David Guillermo Murphy Pineda graduated from John Cabot University in the spring of 2015 with a Bachelor's degree in International Affairs, and a minor in History. David grew up between Honduras and Maryland and studied in California, before transferring to Rome to study at John Cabot. Upon graduating, he moved to London and is currently living in Washington, D.C., working for the International Monetary Fund.
What is your current position with IMF?
I currently am a Staff Assistant within the International Monetary Fund tasked with assisting different departments and economists. My current responsibilities are assisting Senior Staff with special projects, conferences, databases, and reports, such as the World Economic Outlook and Regional Economic Outlook.
How did studying at JCU help prepare you for the position you are in now?
John Cabot University allowed me the opportunity to listen to, learn from, and work with people from all over the world. This proved invaluable as both my current and last job required me to work with people of different nationalities, and to try and understand their points of view. The diversity present within John Cabot provides students with the opportunity to open their minds to different viewpoints and opinions.
What has post-graduate life been like for you?
Post-graduate life has been quite the whirlwind. I was unsure what path to take upon graduating but soon found myself working as the personal assistant to the Ambassador of Honduras to the United Kingdom, an opportunity that let me use the knowledge I gained while at JCU and apply it to real life situations. After a year, I was hired by the IMF and have had the wonderful opportunity to work alongside professionals from all over the world.
Do you feel that living abroad improved your ability to work for an international organization?
Living abroad was perhaps the most critical aspect of JCU that helped me prepare to work at an international organization like the IMF. Living abroad gives you the opportunity to understand different cultures and backgrounds, which is absolutely necessary to successfully work at an international organization.
What advice would you give to a current JCU student?
My advice to current John Cabot students is twofold. The first is to get as much work experience as possible while still at JCU. A degree is important, but employers also want to see that you are able to apply the knowledge to real life situations. JCU's Career Services Center does a great job of connecting students with internships. The second is: prepare to fail and be rejected. As cliché as that sounds, after you graduate you realize that, sometimes, you will fail. If it happens, just dust yourself off, get some more experience, and try again. Success is predicated on failure. If you aren’t failing you aren’t aiming high enough.
David Guillermo Murphy Pineda
Class of 2015
International Affairs major
Hometown: Honduras/Bethesda, Maryland