Falastin Ali
Class Year: 2028
Major: Political Science and Nursing
What is an area you’ve grown/something you’ve learned since starting work at the IFC?
Working at the IFC taught me how to disagree with respect to listen, respond, and find common ground without losing empathy or purpose. I’ve learned that real dialogue isn’t about winning; it’s about understanding.
Olivia Braun
Class Year: 2027
Major: Political Science with a Business and Management Studies concentration.
What is an area you’ve grown/something you’ve learned since starting work at the IFC?
Something I’ve learned since starting work in the IFC office is how many phenomenal people the IFC brings in from across the country during the speaker series. Before I started, I definitely took for granted my ability to have the chance to listen to these guest speakers live on our campus.
Kaya Clemmons
Class Year: 2026
Major: Social Studies Education
What attracted you to the IFC/why did you want to work at the IFC?
Last year, I stopped by one of the IFC’s weekly events, Politics and Pastries, hoping to scratch a political itch. There, I found lots of fruitful discussions about the current state of politics. They invited a variety of professors, students, and staff to come and add their own personal lens to describe their understanding of current events. It helped me to understand my own values and convictions better, and helped me focus my own civic engagement into something more meaningful. Politics and Pastries is not just a place to stay informed, but also a space to reflect on the ways you want to contribute to your community.
Aisling Cox
Class Year: 2028
Major: Political Science and Quantitative Economics
What is an area you’ve grown/something you’ve learned since starting work at the IFC?
Since I started working at the IFC last fall, I have become more comfortable facilitating difficult conversations and developed a genuine passion for helping others navigate these spaces. It is incredibly fulfilling to play a small role in helping someone develop confidence in confrontation, voicing their own opinions, and interacting positively with people who hold differing opinions.
Adriana Fleming
Class Year: 2026
Major: Studio Art
What is an area you’ve grown in/something you’ve learned since starting work at the IFC?
Being an IFC fellow has provided me with the essential link between my vocational journey and political action. My contribution to “The Having the Hard Conversations Guide” was huge, it further allowed me to utilize my art for real academic change, directly engaging/tackling difficult topics that institutions often shy away from.
Reece Howell
Class Year: 2027
Major: Philosophy and Political Science
What is an area you’ve grown/something you’ve learned since starting work at the IFC?
I’ve learned how important a good work environment is to me. At the IFC, everyone is kind, engaging, and easy to talk to, which makes it a genuinely fun place to work. It’s also made it much easier to share ideas and collaborate. In the future, I’ll look for workplaces like the IFC—places where I enjoy coming in and can communicate effectively with my coworkers and supervisors.
Gabriel Hudson
Class Year: 2027
Major: Political Science
What attracted you to the IFC/why did you want to work at the IFC?
I have a passion for politics and particularly the philosophies behind it. Creating dialogue through student discussions and speakers is something that I wanted to be a part of.
Marishka Kavtardze
Class Year: 2028
Major: Political Science
Who is your favorite IFC speaker and why?
My favorite IFC speaker so far has definitely got to be the Senior US District Judge—Honorable Joan N. Ericksen. She delivered a talk about the constitution, and all things concerning it (the theory of originalism, constitutional amendments, the congress, etc.); her hard work, passion and dedication to her profession was apparent in the way she spoke of her past cases, the rule of law and the constitutional freedoms. Plus, she gave us all pocket constitutions, and it’s not everyday one gets to say that!
Annie Rezac
Class Year: 2028
Majors: Sociology and Anthropology, History, and Dance
What is an area you’ve grown/something you’ve learned since starting work at the IFC?
I’ve learned many things from starting work at the IFC – from graphic design to editing podcasts. However, the most impactful skill I’ve learned is dialogue facilitation. By witnessing and participating in IFC events and receiving training in facilitation, the importance of dialogue has been intensely illuminated to me. This change in mindset follows me beyond the IFC office and continues to shape how I interact with the world.
Dan Sterup
Class Year: 2028
Major: Psychology and Russian with an International Relations concentration
What is an area you’ve grown/something you’ve learned since starting work at the IFC?
Though I’m fairly new to the IFC, it’s been enlightening and refreshing to be around a group of kind, intelligent, wonderful people who I can absorb information from and learn more about politics and constructive dialogue. Additionally, through a mixture of the speakers, the initial training module, and the book we’re reading, I’ve had my eyes opened to the limits of my own knowledge and biases, and the way that affects my opinions of beliefs.
Emme Vering
Class Year: 2026
Major: Computer Science and Political Science
What attracted you to the IFC/why did you want to work at the IFC?
What initially drew me to the IFC was the mission: to create a space where students can express themselves and express diverse points of view and values in a respectful environment. The IFC brings in nationally recognized practitioners and thinkers, who do the same and encourages opportunities to study and debate these ideas and issues.