My name is Micheala Petruso, a recent Pitt grad with a BPhil in International Area Studies, with a focus in Peace and Conflict Studies, and a BA in French and Philosophy. My studies have thus far taken me to Paris, France, where I spent eight months learning about living in an international environment and preparing for a future international career through both my studies and internship. From my time in France and up to my graduation, I utilized the interdisciplinary nature of the BPhil degree to write my thesis, Propaganda, Nationalism, and Feminism: Algerian Women in the French-Algerian War, and expand on my interests in the colonial and post-colonial relationships between the west and states in the Middle East and North Africa.

After I graduate from Pitt, I hope to spend the Spring obtaining my Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certificate (TEFL), and subsequently find a post in Fall 2021 in East Asia or South America to expand my international experience outside the European sphere. Once I have fulfilled this goal, I plan to apply to graduate schools in Europe to continue my path in academia, before eventually looking towards a career in non-governmental humanitarianism.