“When you live abroad, you’re not just learning facts, you’re absorbing the perspectives of the people from that place. I learned this early on by traveling with my grandparents, as my grandfather is a British historian. They ignited my spark and interest in travel. In high school, I participated in the @aighighschooldiplomats, which is an exchange program between the U.S. and Japan. I first spent 10 days on the @princeton campus with a Japanese roommate, and the next year, I moved to Japan to live with a roommate and a host family and tour the country. Going to another country and simply asking someone a question can expand the way you ask questions. My roommate and I had conversations about what it meant to grow up in the U.S., how we communicated, what we learned in the classroom, and what education meant to us. This is why I’m drawn to international relations. I want to learn from people that have different backgrounds than my own, and I want to meet people from all over the world. When applying to college, I knew I wanted to be close to home but also be able to travel. @Princeton was a dream school in my own backyard. It has afforded me so many opportunities to see the world. Broadly, I’ve also always been interested in civic engagement, but it’s always been sort of theoretical. With this year’s election, I decided I wanted to do something more tangible. That’s why I worked with @princetonodus #Vote100 (@princetonvote100) to empower students to vote. I’m passionate about bringing people together, which is also why I’m involved with student government and serve as class president. Learning from others and engaging a community was modeled to me throughout my life. All four of my grandparents (who are all still alive; I’m so grateful for this) were educators. They showed me that education and learning can be a tool for empowerment. I’m excited to see where the future takes me. After graduation? I think it’s safe to say - without a doubt - I’ll be traveling and seeing the world.” - Emma Parish ’21. #Princetagram. #PolicyProfile is an @Instagram series featuring our community. Want to be featured? Comment/DM us.