Riley DeSarbo

Riley DeSarbo is a rising senior at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he majors in international relations with minors in Africana studies and geography. Riley is passionate about U.S.- Africa relations and security topics in Sub-Saharan Africa. Riley’s research interests gravitate towards West Africa and the Sahel. In 2025, Riley had the opportunity to research extremist violence and security developments in the region as a research intern at the International Center for Terrorism Studies. This July, Riley will build on this research through the Cambridge Security Initiative as a Sir Richard Dearlove Scholarship recipient. Riley has enjoyed representing Ethiopia and Kenya at model United Nations conferences, learning the importance of multi-lateral cooperation and international organizations. Riley is excited to be a part of AFJN this summer, hoping to deepen his understanding of African affairs and the research and advocacy that drives them. He is grateful to approach these topics through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching.