Arabella Walley

Arabella (she/her) is a sophomore from New York City. She just declared her major as International Relations with specializations in Social Development & Human Well-Being and International Security. She spoke with us about how she became interested in IR, her primary academic/research interests, and her future career goals!

What sparked your interest in IR? 

I come from a very international family. My mom was born in Germany, and my dad grew up in England. From a young age, I spent a lot of time traveling back and forth between both places, visiting my extended family. Having learned German at a young age, I quickly gained an appreciation for foreign languages. Specifically, I loved how seamlessly this skill allowed me to slip in and out of different cultures. In high school, I studied Mandarin and Spanish, and during my gap year, I lived in Madrid. Additionally, I knew I wanted to develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the world around me. I have always found learning about the histories and cultures of different countries to be incredibly fulfilling, and for that reason, majoring in International Relations just made the most sense.

What are your primary academic/research interests? 

Since coming to Stanford, my primary academic and research interests have been in Immigration and the Refugee Crisis. I became interested in this topic after taking a Spanish Service-Learning class on immigration and citizenship during fall quarter of my freshman year. I’ve recently been volunteering for an organization called Freedom For Immigrants, where I have a weekly shift on their National Detention and Abuse Reporting Hotline. This hotline serves as a tool to connect individuals who are currently facing abuse in ICE dentation facilities with the resources they may need to protect and advocate for themselves. My service work has also led me to ask the bigger, deeper questions about immigration as a whole. Specifically this quarter, I’ve had the privilege of assisting Professor Vicky Fouka with her research on the role of community norms in immigrant integration.

What are your future career goals?

While I have not decided on one career path, I know I want to dedicate myself to something that positively impacts the lives of others. Specifically, I see myself working in foreign service, becoming an immigration lawyer, or working in public policy. I also have dreams of one day working for the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, or Amnesty International.