Rachel Fink, a graduating student employee at SNF Agora, first encountered the institute as a sophomore. In her international relations classes, Rachel was often immersed in discussions highlighting global polarization, rising nationalism, and seemingly unsolvable geopolitical conflicts.
“In a lot of my coursework, I saw growing international polarization, without a strong discourse surrounding effective strategies for reconciliation and unity,” Rachel recalls. “SNF Agora offered something notably different, a focus on dialogue, understanding diverse perspectives, and finding practical paths forward.”
As a Baltimore native and graduate of the city’s public school system, Rachel appreciates SNF Agora’s commitment to community engagement. “One thing about SNF Agora that interested me in was how much the institute worked to connect with the Baltimore community,” she explains. This engagement resonated with Rachel: “Hopkins can be a very insular community, and a lot of students struggle to connect with the city. There’s still a long way to go but SNF clearly makes an effort to bridge the gap.”
At SNF Agora, Rachel crafts newsletters, manages events and social media, and designs the website. One of her most ambitious projects was co-organizing debates as Executive Director of the Foreign Affairs Symposium in collaboration with SNF Agora. “It’s really hard to find something that seasoned professionals are willing to disagree about in front of a lot of people,” Rachel explained. This experience taught her firsthand the power of fostering respectful, fact-based dialogue on complex issues, including climate migration and reproductive health.
Rachel also recalls organizing an event for the Elijah E. Cummings Democracy and Freedom Festival that featured Baltimore musicians, poets, and activists. “It was so cool to see John Tyler, a Baltimore musician I was friends with in high school, come to Hopkins and perform. We created a space that truly celebrated local voices.”
Her work at SNF Agora created pathways to international opportunities as well. Rachel secured an internship with the United Nations Environment Program in Nairobi two summers ago. “When I interviewed with them, they were interested in the work I had done with SNF Agora,” she notes. “I had pretty extensive experience working with high-level stakeholders, managing partnerships, and developing events that brought people together.” This experience affirmed the value of her contributions and demonstrated how her campus-based work could have meaningful applications in a global context.
Reflecting on today’s polarized political climate, Rachel emphasizes how SNF Agora has equipped her to navigate challenging discussions. “It’s such a concerning moment politically in America and the world, with people existing in their own political bubbles,” Rachel observes. “Algorithms and external forces are pushing us to believe that those who disagree with us entirely lack intellect and morals.” SNF Agora has offered Rachel “the ability to interact with opinions that I find both unfounded, and sometimes deeply frightening, from a point of curiosity and a desire to find a path forward.”
What distinguishes SNF Agora in Rachel’s experience is its focus on ensuring that opinions are “based in truth, fact, and law” and its inclusion of diverse voices. She points to events like the recent conversation with Venezuelan opposition leaders Maria Machado and David Smolansky as an example of programming that expanded her horizons about “what a political event could look like.”
Looking ahead, Rachel envisions the institute expanding its reach to engage with Baltimore City Public Schools. “Education is so key to restoring belief in U.S. democracy,” she reflects. “Baltimore City Public School students are extremely politically active and could engage with and elevate SNF Agora’s programming.”
For Rachel, who will soon graduate with her master’s from the JHU School of Advanced International Studies, SNF Agora provides a blueprint for civic engagement rooted in fact, inclusivity, and real-world solutions, a model she’ll carry forward as she builds bridges across divisions, communities, and ideas.