Former ICCR Intern, Kate Sullivan, shares some insights on her journey toward diplomatic dreams.
Before starting my master’s degree at UAlbany’s Rockefeller College, my career goal was to work for the U.S. Department of State in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, or as a Foreign Service Officer. This career goal stems from when I was an intern in the Office of Global Educational Programs while pursuing my bachelor’s degree. Since interning at the State Department, I have been fortunate to work on several projects, and for organizations, which support youth exchange programs. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Georgia, I was a Pre-Departure Orientation Teacher for the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program, where I helped prepare high school students for their exchange year abroad. Then, as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Malaysia, I helped plan and implement a leadership camp for students from Malaysia and Thailand. Currently, I work for a non-profit which implements high school exchange programs.
For my master’s capstone, I worked on group project which researched the feasibility of supporting refugees who are interested in pursuing higher education at UAlbany through the application process and on campus. We had several impactful conversations with various groups around Albany and universities across the United States, related to refugee support and resettlement. Through this capstone I was not only able to see culture exchange through the lens of refugee resettlement, but it also reminded me how more than ever, it is important to have programs which celebrate and preserve cultures. After graduating, I still hope to work for the U.S. Department of State supporting and these types of programs in the United States and around the world.