Sofia Karalekas

Sofia Karalekas is a senior at the University of Connecticut majoring in Political Science and Human Rights with minors in English and Global Studies. Through her studies, she has a concentration in Middle Eastern international affairs, so she is excited to be traveling to the United Arab Emirates for the 28th UN Conference of the Parties. Her previous internships in foreign and domestic policy have propelled her interest in public service, especially in relation to worldwide environmental justice. As an intern for the Franklin Lakes Borough Hall Environmental Commission, Sofia worked on passing Sustainable Jersey acts to rid her town of plastic bag usage and encourage consumers to buy locally. Her subsequent internship for the Democratic Party of Virginia allowed her to explore environmental policy on the federal level, and she focused on mobilizing constituents to elect politicians who would endorse effective sustainability actions. Likewise, as a Political Affairs Intern for the Borgen Project, Sofia lobbied for legislation that targeted global food insecurity, clean water, and pollution reduction as essential priorities of US foreign policy. Outside of her political endeavors, Sofia is an active member on campus at the University of Connecticut, where she works at the Writing Center, is a member of the CLAS Student Leadership Board, helps with propagation for the Horticulture Club, and completes academic research on armed conflict in Syria. After graduation, Sofia hopes to attend graduate school for international affairs and international policy, and she would like to eventually work for the Foreign Service once she tackles learning more languages. She is immensely grateful for the opportunity to attend COP28, and she is excited to witness the negotiations between world leaders at the conference. In her free time, Sofia enjoys hanging out with her friends, traveling, running, and cooking plant-based recipes.