Student spotlight: Katherine Irajpanah

"My favorite course was International Security in a Changing World. It was eye-opening to learn about the variety of pressing security challenges we face today and encouraged me to engage with policy debates, in addition to academic ones,” says Katherine Irajpanah, who graduates this June with a B.A. in international relations.

“My interest in IR stems from the fundaments of who I am, as a person; I am an Iranian-Mexican-American raised in Los Angeles. The combination of personal history and an academic interest in conflict studies and international politics led me to the IR major.”

Majoring in international relations has encouraged Katherine to broader her perspectives and reach out to "people of different times, places, and cultures," she added. “The major also has provided us with a toolkit to begin to address the diverse set of challenges we face today, from conflict to inequality.”

During her time at Stanford, Katherine has conducted research on security issues, and her honors thesis through the CISAC Interschool Honors Program in International Security Studies focuses on the politics of using military force. In addition to research, she served as vice president and interim president of the Stanford Nonproliferation Activism Project, which strives to bring awareness about the existential threat nuclear weapons pose to the international community. Katherine was also a peer advisor for the Program in International Relations.

One of her favorite memories was studying abroad through the Bing Overseas Studies Program in Spain, where she traveled to Cordoba and Sevilla. “I found it incredible to see history come alive and have one of our local professors, Almudena Ariza Armada, provide us a personalized tour of both cities.”

As she looks back on her time at Stanford, she is most proud of all the knowledge she has gained through her classes, research, and interactions with fellow students. “We spent countless hours together reading academic papers and keeping each other informed of current affairs. I feel confident that we are leaving Stanford having expanded our perspectives and that we will continue to do so beyond the Farm.”

In the fall, Katherine will be starting a Ph.D. program in the Department of Government at Harvard University, where she will continue to study international relations and international security issues. Congratulations Katherine, and best of luck!

Please join us in congratulating the class of 2019! As the academic year draws to a close, we are highlighting students graduating from across our 14 programs. Click here to view more student spotlights.