Olga Issa ’28: A Future in Diplomacy

Olga Issa ’28 came to Emmanuel from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, with clear goals: to study politics, serve immigrant communities, and one day represent her country on an international stage.

A Political Science and International Studies major, Issa is already building that future—grounded in scholarship support, shaped by mentorship, and strengthened through leadership across campus.

Her passion for diplomacy began early through Model United Nations, an experience that has taken her beyond the classroom and into the halls of the U.N. Headquarters. Since age 13, Issa has been drawn to the work of global institutions, and for three consecutive years, she has spoken at the United Nations in New York—an extraordinary milestone for a student still at the start of her academic journey.

After graduation, she hopes to return not as a visitor, but as a representative: of the Dominican Republic, of immigrant communities, and of the belief that international institutions can create meaningful change.

The Power of Scholarship Support

At Emmanuel, Issa has found both opportunity and affirmation.

“I feel like I am meant to be here,” she said. “The Jean Yawkey Scholarship has allowed me to fully engage in campus life while focusing on my academic goals.”

As an international student, that support has made all the difference. It has enabled her to pursue leadership roles, participate in service, and take on campus employment without having to choose between financial necessity and involvement.

Thanks to the Yawkey Scholarship, Issa has been able to grow academically and as a leader—confident that she belongs in a community that welcomes and supports her.

Finding Her Place on Campus

That sense of belonging has shaped her Emmanuel experience from the very beginning.

Move-in day of her first year remains vivid: stepping off a plane from the Dominican Republic into a completely new environment, unsure of what to expect. But almost immediately, she felt at home.

“The orientation leaders were so welcoming that it inspired me to be one,” she said.

In the summer and fall of 2025, Issa served as an Orientation Leader herself, helping new students navigate the transition to college life with the same care she once received.

Her involvement on campus is expansive. She works as a Desk Assistant in the Commuter Center and serves as a student worker in both the Office of International Programs and the Office of Mission and Ministry. She is also active in the 1804 Society, the Ukulele Club, and Emmanuel’s Alternative Spring Break program, which she has participated in for two consecutive years.

Academically, Issa has already pursued meaningful professional experience. During her first semester, she interned at Emmanuel’s Institute of Eastern Mediterranean Studies, assisting with organizing and cataloging scholarly resources—an early step into the kind of global work she hopes will define her career.

Mentorship and Perspective

Along the way, mentors have played a central role.

One of the most influential has been Professor of Political Science Petros Vamvakas, who Issa said helped her feel certain she chose the right major.

“He explains politics in an inclusive perspective,” she said, “and because he came to this country at a young age as well, he is an example that we can be from a country and live in another without losing our culture.”

She also credits Colleen MacNeil, Assistant Director of Student Involvement, who first hired her as a student worker and opened doors to new opportunities on campus.

For Issa, Emmanuel was “the first yes.”

After visiting Boston in 2023, she was drawn to the College’s location and the balance it offered between academic focus and vibrant city life. From her earliest conversations with the admissions staff, she felt supported and seen.

That first impression has only deepened.

With scholarship support behind her and a global mission ahead, Olga Issa ’28 is charting a path that stretches far beyond campus—toward diplomacy, service, and representation on an international stage.