Maria G. Carrizales is a current graduate student in the Master of Science in Foreign Service program at Georgetown University. She is pursuing a concentration in Global Politics and Security, specializing in corruption and security in Latin America. She hopes to obtain a government position focusing on international security. Additionally, she is a recipient of the MSFS Centennial Challenge scholarship. Before starting her studies at Georgetown, Maria finished her active-duty service as a Human Intelligence Collector in the United States Army. She finished her three-year tour in German in August. Maria enlisted into the US Army after graduating from California State University, Chico. Maria graduated from Chico State with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, and German, with a minor in Criminal Justice. Moreover, at a young age, Maria’s father taught her the importance of knowing languages. Her upbringing inspired Maria to learn the current languages she knows, which are Spanish, German, and French. Maria aspires to work for a government agency that will allow her to utilize her languages, focus on tackling corruption, and bolstering security in Latin America.

"I chose the MSFS program because of the professors currently teaching within the Global Politics and Security concentration. The experiences and knowledge that the GPS faculty has will allow me to strengthen my understanding and analytical skills within the area of concentration I am pursuing. Additionally, I liked that the program emphasized the requirement of a foreign language."