And now the second-year interns
Our first-year Admissions Interns introduced themselves on Monday. Today we’ll hear from the second-years (and you’ll notice that they have more to say than their newbie counterparts). In egalitarian alphabetical order, here they are:
Amy:
Hi! I’m Amy, a second-year MALD and, for the second year in a row, the only “Double Jumbo” student intern in the Admissions Office. My Fields of Study are International Security Studies, Human Security, and International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. In non-Fletcher jargon, this means that I’m interested in conflict management and post-conflict reconstruction.
At Fletcher I’m leading Global Women, a student organization that promotes women’s leadership and participation in international affairs, and I’m in several of the many cultural clubs. We’re currently getting our dancing feet ready for the Bhangra performance at Asia Night in November.
I was born in the U.S., but grew up in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand. Before coming to Fletcher, I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo, West Africa. I spent most of my time playing with super energetic Togolese children and would do the occasional health education project on the side. I also worked for the World Food Programme in Timor-Leste, where I thoroughly enjoyed my beachfront house. (My first winter back in Boston was quite the adjustment!) This past summer I was in Washington, DC, interning at the Department of State in the Office for the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization.
Hi everyone! I’m a second-year student in the MIB program and I also work part-time in the Admissions Office. To share a little of my background with you, I went to George Washington University for my undergraduate education and earned a B.A. in International Affairs. From there, I worked for three years in supply chain management for Pratt & Whitney (a jet engine manufacturer in Connecticut). My primary responsibilities were the procurement and day-to-day management of the entire supply chain and manufacturing process for all jet engine components that were made in South Korea and Israel. This was a great exposure to international business as well as to different business customs and languages. While working for Pratt & Whitney, I went back to school and earned an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Connecticut, which furthered my understanding of Latin American growth prospects, always a subject of intellectual curiosity for me.
Today I remain as excited about studying at Fletcher as I was when I first walked through the door more than a year ago. My concentrations here are International Political Economy and Strategic Management & Consulting. Given that this is my second year, I have to start writing my thesis as well. My topic is “Succeeding in Emerging Markets: How U.S.-based multi-national corporations adapt their business models to Brazil’s institutional barriers.” After spending this past summer interning for PepsiCo’s South America Headquarters in Sao Paulo, I am very excited about my research and look forward to sharing it with Fletcher soon! So that’s a little bit about me. I look forward to learning more about you as the application process unfolds. If you have questions, especially about the MIB program, please do not hesitate to get in touch!
I’m a second-year MALD student “from California,” but, like many of you, can think of other places to call home, too. In fact, this summer I was in southern Africa, where my heart was so content that I debated taking a semester off to continue my morning dive-off-the-balcony-and-into-Lake-Malawi swim routine (and continue the work I love, too, of course).
I decided to return because I am convinced, now more than ever, that a Fletcher degree is exactly what can shape a rewarding summer into a career. Work in the field on development issues can be grueling, but the tools I’ve acquired here help transform seemingly unsolvable problems into challenges that can be critically analyzed, realistically tackled, and maybe — in a few precious situations — definitively addressed. A process to which I hope some of you will have a chance to contribute as students here.
My Fields of Study at Fletcher are Human Security and Humanitarian Assistance. This past summer I was a Monitoring and Evaluation Intern for the Nike Foundation in Malawi. Prior to Fletcher I worked as a paralegal specialist for the U. S. Department of Justice in San Francisco and then as a Project Manager for an NGO in a refugee settlement in Zambia. I have also held internships at the White House and the Council on Foreign Relations, and am a founding member of a non-profit called YOUR DIL, which raises funds to build schools for girls in Pakistan.
Oi, again! My name is Virginia, and this is my fourth and last semester at The Fletcher School, and third and last semester working in the Admissions Office. I introduced myself last year, and I’m still focusing on International Business Relations and Development Economics, as well as currently writing my thesis on “Recruitment in the Era of Social Networks.” Here’s a little bit about what I’m going to miss at Fletcher once I leave at the end of the semester…
I love how diverse Fletcher is, not only in terms of race, religion or political views, but in terms of experience and interests. People here have not only experienced different cultures and countries but also appreciate them. And, the range of work experiences here is amazing. I truly feel that having a more mature student body — people who have been working for at least a couple of years — is one of the strengths of The Fletcher School. Students have a solid idea of why they are here, and what they want to learn and take away from their graduate studies, and I see this through their contributions in the classroom. We are surrounded by the future leaders of the world, and being able to learn from my peers on a daily basis is an amazing opportunity. I will miss this place dearly when I leave.
As for what the future holds for me, that is still up in the air. However, nearing the end of my Fletcher experience, I know I want to work in a setting where I can continue to interact with a diverse group of people, utilizing new tools such as new media/networking outlets, while promoting development internationally and locally.