I didn’t really know what a career in International Affairs meant until I started at John Cabot University. I was aware that I could either join the Foreign Service or a development non-profit, but I didn't really know about other opportunities. After a few years at John Cabot, I began connecting with classmates who were interning at institutions I had only read about in books: the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization, embassies in Rome, and the Italian Foreign Ministry, to name a few. Being around friends who were also passionate about world affairs pushed me to seek one of these prestigious internship opportunities. If they could do it - why couldn’t I?
After graduating in 2015, I began my internship in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Department of State in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. While interning at State, not only was I contributing to work that I found very interesting and challenging, but I was also able to realize my passion for a career in public affairs. From writing press releases to strategizing digital communication for educational programs, I was able to clearly visualize myself in that role as a career.
Since the internship, I have been working for different nonprofits in D.C., including United Voices for America and Black Professionals in International Affairs, as well as taking Master’s-level courses in Baltimore, Maryland. In October 2016, I attended Harvard University as a fellow for the U.S.-China Relations Pengyou Leadership Summit. And this summer, I returned to Rome to give back as an alumna; I work with John Cabot's admissions department to help establish exchange agreements with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
After I complete a culinary scholarship program in Shanghai in July, I will begin as a Cornell Institute for Public Affairs fellow at Cornell University, pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Affairs starting this August. I am incredibly excited to get started on this next chapter, and I know that my time studying at John Cabot gave me the foundation and guidance for a successful path in international affairs.
Alexandria Maloney
Class of 2015
International Affairs major
Hometown: Washington, D.C.