Ula Ekmecic is a member of the Class of 2026 in the School of Foreign Service majoring in International Politics and minoring in International Development. Growing up in the shadow of Thailand’s 2006 and 2014 military coups, her upbringing across Beijing, Bangkok, and Seattle sparked her passion for foreign affairs. Taking Professor Ken Opalo’s proseminar “The Future of Economic Development in Africa” pushed Ula to dig deeper into her interest surrounding political institutions, democratization, and grassroots counter-revolutions. As a MURF, she assists Professor Nita Rudra with her research on labor and globalization in developing economies. On campus, Ula is a member of the Georgetown Coalition for Workers’ Rights and is an Editorial Assistant for the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. In her free time, she loves cafe-hopping, running, and discovering new music.