It was an early morning phone-scroll that first introduced Aylin Bulan ’26M to Arcadia’s International Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and International Relations and Diplomacy dual degree program.

“I remember it was 3 a.m., I was working security off the coast of Cuba, and randomly scrolling through grad programs for consideration,” the Brooklyn, N.Y., native recalls. Bulan had a bachelor’s degree in intelligence studies and a certificate in United Nations studies from American Military University but was looking to shift her focus from national security studies to international relations. 

“Being in the military and serving in active wartime (War on Terrorism), I had an inkling of a thought for wondering what peace is, and how can conflict be resolved,” Bulan reflects. “This is exactly what the program answered, excitingly in Philadelphia, a city I’ve never been to, and with an opportunity to study abroad in France, a dream of mine since I was a child. There were a million other reasons I chose Arcadia as well, but this was perhaps the first few thoughts that raced through my mind.”

In a nutshell, Bulan says, she went with her gut, and she’s glad she did. So far in her IPCR courses, she’s learned conflict resolution skills applicable to daily life that she hopes will set her up for success at the American Graduate School in Paris, where students in the dual degree program spend three semesters earning their Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy.

Bulan also serves in the United States Coast Guard in New York City, and in her free time enjoys reading and traveling to be with her parents. The self-pronounced “diehard New Yorker” says she can see herself returning to live and work in Philadelphia after completing her studies in France.