March 10, 2025
Khadija Tall’s family encouraged her to engage with the world around her from a young age. Born in St. Louis but raised in Guinea, her parents fostered a global perspective. Her grandparents were professors, and her mother worked for the U.S. Department of State in Guinea, exposing Tall to diverse cultures and political discussions. This early exposure sparked her interest in political science, leading her to secure an internship with the U.S. Agency for International Development in Guinea during high school, which reinforced her decision to pursue a career in international relations.
Currently a triple major in international relations, political science, and modern languages at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL), Tall is also a member of the Pierre Laclede Honors College. She appreciates the diverse, global community at UMSL, where she interacts with peers from different countries and backgrounds. UMSL’s faculty, particularly Violaine White, have been instrumental in supporting Tall’s academic journey, especially as she navigates the challenge of balancing three majors. Last summer, Tall interned with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in Washington, D.C., where she applied her classroom knowledge to real-world political work, including phone banking and research. This experience gave her a glimpse into her potential future career in political science and international relations.
