Nicole grew up in Southern California and received her B.A. in International Affairs from the George Washington University. As an undergraduate, Nicole spent a semester studying post-conflict development in Uganda and wrote her senior thesis on the reintegration of ex-combatants in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Upon graduating, Nicole returned to East Africa in 2016 as a Boren Scholar to study Swahili in Tanzania. Since the summer of 2017, Nicole has worked as a Policy Analyst with the Department of Homeland Security's Office of International Affairs. She transitioned to working part-time at DHS in order to pursue her graduate studies at Georgetown. When not at work or school, she serves as a refugee mentor to three refugee families in Maryland and as a volunteer with the Close Up, a civic education non-profit. She is particularly interested in international law, mass atrocity prevention, and the future of effective humanitarian intervention. She hopes to continue a career in public service that blends her passions for international politics and humanitarian relief.

"I specifically chose the Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) program due to its international reputation and the close-knit cohort. Additionally, MSFS provided the specific course offerings and professional guidance I was looking for."

Publication

Compton, N. (2016). Reintegration in Area of Limited Statehood: The cases of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Elliott School Undergraduate Scholars Journal. [https://elliott.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2141/f/downloads/Elliott%20Scholars%20Journal%202016%20with%20cover%20Final.pdf]