2021 Tillman Scholar Spotlight: International Relations and Global Policy

Welcome back to the 2021 Tillman Scholars Spotlight! Each week, we highlight a few of the remarkable veterans and military spouses from our 2021 scholar class. These 60 individuals continue to embrace service beyond self in a variety of fields, from diversity and inclusion to medical breakthroughs, to make an impact and create a better tomorrow.

Today, we’re focusing on scholars pursuing impacts in international relations and global policy. With the values of Pat Tillman instilled in them and through leadership development, scholarships, and the support of a global community, they’re furthering their capabilities to become leaders in their individual impact areas.

Diana Park, Tufts University

“WHAT MATTERS IS A COMMITMENT TO HOPE. RATHER THAN A FEELING, HOPE IS A LIFESTYLE, DISCOVERED SOMETIMES IN THE DIREST SITUATIONS, BUT SUSTAINS US THROUGH A LIFETIME.”

Upon graduating from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in 2017 with a master’s of public policy, she continued her service in the federal government as a presidential management fellow at the Department of Treasury, Department of State, and Department of Defense working on cyber and North Korea issues. She is a doctoral student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where she focuses her research on the intersection of cyber and international relations. Diana is committed to the value of knowledge, analysis, and research, and hopes to make an impact on the understanding of war and diplomacy for a more secure future in the years ahead.

Timothy Torres, Georgetown University

“USING DIPLOMACY AND GLOBAL COMMERCE AS A CENTRAL MEANS OF ENGAGEMENT, I HOPE TO LEAVE A MORE PEACEFUL WORLD TO MY CHILDREN.”

During negotiations to support the Afghan peace process, Tim sat across from the same Taliban fighters he had previously faced on the battlefield. This experience motivated Tim to pursue a master of arts in international business and policy at Georgetown University. Now a Chief Warrant Officer 2, Tim will use his combat experience, diplomatic expertise, and education to develop actionable economic and government stability policies designed to prevent future conflicts and improve the quality of life in turbulent regions.

Laura Jones, Tufts University

“THROUGH ADVERSITY I STRIVE FOR A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRATEGIC PROBLEMS FACING THIS NATION. AS A  PH.D. FELLOW I AIM TO MOVE SPECIAL OPERATIONS STRATEGY INTO THE FUTURE.”

In 2020 Laura was selected by Air Force Special Operations Command to be the command’s first-ever directly sponsored  Ph.D. Fellow. After ten years of flying and being immersed in tactical special operations, Laura will pursue a  Ph.D. in international relations at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where she will study proxy conflict within modern great power competition. She hopes to use the expertise gained through her  Ph.D. to help drive special operations strategy into the future.