GSPIA Career Services

Rick, MPIA-SIS, 2014

I’ve always had a passion for international affairs and related issues. My experiences domestically and abroad during my undergraduate business and postgraduate law degree put me on a path towards returning to school and earning an MPIA at GSPIA. I hope that after GSPIA I can transition to a career combining the aspects of my far-too-long-for-comfort educational history into a career as a Foreign Service Officer or in a foreign affairs-related career in the civil service.

For the fall semester I am interning with the United States Department of State in the Bureau of Administration while taking part in the Global Security & Development Program with other students from GSPIA, the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, and the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver.

Fair warning, I will not go into detail about my internship, the operation of the State Department, or myself for security reasons. In fact, during orientation on the first day we were read a rather incredible account of a previous intern and the security violations that ensued from improper disclosure of information on the intern’s personal blog. I must also disclaim that any views I present here are my personal views and do not represent the views or of policy of the Bureau of Administration, the Department of State, or the Government of the United States.

I know it sounds a bit overdramatic. I’m sure at least some of you are thinking “the Bureau of Administration? Who cares?” Well, it may not be the “sexiest” Bureau in the Department, but is definitely challenging, internationally focused work. In my office I am able to receive some level of exposure to a great swath of the State Department’s operations: In the morning the office might be on a call with the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, spend the afternoon working with a consulate in Saudi Arabia, and the next day we can be coordinating with DoD policy in Afghanistan. Dealing with so many issues in so many places really gives me a sense of satisfaction that I am contributing to the mission and operations of the Department of State domestically and around the world.

I hope my posts will help give you some idea of some of the opportunities available to GSPIA students in Washington D.C., dispense some useful advice, and perhaps open some eyes to other, potential, career avenues.