Maria Angelica Cornejo

Fulbright/Queen's University Belfast Award in Global Security and Borders

Maria Angelica Cornejo grew up in the border towns of Douglas, Arizona, and Agua Prieta, Sonora, along the United States-Mexico border. Maria’s familiarity with the constant changes of the border landscape, led her to become interested in exploring how different border communities navigate their lived realities and challenge dominant security narratives by preserving their history.

During her freshman year, Maria was selected for the Fulbright-UK Summer Institute program, where she explored how Northern Ireland has preserved its history through murals. This experience deepened her interest in incorporating art into her border research, leading her to apply for, and receive, the Killam Fellowship to study at the University of Toronto. There, she investigated how participatory art, workshops, art-based interventions, and visual ethnographies can be used to engage communities and reclaim narratives.

While studying at Arizona State University, Maria began volunteering at a migrant shelter in Agua Prieta, where she witnessed firsthand the impact of border policies on migrants. Her time there deepened her research interest in using art-based methods to create a collaborative space where migrants can share their stories and engage in analyzing the border experience.

Maria will pursue a Master’s in Global Security and Border Studies at Queen’s University Belfast, where she plans to explore the intersection of art, migration, and border policy. She intends to build on this research by pursuing a PhD in Migration Studies. Ultimately, her goal is to develop more inclusive migration frameworks by working with organizations such as the International Organization for Migration.