By Samuel Joseph
If you happened to listen in on a conversation with Anthony Carl, FCRH ‘16, you may find him arguing about anything from the Gaza-Israel conflict, to S.S.C. Napoli’s chances to win the Coppa Italia, to the best Chinese restaurant in Manhattan — sometimes all in the same conversation. Anthony has always been drawn to the study of how the international scene works. With the increase in global interconnectivity, Anthony is working to see how he can participate in the global playing field.
Anthony grew up in Cleveland, where his neighbors spoke Hebrew and Arabic as often as English. Living near his relatives, he was surrounded by his Italian family, which gave him a chance to discuss and learn about the political and cultural norms of Italy.
“Growing up in an environment where you confront a lot of different cultures makes you more attuned to be interested in them,” said Anthony. “You learn from an early age that there are a lot of different perspectives.” While in high school, Anthony spent his free time working in an oriental carpet showroom. As a self-described foreign politics junkie, Anthony keeps up with foreign news through sources like Al Jazeera and Corriere Della Sera, an Italian newspaper. “Especially with our world since the fall of the Soviet Union becoming increasingly more globalized, we need people, especially in this country, to take up their time and learn about new cultures, because understanding where a person comes from allows for understanding who they are, and begins a dialogue that may otherwise be impossible.”
Anthony is delving further into his interests abroad as a double major in Italian studies and international political economy with a minor in Arabic language. Being in New York has widened his perspective and opportunities to explore a career in law and language, whether in or out of class. He has taken a variety of internships that have increased his interest in law. In the fall of his sophomore year, he worked in the district attorney of Manhattan’s office in the Crime Strategies Unit. There, he saw how criminal law actually works, specifically in West Harlem. He described the position as illustrating how America has not begun to answer complex social issues regarding race and education. He worked with fellow interns to help gather information that would later indict 104 people in gang violence and gang conspiracy.
Currently, he is interning at AXA, a French insurance firm, in the Casualty Claims department. He regularly interacts with lawyers, which has given him a chance to see how businesses such as insurance companies must interact with the law. “It’s been a great learning experience to understand how one should act in an international business,” Anthony said. “It’s also been great for networking. I’ve met a lot of people locally in the New York area in my network, and it’s given me the chance to start building a network in Europe.”
Anthony plans on studying abroad at Bologna University in Italy through a non-Fordham program this upcoming semester, in an effort to pursue his Italian major. After Fordham, he plans to attend law school, although he is unsure of what particular field he is interested in at the moment. “It’s said in law school that you figure out which direction you want to go in the legal perspective. I definitely want to do something internationally. However, that’s a very broad topic, so possibly humanitarian or international business, but I’m open to many possibilities.”
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Samuel Joseph is the Photo Editor for The Fordham Ram.
