Spotlight on Graduates

Miura Rempis (-Locke) (2021)

Miura Rempis (-Locke) graduated with a Bachelor of Science in History and Political Science in 2021. She was awarded the Tennessee Higher Education Commission “Representative Harold Love, Sr. Community Service Award” for work done involving student voter registration efforts and a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) plan for the 2020 Presidential Election and President of the American Democracy Project and MTSU Votes!, as well as serving as a Campus Election Engagement Fellow through the Campus Election Engagement Project. Miura was also awarded the National Women’s History Month Centennial Trailblazer Award in 2020 by the MTSU June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students.

While at MTSU, she both participated in the Tennessee Legislative Internship Program as a Senate Intern and was selected as a David W. Kious Scholar in 2020. She was a decorated member of the MTSU Speech and Debate Team, where she was first partnered with her now-husband in 2019, as well as a member and competitor of the MTSU Mock Trial team, MTSU Model United Nations organization, and served as Head Delegate on behalf of the University at the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL) in 2020.

Miura received her Master of Public Administration and Policy from American University in Washington, DC in 2023 and is a current PhD Candidate of Public Policy Administration with a certificate in Nonprofit Management at Tennessee State University.

Miura now serves as the Teen Director of the East Branches of the Greater Boston YMCA, where she is in charge of civic educational programming through programs such as Youth & Government (a mock legislature similar to TISL), Mock Trial, and Model United Nations, in addition to after-school development and summer programming. She is a product of these same programs, run by the Tennessee Center for Civic Engagement at the Middle Tennessee YMCA, where she participated for five years and served as an overnight conference staff volunteer for seven years. She intends to use her experience and formal education to delineate the Massachusetts civic education programs, which currently function as part of the regional New England program.

She is also the author of the civic children’s series, “Smarticle Particles and the Power of Civic Engagement”, which boasts three books, a Constitution Week public school workbook, and is collaboratively partnering with MTSU Honors College Dean Dr. John Vile for a fourth installation to the series to release in July of 2026 focused on the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrating 250 years of American independence from British colonial rule.

Carson Turner (2017)

Carson Turner graduated summa cum laude from MTSU in 2017 with a degree in International Relations. While at MTSU, he participated in the Washington Center Program, through which he interned with a division of the Organization of American States. Carson is a graduate of the MTSU Honors College and a recipient of the Jack Justin Turner Award for Academic Excellence in International Relations. He also served as a lead delegate for MTSU Model U.N. and as a board member of the MTSU College Democrats. He is a first-generation graduate.

Carson previously served as the campaign manager in races for Tennessee State House and U.S. Congress. He was also the Deputy Field Director in Iowa for Senator Michael Bennet’s 2020 presidential campaign. Before law school, he worked as a legal assistant in Matthew Gardner’s Nashville-based real property practice.

Carson is currently a J.D. candidate (L’25) at the University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law, where he serves as the Online Articles Editor for The University of Pennsylvania Law Review and Content Editor for The Regulatory Review.

While at Penn, he has interned for Senator Richard Blumenthal’s Judiciary Committee staff; the Honorable L. Felipe Restrepo of United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals; the Honorable Chief Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and the Appellate Unit of the Federal Defender’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

He is also the Co-President of the Penn Law American Constitution Society and has served as a teaching assistant in courses on appellate practice and U.S. history. His academic interests are in administrative law, legal history, and constitutional theory. 

Carson recently worked as a Summer Associate with DLA Piper’s regulatory and appeals practices in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Following graduation, he will serve as a term clerk for a judge on the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Carson is a participant in our Virtual Mentoring program which helps connect currently enrolled PGA students with graduates in different career pathways.

Dr. Rachel Harmon (2012 & 2013)

Dr. Rachel Harmon, a proud first-generation college graduate, graduated cum laude with a BA in International Relations (minors in Middle East Studies & Political Science) in 2012 and with a MA in International Affairs in 2013. While at MTSU, Harmon won the Harry Horne International Relations award, MTSU Mock Trial Pillar Award, Meritorious Service in Political Science Award, and several research travel grants for her research abroad. She was active in MTSU Mock Trial both as a participant and as an Assistant Coach.

Additionally, she participated in MTSU Scholars Week, Undergraduate Research Program in Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, and worked at Transparencia Mexicana in Mexico City, Mexico. Her academic conference and workshop experience also includes Southern Political Science Association, American Political Science Association, Peace Science Society, and International Studies Association.

While a graduate student at MTSU, Dr. Harmon developed her expertise in combating corruption and human trafficking. Shortly following her graduation from the Masters program, she worked Free for Life International and co-led a scholarship and mentorship program for survivors of human trafficking who are pursuing higher education. Additionally, she was Faculty Advisor to MTSU’s Student Organization of the Society of International Affairs & Model United Nations and Adjunct Professor.

Dr. Harmon began her doctoral program at Emory University in 2015 and graduated in 2021. She received the Dean’s Teaching Fellowship at Arrendale State Prison for Women, taught courses and assisted numerous professors in their research, and undertook field work in Nepal and Mexico.

Her completed dissertation – “Understanding the Strategic Perpetration of Human Trafficking in the Context of Conflict” – touches on her expertise in studying human trafficking, women and gender studies, and corruption studies. She is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science at Oxford College of Emory University. Dr. Harmon is also the founder and Director of the EverWell International Scholarship, an organization that provides scholarships and academic support to survivors of human trafficking. 

 As an autistic individual, Harmon is passionate about developing resources that celebrate and affirm autistic and other disabled students. Harmon is the faculty advisor to Oxford’s Autism Advocacy Organization, faculty advisor to a human rights organization, the co-chair of Emory’s Autism Celebration Committee.

Watch a video here of Dr. Harmon talking about the importance of community for students with autism.

Dr. Rachel Harmon is a participant in our Virtual Mentoring program which helps connect currently enrolled PGA students with graduates in different career pathways.

Joseph (Joey) Kennedy (2016)

Joseph (Joey) Kennedy graduated cum laude & with University Honors Distinction in 2016 with double degrees – a BS in International Relations with a minor in Political and Civic Engagement and a BA in Spanish Language & Literature. He received the Harry Horne International Relations Scholarship award from the PGA Department in 2015.

While at MTSU, Joey was highly active in student organizations, campus and department leadership, volunteer work, and academic endeavors. Notably, Kennedy was part of Pi Sigma Alpha (political science honors society), Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership honors society), the National Hispanic Honor Society Student Organization, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

Additionally, Joey served as Vice Chair on the MTSU Student Judicial Board and MTSU Student Discipline Committee, as well as President of the MTSU College Democrats, a Founding President of El Club de Español, and as Assistant Visual Editor, Collage (MTSU’s Honors College Art Magazine).

His academic pursuits included participation and leadership in Model United Nations, competing in Washington, DC, Canada, Georgia, and California. He studied abroad with Dr. Stephen Morris to Cuba and completed an undergraduate honors thesis on The Social Liberalization of Latin America. He also volunteered as a bilingual Instructor at the Hispanic Family Center.

After graduation, Joey worked as a Legislative Intern for Senator Jeff Yarbo at the Tennessee General Assembly and as a Paralegal & Law Clerk for Henderson, Raque, and Cain in Murfreesboro, TN. In 2018, Kennedy enrolled at Belmont Law School, earning a Bruin Scholarship, where he excelled in coursework, internships, and extracurriculars. Notably, he was a managing editor for the Belmont Health Law Journal, Treasurer of the American Constitution Society, and Student Outreach Coordinator for the Women’s Legal Society.

His legal work includes internships at Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella, PC, the 21st Judicial District Court of Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, and at GEODIS Logistics. After graduating summa cum laude from Belmont, Joey began working full-time at GEODIS, where he now serves as Associate Corporate Counsel.

Joey is a participant in our Virtual Mentoring program which helps connect currently enrolled PGA students with graduates in different careers. He is uniquely qualified to mentor students interested in legal careers, student leadership opportunities, and Belmont Law School.

Patrick Morrison (2012)

Patrick Morrison graduated with a B.S. in International Relations and minors in Political and Civic Engagement and Portuguese Studies in 2012 before earning a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. While at MTSU, Patrick was heavily involved in Greek Life and in the Student Government Association where he served as the Homecoming Director. Patrick also worked as a Student Orientation Assistant (MTSU CUSTOMS). Prior to law school, Patrick interned with the Tennessee General Assembly via the Tennessee Legislative Internship Program.

After graduating from law school in 2016, Patrick moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee to join a law firm where he focused on family law, immigration law, and general litigation matters. After several years in private practice, Patrick relocated to Nashville to work for the State of Tennessee where he currently serves as Compliance Counsel with the Tennessee Department of Treasury.

Patrick remains involved with MTSU through serving on the MTSU Alumni Association’s Board of Directors and also as an adjunct instructor in the PGA Department.

Patrick is a participant in our Virtual Mentoring program which helps connect currently enrolled PGA students with graduates in different career pathways.

Abbi Burgess Hilligrass (2008)

Abbi Burgess Hilligrass graduated with a B.S. in Political Science and minors in International Relations and German in 2008.

While at MTSU, she completed internships for a successful Gubernatorial campaign and the non-profit Presidential Classroom in Washington, D.C. After graduating, she spent 5.5 years working as an Executive Legal Assistant in Nashville. 

Since 2013, Abbi has worked for members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Starting in Washington, D.C., she worked on several policy initiatives supporting the Explosive Ordnance Disposal community and designating the Jacob Trieber Federal Building, United States Post Office, and United States Court House.

In 2021, she started working as the Rural Field Representative in Northern Nevada where she built relationships with community leaders and constituents. Currently, she works as a Constituent Services Representative in Northwest Arkansas where she acts as a liaison for constituents to federal agencies.

Abbi is a participant in our Virtual Mentoring program which helps connect currently enrolled PGA students with graduates in different career pathways.

Dalton Lauderback (2015)

Dalton Lauderback graduated summa cum laude in 2015 with a double major in Global Studies and Political Science and minors in German and Psychology. During his studies at MTSU, Dalton interned with the Tennessee Democratic Party and the ACLU and studied abroad at the University of Zürich in Switzerland. He also served as an MTSU/ISEP Education Abroad Global Ambassador promoting study abroad programs on campus. In 2016, Dalton received the Political Science Department’s John W. Burgess Award. 

After graduating from MTSU, Dalton received a Fulbright Scholarship to teach English in Germany, and then went on to receive his Masters in International Affairs from The George Washington University’s (GWU) Elliott School of International Affairs. While at GWU, Dalton completed internships with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS), and The Institute European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (IERES), as well as spending a summer working with the State Department at the U.S. Embassy in Vienna, Austria. Dalton also served as the President of the Elliott School Graduate Board during his second year at GWU. 

Following his studies at GWU, Dalton received a Boren Fellowship to study Russian in Riga, Latvia. Afterwards, Dalton moved back to Washington, D.C. to begin a career as a Sanctions Compliance and Enforcement Officer with the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In 2023, after spending over three years with OFAC, Dalton moved to New York City and is currently working as an Assistant Vice President within Deutsche Bank’s Sanctions Advisory team. 

Dalton is a participant in our Virtual Mentoring program which helps connect currently enrolled PGA students with graduates in different careers. He is uniquely qualified to mentor students interested in International Relations & International Affairs, traveling abroad, Fulbright & Boren awards, graduate school, and life in Washington, DC.

Adam Hinds (2014)

Adam Hinds came to MTSU after serving nine years on active duty at sea in the US Navy and continuing his service as a Navy Reservist, supporting the Navy’s funeral honors mission in Middle Tennessee. He graduated from MTSU in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in International Relations and minors in Global Studies and Religious Studies. He served as the president of MTSU’s Young Americans for Liberty chapter and participated in Model UN. After graduating, he earned a Master of Arts in Christian Practice and Conflict Management at Lipscomb University in 2016.

Subsequently, he completed several deployments to Africa and the Middle East, achieving the rank of Chief Petty Officer in 2016. He served as the Foreign Ship Liaison for Navy Region Hawaii, and as the Leading Chief Operations Specialist at Coalition Task Force Sentinel, the operational arm of the International Maritime Security Construct headquartered in Bahrain. He retired from the Navy in 2023 after 21 years of service.

He also worked in leadership roles for several non-profit organizations in his civilian career including the Boy Scouts of America, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, and the Center for Nonprofit Management in Nashville. He currently supports The Joint Staff as a training and operations analyst in Suffolk, Virginia. He also serves in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, is a volunteer firefighter, and serves on the District Committee for the local Scouting America district in rural Virginia where he now resides. Feel free to connect with Adam on LinkedIn.

Adam is a participant in our Virtual Mentoring program which helps connect currently enrolled PGA students with graduates in different career pathways. He is uniquely qualified to mentor students interested in International Relations, federal and non-profit service, Lipscomb University, and opportunities for veterans.

Brennan Foy (2016)

Brennan Foy graduated with a B.S. in International Relations and a minor in Political and Civic Engagement in 2016 before earning a law degree from The University of Tennessee College of Law. He currently works as an assistant public defender in Murfreesboro, where he represents clients in felony and misdemeanor criminal defense. Prior to joining the Public Defender’s Office, Brennan worked as an attorney in private practice and clerked for a criminal court judge. Outside of his legal practice, he is active in local nonprofits and political campaigns, most recently working as campaign manager on a successful local city council campaign.

Brennan is a participant in our Virtual Mentoring program which helps connect currently enrolled PGA students with graduates in different career pathways. He is uniquely qualified to mentor students interested in law/legal careers, working as a public defender, and the University of Tennessee – Knoxville Law School program.

Elaf Alkazzaz (2023)

Elaf Alkazzaz graduated Cum Laude with an EXL (Experiential Learning) Distinction from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 2023, earning a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a concentration in Pre-Law and a minor in Civic and Political Engagement. During her undergraduate years, Elaf distinguished herself as a dynamic leader, dedicated scholar, and passionate advocate for student success.

In 2021, Elaf joined the Political Science Student Advisory Board under Dr. Federici’s mentorship, where she recognized an unmet need in the department. This insight led her to establish the Legal Studies Society (LSS) in 2022, where she served as founding President. The organization provided resources for students navigating the law school application process, excelling in law school, and launching legal careers. Under her leadership, LSS gained over 80 members in its first semester, marking it as a groundbreaking success.

Elaf also served as Vice President of the American Democracy Project (ADP), focusing on voter registration and civic engagement. During her tenure, MTSU received the Tennessee Secretary of State Award for registering the highest number of student voters in the state. Additionally, she was an active member of the MTSU Model United Nations, representing Sudan in regional conferences.

Elaf’s professional experiences further underscored her commitment to civic and legal work. In 2021, she interned at the Law Office of Timothy R. Hogan as a legal assistant and later with the Rutherford County Democrats as a public relations assistant. Her dedication to leadership was recognized in 2022 when she earned a certificate through the Honors College Institute of Leadership and was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa (National Leadership Honor Society) and Pi Sigma Alpha (National Political Science Honor Society).

After graduation, Elaf joined Consilio LLC, a legal consulting firm serving TennCare with services such as e-discovery processing, litigation support, and staffing solutions. While excelling in her role, Elaf realized her true passion lay in the international field. She pursued a graduate degree in Global and Political Affairs at MTSU in 2024, later earning a prestigious fellowship with the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations and an internship with the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area in Washington, D.C.

Seeking to align her education with her aspirations, Elaf transitioned to the American University School of International Service and Kogod School of Business to pursue a Master of Science in International Relations and Business. She began her career in Washington, D.C., as an Executive Assistant at the Middle East Policy Council, supporting senior executives. Currently, she serves as the Executive Assistant to the CEO of Ashoka, a global organization that identifies and supports leading social entrepreneurs. Elaf plans to complete her degree by 2026, with the goal of becoming an expert in geopolitics, business development, global markets, and emerging business trends. She aspires to work as an international business development consultant, helping clients expand their businesses across the globe. Elaf’s journey exemplifies leadership, ambition, and a commitment to making a global impact.

Dominic Hastings (2021)

Dominic Hastings graduated in 2021 with a B.A. in Political Science, Pre-Law, with a minor in French. During his time at Middle Tennessee State University, Dominic participated in the award-winning Band of Blue as a percussionist.  

After graduating, Dominic moved to the Washington, DC area, where he ended up becoming an intern at the United States Capitol for the House Committee on Appropriations, as well as becoming an intern for Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03).

After completing his internships during a historic period for the House of Representatives, he went on to work for Blueprint Interactive during the 2024 Presidential Election Cycle as a Digital Advertising Associate.

After a few months, Dominic moved back to the Capitol to take on the role of Digital Director for Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). 

Gabrielle Thompson (2012 & 2015)

Gabrielle Thompson-Brown graduated from cum laude from MTSU in 2012 with a BA in Global Studies & Anthropology; she graduated summa cum laude from MTSU’s MA in International Affairs (International Development & Globalization) program in 2015.

Gabrielle Thompson-Brown has a heart for empowerment, justice and serving vulnerable populations around the globe. She has worked as a development practitioner in South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Latin America. Thompson is the current President and CEO, for IDEAS (International Development and Educational Associates), where they work to help communities and individuals flourish by helping to remove barriers to dignity.

Prior to leading IDEAS, Gabrielle was the CEO of an international anti-human trafficking organization for eight years. During that time, Thompson oversaw the rescue of over 1,000 women, men and children, partnered with one Safe Home, wrote and developed a human trafficking prevention curriculum that has now trained over 6,000 people, and created a nationally recognized Survivor Scholarship program, which to date, has awarded over 300 scholarships to survivors of human trafficking.

Thompson served as an adjunct professor in the Masters of International Affairs department at Middle Tennessee State University, teaching, “Global Issues in Human Trafficking”.

Thompson was awarded Nashville’s Top Professionals 30 under 30 in 2018 by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Nashville Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40 Professionals in 2020, and Middle Tennessee State Universities’ Alumni Achievement Award in 2021.

Thompson previously worked in gender-based development initiatives in Costa Rica and Turkey, and holds a MA in International Affairs from Middle Tennessee State University.

Watch a video here of Gabrielle and as President and CEO of IDEAS (International Development and Educational Associates) where she shares her personal and professional journey, highlighting how stepping into hard moments and saying “yes” can transform the world.