UNC Pembroke alumna Mia Baxley is making the most of our international relations degree.

Baxley is a true globetrotter. Since her sophomore year at UNCP, Baxley has lived and taught English in China for seven weeks and in Seoul, Korea, for one year. Her visit to China was her second trip––the first coming while she was in high school. She also participated in a study abroad program in Thailand while in college, not to be outdone.

Currently, the 25-year-old Robeson County native is in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, participating in a three-month residency at the Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC).

The Post-Conflict Research Center is dedicated to restoring a culture of peace and preventing violent conflict in the Western Balkans.

According to a recent Linkedin post, Baxley says her summer internship will consist of “developing my research skills and understanding of genocide awareness, human rights advocacy, and post-conflict recovery here in the Balkans and beyond.

“Within my first two days, I have already fallen in love with the unbreakable spirit of this city and the people who call it home. I have already learned so much just from immersing myself in the culture of my surroundings and that appreciation can only keep growing,” said wrote in her post.

Baxley earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2018 and recently completed her first year of graduate school in the political science and government program at Duke University, where she is pursuing a master's degree in security and peace conflict.