Gloria Kuzmenko-Latimer

Gloria Kuzmenko-Latimer is an incoming college freshman at Brown University, planning to study International Affairs and continue her language studies in French. Coming from a multilingual and multicultural background with Ukrainian and African-American roots, Gloria has always been interested in exploring the world's beautifully diverse cultures. She was able to do so by taking a gap year during which she traveled for 7 months, visiting 10 countries and interning for a travel start-up in Paris, France.

The ongoing aggression of Russia towards Ukraine since 2014 has been a leading factor in Gloria's interest in Global Affairs, as she has many fond memories of time spent with family in Ukraine. This war in Ukraine has only intensified her desire to understand other international conflicts and fuels her drive to encourage awareness of, and participation in, Global Affairs in her community. Through leadership and non-profit work as Key Club President in high school, Gloria created opportunities for her peers to help communities facing crises abroad. When she is not working to save money for her next trip abroad, Gloria enjoys cooking and baking, riding her bike, and spending time with friends and family.