University of Chicago (UChicago) student Cara Wilson, in her fourth year, has been chosen by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace for the James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program. The fellowship places recent graduates in Washington, D.C., as research assistants alongside the senior scholars at Carnegie.
This fall, Wilson, a double major in Public Policy and Middle Eastern Studies, will join the program's nuclear policy division. Her interest in nuclear policy grew after studying national security strategy at UChicago and completing an internship with the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI).
“I was lucky to end up at NTI,” Wilson remarked. “They took a chance on me because I had no previous experience with nuclear policy, but I knew I was really interested."
She later interned with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, gaining exposure to real-world statecraft. “That was my opportunity to see diplomacy up close,” she recounted.
At Carnegie, Wilson will engage in research related to deterrence, disarmament, and nuclear security. “I hope I can learn and be part of the varied research projects within the program,” she said.
Reflecting on her college experience, Wilson noted, “I feel like my academic journey was me trying things out that I thought were interesting."
Wilson's journey was supported by the UChicago College’s Office of National Fellowships, which assists students with applications and interviews for awards like the Carnegie fellowship.