At GWU, Emilia is pursuing International Affairs in order to work for the U.S. State Department.
Roadmap.
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" Take time to explore a variety of classes. International Affairs is an interdisciplinary major. Find what you love within the field whether it be anthropology and culture, development and sustainability, or governance and security."
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MILESTONES
My career roadmap has been all over the place.
Growing up, travel was an important part of my life, and I loved visiting and learning about different countries.
Before attending AOC, I had no defined plans for the future. Considering college majors was challenging because I felt like a jack of all trades, but was not passionate about any particular subject. For this reason, I decided to experiment with different courses in hopes of one sparking interest.
My freshman year I began volunteering with several nonprofits including a horse rescue called the Swan Center. Although volunteering did not connect directly to international affairs, I realized that I hoped to pursue a career where I could positively impact others.
During sophomore year I took my first sociology and cultural anthropology classes. I enjoyed learning about different cultural perspectives, and particularly about language around the world. These classes influenced my decision to minor in cross-cultural communication when I entered college.
One of my favorite AOC experiences was taking German as my foreign language in junior year. I loved the first class so much that I ended up taking two semesters, and even continued in college.
After much contemplation, I applied to college as an international affairs major, and decided to attend GWU in Washington, DC. By the end of my first semester, I knew I made the right choice. All my IA classes were great, and I even decided on a conflict resolution concentration.
Currently, I am preparing for a Fall 2020 internship at the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. I am excited because I’d like to work as a Foreign Service Officer in the future, so I hope to network and confirm that this is the right path for me.
EXPERIENCE
Here are my extracurriculars relevant to this pathway
DURING MY HIGH SCHOOL CAREER
Volunteered with a local horse rescue to support a cause I care about (I also wrote one of my application essays for GW about animal welfare policy!)
Built office skills for future internship applications by working as an office administrator at a small business
Gained leadership experience and writing practice through tutoring fellow AOC students
AAs in LAS Social & Behavioral Sciences and LAS Humanities
DURING MY COLLEGE CAREER
Worked as a tutor at Raising a Village in hopes of continuing to give back to the community and provide support to others
Currently a member of GW Polyglots, a club which hosts language exchanges
Preparing for a Fall 2020 internship at the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural affairs
CAREER
What I'm currently doing/hope to do
I am an undergraduate student at the George Washington University majoring in international affairs with a concentration in conflict resolution, and minoring in cross-cultural communication. In particular I am studying conflicts between nations and peoples, and methods of resolving those conflicts, as well as how different cultures use language and its intersections with gender, race, class, and power. I speak Swedish and German, and hope to learn Spanish and Russian in the future. Currently, my long term career goal is to work as a foreign service officer for the U.S. State Department. I am working towards this goal by taking as many opportunities to volunteer in the community as possible, and learning about politics around the world. In Fall 2020 I am expecting to intern at the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
ADVICE
How to maximize my time in high school?
Advice #1: Most, if not all International Affairs programs will require you to become proficient in a foreign language. It is helpful to take more than just one semester of a language to get ahead or to gain time to experiment with many languages.
Advice #2: Take time to explore a variety of classes. International Affairs is an interdisciplinary major. Find what you love within the field whether it be anthropology and culture, development and sustainability, or governance and security.
Advice #3: Stay informed about world news, events, and policies. Read up on regions or issues that interest you.
Advice #4: Try to take on experiences that will help you build leadership and public speaking skills. Those skills could come from Model UN, debate, volunteering/work, or even performing. Do what you enjoy.
Advice #5: Practice, practice, practice writing. Take as many opportunities to write as you can. Find a voice and be analytical.
