Matthew Patten graduated from American University in 2016 with a degree in International Studies, specializing in Foreign Policy, Global Security, and International Organizations. In 2015, he studied abroad in Brussels, Belgium, where he interned at the NGO Nonviolent Peaceforce researching the political, social, and economic determinants of global wars. During his time at American University, he also interned at the German Marshal Fund of the United States, where he conducted research and organized symposiums on transatlantic military cooperation. In his down time, Matthew was Team Captain and President of the American University Club Baseball team. He has advanced proficiency in French and beginner proficiency in Spanish.