Life > December 6, 2003

Senior Student of the Year

Like a modern day Indiana Jones, senior Mike Bradow seeks out adventure. For Bradow, the Holy Grail is not a particular artifact but a passion for traveling and making a difference. 

“I don’t want to just focus on one thing,” he said. “I want to explore everything.”

A few weeks ago, Bradow was asked by a state department official to monitor elections in the Republic of Georgia. While there, Bradow worked in a region considered one of the most dangerous in the country to ensure election accuracy.

Despite the presence of Bradow and others assigned as election monitors, widespread criticism of the election process led to the resignation of the republic’s president two weeks ago. Though Bradow was asked to return and help with another round of elections scheduled in January, he will be traveling in Calcutta, India with the City of Joy volunteer group instead.

No stranger to international travel and intrigue, Bradow has traveled to Ghana, parts of South America and Europe. Last summer, he worked as an intern for 10 weeks in the United States embassy in the Republic of Georgia researching student opposition groups.

His global interest was piqued his freshman year when he joined with other university students on the first (and only) Tie That Binds volunteer trip to the Republic of Georgia.

While Bradow is passionate about international travel and doing what he can to improve people’s lives abroad, he said it’s more difficult translating that desire when he’s back at Wake Forest. It’s hard to compete with dozens of volunteer opportunities and to keep in touch with people he’s met abroad.

But he’s made his mark in places where it really counts, no matter how big or small his contributions.  He’s helped Georgians move closer to democracy and he helped buy soccer uniforms for kids in Ghana