Hi everyone! My name is Avery McCoy Ell, I’m originally from Maine and am a senior in Currier House concentrating in Government on the Public Policy / Foreign Policy track, and pursuing two citations in Korean and French. My time in the Government Department here at Harvard has been deeply impactful for both my academic and professional goals, and I’m very much looking forward to serving as a resource for both current and future Gov students in navigating classes, extracurriculars, research, or any other questions that come up!
My academic interests focus on foreign policy, diplomacy, and nuclear nonproliferation – especially in East Asia – and I’m writing my senior thesis on how perceptions of status influence Chinese and North Korean engagement in nuclear arms control agreements, which I’m always happy to chat about. Some of my favorite Gov classes so far have been Professor Johnston’s course on Chinese Foreign Policy, Professor Chaudoin’s course on International Conflict and Cooperation, and Dean Huguley’s seminar on International Security. I’ve studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea and Strasbourg, France, which I’d be happy to talk about if you’re thinking about international experiences during your time here.
On campus, I just finished up my term as Co-President of Harvard Undergraduate Women in Foreign Policy (HUWiFP), working to expand access to foreign policy careers for female-identifying students on campus. Previously, I served as the Director of Community Engagement at the Harvard Undergraduate Think Tank (HUTT) where I developed educational modules on foreign policy for Boston-area public schools, and as a Policy Research Chair at the Harvard Undergraduate Foreign Policy Initiative (HUFPI). I work on campus at the Korea Institute, and off campus have interned for the Council of Europe, the State Department’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, and the U.S. Mission to the European Union.
Please feel free to reach out if I can be of any help, I’m always happy to talk!