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Ashley Dua is making changes – from ������ɫ to Barcelona – but her journey didn’t start out easy.

“My first semester was really rough because I had a difficult time transitioning,” said Dua, a senior majoring in political science with minors in global studies and human rights. “But once I joined the Food Co-Op, I met people who had made it through that transition, and it motivated me to stay.”

That decision became a turning point. The Food Co-Op – a student-run cooperative offering affordable, sustainably sourced food since 1975 – gave Dua more than just good meals. It offered a mission-driven community where she found support, purpose and belonging.

She started as a first-year volunteer and eventually rose to general manager, overseeing the co-op’s 50th-anniversary celebrations and helping expand its presence on campus. “It taught me so much about teamwork, sustainability and campus culture,” she said. “With so many core members and volunteers, I learned how to delegate and trust others, which has been huge for my personal growth.”

Surrounded by people who shared her values, Dua built confidence and began exploring new interests. She became committed to confronting injustice and working toward peaceful, sustainable change.

By sophomore year, she was conducting research through the ������ɫ Projects for New Undergraduate Researchers. That same year, she studied abroad in Florence, Italy, an experience that deepened her global perspective. Upon returning, she became a study abroad ambassador for ������ɫ’s Office of International Education and Global Initiatives and later served as a Student Career Influencer for the Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development, helping fellow students navigate their own career paths.

In her junior year, she was working with the Civil Rights Institute on a multi-year analysis of U.S. human rights reports, using mixed methods to examine patterns in global policy and rhetoric. This research involved the , a widely used source for quantitative data on human rights practices worldwide.

“We focused on LGBTQ+ rights one year, and Indigenous rights the next,” she said. “It gave me a foundation that made my master’s work more accessible and meaningful, helping me see how global issues intersect.”

Dua is also completing a master’s in Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (GMAP) through the University’s 4+1 program. Her interest in human rights and conflict prevention led her to this path – and now, to Barcelona, where she’ll complete a three-month field placement with the Institute for Integrated Transitions, an organization focused on transitional justice and global negotiations.

“I’m really excited to apply what I’ve learned and contribute to these efforts worldwide,” she said.

After finishing her master’s program, Dua hopes to work in the nonprofit sector, focusing on conflict prevention, risk assessment and transitional justice initiatives. “In undergrad, I realized I didn’t want to be a lawyer, but I was still drawn to politics,” she said. “GMAP helped me see how history, politics and ideology all intertwine in international conflicts.”

Balancing school, leadership roles, research and a job hasn’t been easy, but Dua credits her motivation to the meaningful nature of her work. “I won’t lie – I don’t always balance it perfectly,” she said. “But when you care about what you’re doing, it makes the late nights worth it.”

As she prepares to leave ������ɫ, Dua has transformed from a student uncertain of her place to a researcher, leader and advocate — someone who turned challenges into opportunities.

She leaves future students with a message of empowerment: “You’re in control of your college experience – make it your own.”