Tess Richey

My name is Tess Richey and I just graduated from the University of Colorado in May of 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and History with a minor in Leadership and a certificate in Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies. I grew up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado where I spent most of my time skiing. I was an exchange student in Berlin, Germany after high school. This experience gave me the chance to finally meet people who did not come from the same small town. I felt that I could finally be a real person rather than the summation of how the people I knew expected me to be. At this time I became much more interested in interpersonal relations and how personal narratives shape how we interact with other people. Through learning German I also became much more interested in the role language plays in self expression. I am excited to take part in this program to continue looking at these narratives and how peacebuilding can be enacted through better understandings of diverse experiences.