Brigid Hughes ’26 | International Relations major, French minor
The student to faculty ratio [at Saint Anselm] helps you actually have conversations with people as opposed to just being another number in the classroom.
On top of her extracurricular involvement on the Hilltop, Brigid Hughes ’26 loves to travel and spend time with her friends. During her time at Saint Anselm College, International Relations major found herself in Europe living with a host family in Aix-en-Provence, France all while strengthening her understanding of foreign affairs, diving into world history, and brushing up on her French.
How did you decide on Saint Anselm?
I’m originally from outside of Detroit and I wanted to leave Michigan. I really liked New Hampshire (I have some family out here) and I was also drawn to the mix of majors!
What made you want to study international relations?
I've always a natural knack for like all things history, geography, and politics. I really don’t like domestic politics, so I felt like studying international relations was the right choice.
Do you have any idea what you want to pursue post-Hilltop?
After graduating I am doing an internship at BAE Systems in Contracts, which is an intersection of finance, business development, and legal work. I’m planning on getting my Master of Public Policy (MPP) from Saint Anselm so hopefully after I finish my master’s, I can get a full-time job at BAE Systems. I would also be interested in working for a humanitarian organization or doing a service trip one day.
What are you involved in on campus?
I’ve worked several jobs at the Meelia Center for Community Engagement and I’m on the debate team. I am also a part of the Society of Saint Elizabeth Seton and Student Government Association (SGA) where I serve as chief of staff to the president and vice president of the SGA.
What’s been your biggest takeaway from being an International Relations major?
I feel like there are a lot of different perspectives in the Politics Department at Saint Anselm. So many professors have focused on domestic politics for so long that they have really interesting perspectives on foreign affairs and international relations. All of the professors are also super knowledgeable. Professor Anne Holthoefer basically helped me plan and carry out my entire thesis and then Professor Erik Cleven helped me so much with the actual writing. The student to faculty ratio helps you actually have conversations with people as opposed to just being another number in the classroom.
Did you study abroad?
Yes, I studied abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France and stayed with a host family. It was really awesome. I took a bunch of French classes and history courses about the region. My classes were mostly technical French language classes, but my roommate took a Cold War class from a European perspective, and they actually went to Berlin as part of the class! While I was abroad, I also visited Spain and the Canary Islands, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Croatia was my favorite; it was so beautiful! I absolutely would recommend studying abroad.
Where else would you like to travel?
I want to go to Nepal and see the Himalayas. I also want to go to Austria and do a biking tour of the Sound of Music. And then maybe somewhere in South America, like Chile!
Why would you recommend studying a language in college?
The main benefit for me has been proving that I can commit to learning something I used to think was impossible. I sort of assumed that if I never picked up Spanish growing up, I would never be able to learn another language, but here I am having lived in another country (France) mainly to learn the language!
What’s your favorite thing about being a Saint Anselm student?
The community. I feel like everyone here really cares for you. Saint Anselm is big enough where you can find a niche group of friends that you really click with, but small enough that if you ever needed help, you could turn around and see ten faces that would be there for you.