Ally McCarthy

Fulbright/University of Bristol Award

Ally McCarthy graduated with a B.A. in Arabic Studies and a B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland at College Park. Ally spent a subsequent year abroad on the David L. Boren Scholarship studying Arabic at the Arab-American Language Institute in Morocco (AALIM) where she also became involved in women’s empowerment initiatives through sports.  
 
Since returning from Morocco in 2018, Ally served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army Reserve on multiple overseas postings focused on various strategic defense initiatives in Africa. Most recently, Ally deployed to Djibouti where one of her primary responsibilities included implementing Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) strategic objectives within Civil Affairs Operations in West Africa. While at the University of Bristol, Ally aims to further examine various international WPS initiatives through a defense and security lens. This Fulbright will give her the opportunity to gain foundational understanding on international security concepts to establish an improved framework for the implementation of WPS policies with the Department of Defense. 
 
Everywhere Ally has lived she volunteers with organizations promoting the empowerment of women and girls through scouting or youth sports programs. Ally is excited to continue this community involvement during her time in Bristol.