At HWS, Anthony majored in international relations and political science, studied abroad in Switzerland and Egypt, volunteered extensively and was a member of Chi Phi. Those experiences shaped a global perspective that later guided his career and led him—through the Salisbury Center—to professional fellowships and Georgetown University's Security Studies Program.
As an HWS student, Anthony says financial aid from the John R.O. McKean Endowed Scholarship Fund and a New York City Scholarship provided a necessary cushion to take careful risks. That included studying abroad, which added depth and experience to his studies at Georgetown, where Anthony earned a master's in security studies with a concentration in terrorism and substate violence.
Anthony began his first tour in Burkina Faso where he issued visas to foreign nationals and provided services to U.S. citizens overseas. Three years later, he was stationed as a consular and later as a political officer in Bogotá, Colombia. Those assignments, he says, helped hone the diplomatic skills he needed to transition into a political role analyzing policy and maintaining U.S. interests abroad.
Life in Benin, he says, is a mixed bag compared to other West African countries. While Cotonou is fairly well developed in terms of infrastructure and amenities, Anthony says it is expensive, and there is a great deal of inequality. Additionally, the economic and political situation outside the capital is dicey. "Among other issues, Benin faces the scourge of terrorism, led mainly by al-Qaida-affiliate JNIM, which threatens the population in the northernmost corners of the country," he says. "High humidity and mosquitoes that carry malaria are not nice either."
