creating dialog on a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians, he has recognized the need for greater attention to the environmental degradation in the Palestinian territories, precipitating violence and greater human rights abuses. Will hopes to pursue a career in sustainable development, examining ways the private sector can enhance environmental sustainability and prevent human rights abuses.
Patrick Elliott ’19: Education – A Tool for Some, A Barrier for Others
Patrick is a sophomore at CMC majoring in Government with an Ethics Sequence. He first developed a passion for education reform by comparing the quality of his private high school to the public schools in Chicago. The disparity he saw led him to learns more about secondary schooling among public schools in metropolitan areas. This country treats education as the best solution for social mobility; Patrick plans on researching how many people truly have access to that quality of education. Outside of his research at the Mgrublian Center, Patrick is the Diversity & Inclusion Chair for ASCMC, a writing consultant for the Center for Writing & Public Discourse, one of the Vice Presidents of Mock Trial, a Tour Guide, a First Year Guide, an Admissions Office Ambassador, and a member of multiple faculty-led committees. Outside of CMC, he runs Waypoint College Mentoring. his own digital college mentoring business for high school students. A lot of his work involves developing his clients’ writing skills, helping them with their applications, and better preparing them for the rigor of college-level composition. This business is his way of trying to bridge the gap between high school and college.
Michele Pashby ’19: U.S. Cover-up of the WWII Japanese Atrocity Unit 731
Michele Pashby is a sophomore at CMC majoring in History. Growing up in a liberal environment in the Bay Area, she developed a passion for human rights at a young age. As her family is incredibly important to her, the inspiration for this topic stems from her grandmother’s persecution by the Japanese while living in the Philippines. Pashby is especially interested in understanding why particular human rights violations are not as widely known as they should be, as this is the first step in opening discussion to prevent these atrocities from reoccurring.