Sigma Iota Rho (SIR)

Sigma Iota Rho (SIR)

Who we are

Sigma Iota Rho (SIR) is the premiere honor society for international affairs and it is open to all Hamilton Lugar School undergraduate students. SIR promotes and rewards scholarship and service among students and practitioners of international studies, international affairs, and global studies and fosters integrity and creative performance in the conduct of world affairs. SIR supports HLS activities, hosts events to develop professional skills and networking, and wider global cultural engagement on campus and within the Bloomington area.

Interested in joining Sigma Iota Rho? Applications for the 2025-26 academic year will open in the spring 2025 semester. To stay up-to-date with Sigma Iota Rho and application deadlines, follow them on Instagram @sigma_iota_rho_iu.

Cinzia Baracco - President

International Studies, Sociology

Cinzia Baracco is a senior from Fort Lauderdale double majoring in International Studies and Sociology along with a minor in Economics. This is Zia's second year on the board for Sigma Iota Rho, serving as the current president. In the past, Zia has interned abroad in Dublin, Ireland working with refugees and learning more about international legal systems. She is now working with the American Red Cross on the International Humanitarian Law Team in South Florida. Upon graduation, she hopes to attend law school and specialize in human rights law.

Samantha Thurman - Vice President

East Asian Languages & Cultures, Economic Consulting

Samantha Thurman is a junior studying Economic Consulting and East Asian Languages and Cultures. She is a Herbert Presidential Scholar and a Shreve Scholar and is involved in the Chinese Flagship Program. During the summer of 2024, Samantha will be studying abroad in Taiwan furthering her language skills. Looking forward, Samantha hopes to find a career in consulting, focusing on international business.

Ally Mclauglin - Secretary

International Studies

Ally McLaughlin is a senior from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania majoring in International Studies and minoring in French and Geography. She is a Metz scholar, a Meister scholar, and a member of Pi Delta Phi. On campus, she is a student ambassador for the Hamilton Lugar School and for the Office of Admissions, and is also a passionate sports fan. This past summer, Ally studied in London, England and completed a six-week exchange program with the London School of Economics and Political Science. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in the field of international athletics.

Georgia Pollard – Treasurer

East Asian Languages & Cultures, Anthropology

Georgia Pollard is currently a 4th year undergraduate student at Indiana University Bloomington. She is studying Anthropology, International Studies, and Chinese Language and Culture. Georgia is a member of the Indiana University Chinese Flagship and the Treasurer of Hamilton Lugar’s International Affairs Honors Society. Georgia was born in Hong Kong and educated in Helsinki, Finland and Manhattan, New York. She has worked with the Kelley School of Business’s International Business Institute and Indiana University’s Writing Tutorial Services. Georgia was the winner of the Culbertson Essay Prize Competition and received 2nd place in Indiana University’s 2024 Chinese Speech Competition. In the summer of 2023, she attended National Taiwan University and participated in the “Bilingual Exchange of Selected Talent” Program. This summer, Georgia will be attending university and interning in Shanghai.