"I am a first-generation Radford University student who comes from an Afghan immigrant family. I am a senior in pursuit of a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a member of the Radford University-United Nations PRME Wicked Problems Toolkit Team. In this research project, there are several issues that I am passionate about researching but I am most interested in examining 'Threats to Democracy' because the trends in recent years suggest that countries around the globe have become less democratic. 

I enjoy being a part of the Wicked Toolkit and the Wicked Society because I have been grouped with like-minded students who care as much as I do about finding solutions to some of the complex and unsolved – ‘wicked’ – problems of our time. 

Traveling to Lisbon, Portugal to present the team’s research in front of the PRME network of UN scholars is important to me because it poses lots of networking opportunities and hands-on experience on how to act professionally in high-functioning teams, and on a global stage.

I am confident that the eminent UN-PRME scholars will enhance our research and offer suggestions as to how our research can improve and may offer alternative ideas to the solutions that we have proposed. 

Few learning experiences at Radford University can compare to our prestigious opportunity to present our research in Portugal. Our work in Lisbon can bring some great positive publicity to our college and enhance the reputation of our University.”