Politics, Portland & Paris with Manar Khalid Al Mahmood

When Manar Khalid Al Mahmood arrived at Portland State University, she already carried a deep curiosity about world affairs. Growing up in Saudi Arabia during the upheavals of the Arab Spring, she watched events unfold across the Middle East that would ultimately shape her academic path and career. That curiosity has taken her from Portland to Paris and now to Washington, D.C., where she has recently completed her master's degree in political science and continues her work in global affairs.

A Political Awakening at a Complex Moment

Al Mahmood entered PSU knowing she wanted to understand the forces shaping her region and the wider world. As a teenager, she had watched the uprisings known as the Arab Spring sweep across several countries in the Middle East and North Africa. She also arrived in Portland during a turbulent period in American politics, when polarization, protests, and intense national debates were often reflected on college campuses.

"As an international student, I was navigating new territory-both literally and figuratively," she recalls. "The hopes and tragedies that unfolded ignited my desire to understand the whys and hows of the world. From security issues to social development, I wanted to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of a region that is often perceived as uniquely complicated."

Rather than retreat from the complexity of those conversations, she leaned into them. Listening carefully to different perspectives and learning the historical and social context behind them helped sharpen her ability to analyze difficult political questions. Political science offered the intellectual tools she was looking for. Through coursework that ranged from international security to regional politics, she found a field that allowed her to explore the intersection of global power, diplomacy, and social change.

"That experience strengthened my ability to engage thoughtfully with complex social and political issues," she says.

Lessons Inside and Outside the Classroom

Several professors left a lasting mark on her intellectual journey. Courses with Professor David Kinsella on national and international security and Professor Robert Asaadi on U.S.-Iran relations helped deepen her understanding of geopolitics in ways she still draws on today. But some of her most meaningful experiences at PSU happened beyond the lecture hall. For her senior capstone, Al Mahmood participated in a course focused on educational equity that placed students directly in the community. She spent the semester mentoring students at Sabin Elementary School in Portland Public Schools.

"Learning theory and then applying it through public service nurtured my sense of social responsibility," she says. "Capstones at PSU were wonderful-it was honestly difficult to pick just one."

The experience reinforced PSU's emphasis on connecting academic learning with real-world engagement, something that would shape her approach to international work later in her career.

A Launchpad for Global Opportunities

Al Mahmood credits the mentorship and support she received from PSU faculty for helping her envision a future beyond undergraduate study.

"My classes were engaging, and my professors were incredibly supportive in helping me think about my academic path beyond the classroom," she says. "I was a regular at office hours."

Encouraged by faculty and supported by strong letters of recommendation, she began preparing for graduate study in political science. But an unexpected turn would redirect her path in a global direction.

An Unexpected Opportunity in Paris

After graduating in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading globally, Al Mahmood's plans shifted dramatically. Her commencement ceremony moved online, and she returned home to Saudi Arabia during a time of global uncertainty.

"It was a difficult moment," she says. "I was a first-generation graduate and had been looking forward to walking across the stage."

Yet the pandemic also reshaped her perspective. Watching countries confront a shared global crisis reinforced the importance of international cooperation and multilateral institutions. That realization helped inspire her next step: applying to positions with United Nations agencies. Among them was the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), whose mission to foster peace through cultural heritage preservation, education, science, and press freedom, strongly resonated with her. Through the highly competitive Junior Professional Program designed to increase representation from underrepresented member states, she secured a position at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris.

"Getting in was truly unexpected," she says. "Moving to Paris was definitely not on my bingo card."

During nearly three years at UNESCO, Al Mahmood worked across multiple areas of the organization. Her first role was in the External Relations sector's Arab States Unit, where she contributed to diplomatic briefings for high-level bilateral meetings and official visits. Among the initiatives she supported was UNESCO's major effort to restore cultural heritage in Iraq through its "Revive the Spirit of Mosul" program. Her responsibilities also included coordinating aspects of diplomatic protocol, including during a symbolic visit by former U.S. First Lady Jill Biden marking the United States' return to the organization.

Later, she transitioned to UNESCO's Education sector, where she worked on initiatives related to migration, displacement, and emergency education. In that role, she coordinated with UNESCO field offices responding to crises in places such as Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan, supporting efforts to protect access to education in conflict-affected regions.

"Working in a global context marked by conflict was an everyday reminder of the importance of international cooperation," she says. "I was eager to go to work every morning knowing I was upholding values that mattered deeply to me." And, she adds with a smile, "French bakeries were a plus."

^{Manar Khalid Al Mahmood celebrating her B.A. from Portland State in 2020 and her Master's from George Mason University in 2026.}

Continuing the Journey

Today, Al Mahmood has just completed her master's degree in political science at George Mason University in Washington, D.C., a city she once dreamed of experiencing firsthand. She also serves as Impact Officer for the Khobar Hub of the Global Shapers Community, a youth-led initiative of the World Economic Forum focused on social impact. Her life across three continents - growing up in Saudi Arabia, studying in Portland, and working in Paris - has shaped how she sees the world.

"Those experiences broadened my perspective and made me a global citizen," she says.

For students who hope to pursue international careers, Al Mahmood emphasizes curiosity, initiative, and openness to unexpected opportunities.

"Be proactive and genuinely interested," she says. "Engage with international opportunities wherever you are, no matter how small they seem. And be open to paths that don't look exactly how you imagined."

Her own journey is the perfect example. What began in Portland as a student trying to understand the complexities of global politics eventually led her to the halls of the United Nations. If she could return to PSU for a single day, Al Mahmood knows exactly what she would do. Because her final weeks on campus were quiet during the early days of pandemic lockdowns, she never had the chance to say goodbye to the bustling campus she loved.

"I'd like to walk through the lively streets again," she says, "and visit the PSU Saturday Farmers Market I always loved."

For Al Mahmood, Portland State will always mark the beginning of a journey that continues to unfold on the global stage.