Recent Graduate

Q: What are some of the thoughts you had going into the program?

I was hoping to learn a little bit more about what the private industry had to offer for my major. My mentor, Liz Kauffman, is a Foreign Service Officer, and though I had met and spoken to quite a few officers in the past, she renewed my interest in working for the State Department and all that they have to offer.

Q: How has your mentoring experience benefitted your academic/professional life?

I have learned about a number of different professional options for my major. In the abstract, there are a number of jobs in the world for every major, but I greatly benefitted from actually talking with someone in my field. Learning about how my mentor chose her profession and the way she got there was very valuable.

Q: What would you say to students about why they should participate?

There are two types of people: those who enter their major knowing exactly what they want to do and those who like their major but don’t know what to do with it. I was in the second category. A mentor can be beneficial to both types of people, however, in that if you know what you want to do, they can be a great advisor in looking at your resume, applying for certain internship, recommending courses, etc.

Q: What are your career goals and plans---and how has your mentorship influenced them?

I plan on taking the Foreign Service Officer test sometime this year. My mentorship has greatly cemented my interest in working for the State Department.