Interest in the study of Middle Eastern politics, love for learning different languages, and a passion for volunteer work led Morgan Walsh ’18 to volunteer for the Peace Corps in Morocco. “I had thought about the Peace Corps intermittently for some time,” said Walsh. “I specifically applied to Morocco because of my prior interest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.”
During her time at Hamilton, Walsh discovered her interest in Middle Eastern politics and the Arabic language. “I've been a news junkie my entire life and it seemed that the Middle East came up quite frequently. This led me to study Arabic and take a myriad of government department courses about the Middle East.” She also took an introductory level economics course which she enjoyed, leading her to pursue a double major in world politics and economics.
Majors: Economics and World Politics
Hometown: Lakewood, Colo.
High School: Conifer High School
Thanks to her study abroad, her work in Morocco will not be the first time Walsh has spent time in the MENA region. “My Arabic classes with Professor Koukjian led me to study abroad in Jordan my junior year. This was the first time I had left North America or lived abroad, and it was really exciting for me to become immersed in a different culture and build upon my knowledge of what I had learned about the region in my government classes.”
It is also her experience volunteering in the communities around Hamilton that drove her to serve with the Peace Corps. “I enjoy helping others and have done a lot of volunteering during my time at Hamilton, primarily at the Root Farm in Sauquoit, NY, helping with its adaptive equine program, and at the Midtown Utica Community Center (MUCC).” While working at the Root Farm, Walsh talked with a volunteer manager who had previously worked with the Peace Corps in Mozambique which helped pique her interest in serving for the organization.
Hamilton’s Career Center helped Walsh turn this interest into reality. She gave a special shout-out to Janine Oliver, who “was very supportive of me throughout the application process and was a huge help.” As for her future, Walsh wants to use her experience in the Peace Corps to pursue a career in international development in the Middle East.
