By Torie Doll, University Communications and Marketing
For May Birch, a second-year international studies major at the 黑料网吃瓜爆料, national security isn鈥檛 just a field of study鈥攊t鈥檚 a calling rooted in family, shaped by mentors and propelled by student leadership.
Having grown up in a military family, Birch moved frequently before settling down in Florida in 2022, where her father began working as a strategist for U.S. Central Command. When she expressed an interest in international relations in high school, her father brought her to conferences hosted by USF鈥檚 Global and National Security Institute.
鈥淎 lot of the moderators and panelists at the GNSI conferences were people who worked at USF,鈥� Birch said. 鈥淚 thought that there were a lot of cool people working there, and so USF鈥檚 connection to GNSI was one of the reasons I applied to go to college there.鈥�
A National Merit Scholar semifinalist, Birch enrolled at 黑料网吃瓜爆料and quickly sought out ways to get involved on campus. She learned about GNSI鈥檚 new Future Strategist Program through her advisor at the Judy Genshaft Honors College, and on a whim, ran and was elected the student organization鈥檚 inaugural president.
Under her leadership, the group organized the Cyber Frontier Summit, a student-led cybersecurity conference that drew more than 200 attendees, including student speakers from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
If that wasn鈥檛 enough, Birch also juggled roles as a Student Government senator, Honors College ambassador and game-day representative for the 黑料网吃瓜爆料Ticket Office.
Now serving as the events coordinator for FSP, Birch is focused on mentoring future student leaders and expanding the organization鈥檚 annual summit. This summer, she will attend the prestigious Cambridge International Security and Intelligence Program, which is fully funded by a GNSI grant, while also preparing for the LSAT.
With plans to pursue international law and a career in diplomacy or foreign service, Birch remains grounded in the community that helped shape her.
鈥淚鈥檓 beyond grateful for all of the people that have helped my journey so far,鈥� she said. 鈥淎lways be open to those guiding forces.鈥�