Summer Spotlight: Nick Yanco '21

Nick Yanco '21
Nick Yanco '21

Brandeis student-athletes are learning 12 months a year, taking part in valuable internships and taking classes over the summer. Here’s a look at what they are up to!

Nick Yanco ’21, baseball

MAJORS: Business and politics double major

STUDYING AT: The Cambridge School of Intelligence in England and working at professor Jytte Klaussen’s Western Jihadism Project.

How did you learn about this opportunity?

I took a class with Professor Klausen who runs the Western Jihadism Project during my first semester freshman year, out of a fascination for the topic - The War on Global Terrorism. I loved the class and through my participation in discussions, I stood out to her. Her manager approached me after class and asked if I had any interest in working for the project. I said, “Of course.” Soon after I interviewed and have been working there since November of 2017.

What does your job entail?

At the Cambridge School of Intelligence, I am studying international intelligence on both the state and international level. At the Western Jihadism Project, I help to database terrorists that come from Western nations. It helps to form a clearer picture of how people decide to turn to jihad and provides important research for counter-terrorism as a whole.

How does this internship relate to your career goals?

I am fascinated by the world of intelligence and both of these opportunities give me the opportunity to learn more about it and hopefully pursue a career in the field.

How has being a student-athlete at Brandeis helped you prepare for the internship?

I have better learned to manage time and make sure that I can create effective schedules and make sure I can fit in time to do everything I need to during the day. It also helps me deal with the challenges I come across, as baseball has taught me how to handle adversity and overcome any challenge in my way.

When do you find time to stay in shape for your sport?

I try to squeeze it in between classes and I know that if I don't do it then I'm not just hurting myself, but my teammates and the program as a whole. It is my responsibility to find time to stay in shape because I owe it to myself, my team and Brandeis University as a whole to represent everyone in the best way possible.