Maimuna Gassama

Maimuna Gassama is living proof that if at first you don’t succeed at something, always try again. 

Gassama first heard about the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program in her first year at St. John’s University, but didn’t have enough credits to apply at the time. She applied as a sophomore and wasn’t chosen for the program, but she persevered the following year and was accepted as a junior.

Gassama is enrolled in the combined B.A./M.A. Government and Politics program, with minors in Arabic and Social Justice: Theory and Practice in the Vincentian Tradition. “I am interested in race, religion and its intersection with Security Studies,” said Gassama. “At its core, cross-cultural communication is important to this field. We typically only see one side of the story about these issues, and I want to help people see the other side to foster true dialogue.”

The Rangel Summer Enrichment Program offers undergraduate students a deeper appreciation of current issues and trends in international affairs, a greater understanding of career opportunities in international affairs, and the enhanced knowledge and skills to pursue such careers. During the six-week program, Rangel Scholars live at Howard University, attend classes, and participate in a variety of programs with foreign affairs professionals in Washington, D.C. The program covers the costs for tuition, travel, housing, and two meals per day, as well as a stipend of $3,200 for each scholar.

During the six-week duration of the program, Rangel Scholars complete two courses: History of U.S. Foreign Relations and Political Economy. Scholars also participate in an intensive, non-credit bearing writing seminar aimed at developing their professional and academic writing in the area of international affairs. Gassama’s writing seminar was taught by the former ambassador of Zimbabwe, with whom she has remained in contact and who continues to give her writing guidance. In addition, a historian at the U.S. Department of State, whose interdisciplinary approach solidified Gassama’s interest in international affairs, taught her course on the history of U.S. foreign relations.

Gassama also participated in various leadership development activities, such as; group dynamic, crisis management, and public speaking workshops. “I had participated in group activities and was used to public speaking, but this summer taught me how different the dynamics of both are when you’re in a position where you are representing an entire country,” she said.  

Outside of the classroom, Rangel Scholars meet with a wide range of professionals from government and non-governmental organizations, and learn about diverse international policy issues and career options. In recent years, scholars have visited the U.S. Congress, the Department of State, the Central Intelligence Agency, the World Bank, and the National Security Council, among other prominent organizations. “I was blown away by how many people were willing to mentor us,” she said. She was particularly interested in the diverse career paths she encountered. “It showed me that you don’t have to take one straight path,” said Gassama. “Be flexible with your career goals and go with the flow.”

Her own career ambitions have developed throughout her time at St. John’s. Although she already had an interested in government and international relations as an incoming freshman, Gassama wasn’t sure of the direction that interest would take. After taking Introduction to Catholic Moral Theology with Assistant Professor Jeremy V. Cruz, Ph.D., and Arms Races and Arms Control with Associate Professor David W. Kearn, Jr. Ph.D., Gassama started thinking more about religion and security and how to combine the two fields. She began to pursue this interest through research that she presented at Student Research Day in 2017 and 2018 with projects titles “The Muted Voice of The Minority Muslim” and “Religion as a Proxy for Race.” Both projects examine how important factors of identity are to understanding contemporary security concerns.

Originally from Atlanta, GA, Gassama came to St. John’s because she wanted to be closer to the United Nations Headquarters in New York, NY. As a student, she has been involved as both Head of External Communication and Vice President of the University’s UNICEF chapter, a Diversity Peer Educator, and a R.I.S.E. Mentor. Gassama is also a member of the Skull and Circle Honor Society and a student worker in the Department of English. These campus roles have shaped her in various ways. “UNICEF showed me how connected we all are,” said Gassama. “It doesn’t matter which side of the world we are on, children still like the same things. Being a Diversity Peer Educator also required me to do a lot of research so that I could go into classrooms and be prepared to answer questions fellow students might ask me about various social justice issues.

Gassama hopes now to apply for a Rangel Fellowship and Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship and continue her work in international relations. With the curiosity and perseverance she has applied to other areas of her studies and career goals, she embodies the University’s commitment to service and student success.