Oury Diallo is a junior at Columbia University’s School of General Studies, majoring in Economics-Political Science. Originally from Guinea, he is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran whose deployments to Haiti and the Middle East continue to inform his academic and professional interests in security, governance, and international development. His research interests center on economic development in Africa, China’s expanding role on the continent, and violent extremism in the Sahel, with particular attention to the intersection of great-power competition, institutional capacity, and regional security. Through this work, he seeks to better understand the political and economic forces shaping Africa’s future. After graduation, Diallo plans to begin a career in economic policy at the World Bank or in private equity or management consulting, building the expertise needed to return to Africa and contribute to the continent’s long-term economic and political development.