Students Meet Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai
Five political science students from Colorado Mesa University (CMU) attended the 2026 Conference on World Affairs in Boulder after being selected from over 35 applicants. The students—Kayla Bauer, Jordan Jenning, Jachin Glassman, Alexis White, and Kira Smith—spent four immersive days engaging with former diplomats, national security officials, and other experts on significant political and international issues.
One of the most memorable moments occurred when the students, accompanied by Assistant Professor Holly Oberle, PhD, had the opportunity to speak with Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai before her keynote address. They discussed her presentation and posed for a photo together.
Student Excitement
Oberle observed the excitement amongst her students, noting, “All the students were buzzing. They were so happy, so excited and so overwhelmed.” The Conference on World Affairs fostered a diverse environment, allowing participants to discuss current global issues through varying perspectives. As Oberle explained, “It’s really more about experts, thinkers, students, activists and artists, all kinds of people coming together to just talk.”
Students crafted their own schedules, selecting sessions that captured their interest. Topics included international development and America’s relationship with NATO, as well as a debate featuring former U.S. national security advisers Susan Rice and John Bolton concerning the United States’ global role.
Insights from Malala Yousafzai
In her closing keynote, Yousafzai discussed education, her rise to public prominence at a young age, and how being internationally recognized impacted her college experience. Oberle found this glimpse into Yousafzai’s personal side particularly enlightening.
The students also appreciated the chance to engage with speakers post-session, with many eagerly stepping up to converse with them directly. Oberle noted, “A lot of my students were the first ones up in line to talk to the speakers after their official speech.” The discussions tied back to their coursework at CMU, especially in Oberle’s World Politics class, where students simulate representing different countries’ interests in a United Nations format.
Broader Perspectives
Oberle emphasized the importance of exposing students to real-world experiences in foreign policy and public service, aiming to broaden their understanding of potential career paths within political science. “There are so many ways to get involved and make a career in public service,” she remarked, asserting that it doesn’t always have to align with traditional political roles.
The opportunity arose through CU Boulder’s Higher Education and Democracy Initiative, in which Oberle participated as a fellow, collaborating with faculty from Fort Lewis College and CU Boulder to discuss civic engagement in higher education.
Reflecting on her own transformative study abroad experience, Oberle shared, “That changed my life immensely, more than anything in the classroom. It’s always been my purpose to pay it forward, to create those same experiences for my students now.”
For more information on CMU’s political science program or to support political science students, visit CMU Political Science Program or SupportingCMU.org.
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