Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs. May 14, 1988

I attended Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. I graduated in May of 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts in Interantional Affairs. Here I excelled in an interdisciplinary curriculum focusing on history, the arts, political science, literature and French. I was a member of the Political Science Honor Society based on my proficiency in these classes. The total number of credits of French language courses taken both at Trinity University and in Paris, France is 46 credit hours. In addition, I took a total of 30 credit hours of francophone related classes in the fields of political science, literature, art history, film, geography and the research and writing of my senior thesis on French constitutional politics.

I spent two years studying in France at La Sorbonne, L'Institut Catholique, and my final year at L'Institut d'Etudes Politiques. To attend the program at "SciPo" as L'Institut d'Etudes Politiques is known, there was a rigorous entrance exam that I was very happy to pass, after studying much of the summer while volunteering in the French Pyreenes in the town of Beaufort.

High School Diploma, June 16, 1983

I earned a high school diploma in June of 1983. I wanted to include this here because it is the culmination of a colorful and challenging childhood. As evidenced by my high school transcripts, I attended three different high schools in two states. School was always an anchor for me. Certain teachers served as moorings. I enjoyed school and knew education was important for me to break away from my family situation. I worked at it. I also learned important social skills, having to adapt to a new environment about once a year.

It was also during my last year of High School, at Newport Harbor, where my interest in Africa was piqued and thus my subsequent interest in learning French. Up until that point, I had studied Spanish. I had a teacher of Anthropology who spoke of his work in Africa and this lit a spark in me.