杰米·谢弗

International studies 和 政治科学 student discusses her internships at the U.S. 在柏林和莫斯科的大使馆

Jaime谢弗 wants to join the foreign service. Shaffer, a senior from Homedale double majoring in 国际研究 和 政治科学, has already started her international career by interning abroad for two different U.S. Embassies: in Berlin, 德国y in fall 2018 和 more recently, in 莫斯科, Russia in summer 2019.

你为什么选择你的专业?

在我大学的第一个学期, my advisor suggested that I take classes in 政治科学 和 international relations. Halfway through the semester, I couldn’t change my major to 国际研究 fast enough. 我知道这听起来很俗气, but I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, 和 my goal became to join the foreign service. After four years, I couldn’t be happier!

How did you find out about the internship in Berlin?

我在大学里工作 职业服务 advisor to explore graduate schools 和 learn what I could do to improve my chances of becoming a foreign service officer. During this process, he recommended looking at student internships on USAJobs. It was there that I found the internship with the U.S. 驻柏林大使馆.

What interested you in studying 德国?

I started studying 德国 because 德国y is such a powerhouse in the European Union. It seemed like an obvious choice once I decided that I wanted to be involved in international politics. I had planned to study abroad in Luneburg for the 2018-19 academic year; however, my dad unexpectedly passed away in February 2018 和 I missed most of the spring semester. I canceled my plans to study abroad in 德国y, but the week after I’d returned to campus for the fall semester, I received an email from the Department of State informing me that I’d been chosen for the internship in Berlin.

你在美国的实习怎么样.S. 驻柏林大使馆?

I worked in the exchanges section of the public affairs department, speaking with 德国 high school students about U.S. 文化. 我跑了一个 迎接我们 程序, which is a 程序 that specializes in global recruitment, 领导力与发展, 并提交给 美国教育中心, a U.S. network of international student advising centers. 除了, 处理事件通信, conducted research 和 sat in on meetings 和 interviews. I also escorted guests around the embassy 和 helped with tours. I had the opportunity to shadow employees from the consular section to see how the visa process worked 和 spend time with interns from the other embassies. Overall, I honestly loved every minute of this experience. It really reaffirmed my desire to become a foreign service officer.

After Berlin, you studied abroad in 莫斯科, Russia 和 then completed an internship at the US. 驻莫斯科大使馆. Could you tell us more about those experiences?

我在莫斯科留学, Russia for the spring 2019 semester at the 莫斯科 State Institute of International Relations. While there, I completed an internship at the American Center in the U.S. 大使馆. I gave weekly lectures on American 文化 和 news, helped with English as a Second Language 程序s, 和 participated in school 和 English Language Center visits. I was even lucky enough to be invited to the Spaso House (the U.S. Ambassador’s residence) for a joint concert between American 和 Russian students sponsored by two Broadway performers. I made many friends during my internship, 和 I even ended up being “adopted” by a Russian family, 我通常和谁一起过周末.

这些经历如何塑造了你?

Spending time abroad gave me a deeper underst和ing about the importance of kindness 和 patience. I also have a deeper underst和ing of just how vital person-to-person diplomacy is 和 that its impact on helping build relationships between the U.S. 和 other countries shouldn’t be underestimated. 除了, I now have a letter of recommendation from a U.S. 外交官，这让我有点吃惊. I have no doubt that this is really going to help with my graduate school applications.

你下一步要去哪里?

我今年五月就要毕业了, 和 I plan on pursuing a Master of Public Administration at the University of Wyoming.

Article by Carolyn Knecht, 国际研究课程
出版日期:2019年10月