Peer Research Ambassador Mariam Vargas

OUR Peer Research Ambassador Mariam Vargas '25, Major: Political Science and IMJR: International Relations; Minor: Human Rights.Mariam (she/her) is a senior double majoring in Political Science and Individualized: International Relations, minoring in Human Rights. On campus she serves as the president of the Dominican Student Association. a member of UConn’s Leadership Legacy Experience, Undergraduate Student Government and volunteers at the Windham Heights Afterschool Program. Outside of UConn, she enjoys going to the gym, playing soccer and reading murder mysteries. 

The summer of her freshman year, Mariam was accepted into the SHARE Summer Research Apprenticeship and under Dr. Ginsberg she evaluated variables that influence Latino voters to vote in U.S. presidential elections. And she presented her findings during the 2022 Fall Frontiers Poster Exhibition. This same summer, Mariam traveled to Kosovo to learn peace building strategies and negotiations following a war. During the 2022-23 school year through the Work-Study Research Assistant program Mariam worked with Dr. Orozco Mendoza on extreme violence, maternal led organizations and more. During her sophomore year Mariam attended the NATO’s Future Seminar in Berlin, Germany as well, presenting policies on NATO’s Strategic Concept.

After her study abroad trip to the Netherlands. During the summer of her sophomore year Mariam took part in the Charles B. Rangel Summer Enrichment program and took classes at Howard University while also visiting the U.S. Department of State, CIA, Capitol Building and more. During her junior year, Mariam, once again became a research assistant, this time to Dr. David Richards, where she coded and ranked countries based on their judicial torture practices. Being also a BOLD Scholar, Mariam traveled home to the Dominican Republic and conducted a project on reproductive rights in the DR, focusing on the issue of obstetric violence. Where she conducted interviews to professionals in the topic.

This Fall, Mariam is interning at Genocide Watch, an anti-genocide NGO where she will be creating country reports for countries at risk of genocide and observing said countries that are at risk and have an ongoing genocide. As well as being a research assistant for Dr. Zehra Arat and conducting various human rights projects. In the future Mariam hopes to go to graduate school for International Relations and become a U.S. Diplomat.

Research has helped Mariam, understand her goals and aspirations in her undergraduate journey. Mariam believes students should venture outside of their specific major and try doing research in something out of their comfort zone. 

Contact Us

  • Undergraduate students can submit this form to request a peer advising meeting with PRA Mariam.
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