Connor Smith
Fall 2018 John Jay Fellow
Hometown: Colleyville, TX
College: University of Texas at Austin
Degree: B.A. Government, B.A. Economics
Connor Smith graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in May of 2018. He has interned at several think tanks and research organizations including Innovations for Peace and Development, The Heritage Foundation, and The Hudson Institute. While an undergraduate, Connor was chosen for the J.J. Pickle Fellowship where he researched causes of political party polarization. He was also chosen for a selective Archer Fellowship which brought him to Washington D.C. to work and study. He is a chapter co-founder of the Thomistic Institute at Austin, which seeks to spread Catholic Intellectual thought to secular and lay audiences. He is also a member of the National Political Science Honor Society Pi Sigma Alpha, as well as an Eagle Scout.
Connor’s political and academic interests began to intersect his Christian beliefs while on campus when he joined Campus Based for Family and Life. His years of leadership in this ministry showed him the beauty of God through encounters with the poor and the spiritual formation of students on campus.
Connor’s research interests include international treaties and why and how states choose to sign them, military strategy in East Asia, and the role of the United States in international peace promotion. He intends to pursue a PhD. in international relations focused on treaties and East Asia. He hopes participating as a John Jay Fellow will better form him as a Christian thinker for his journey into academia."