International Studies Major Jobs, Graduate School Acceptances and Scholarships 2022

Photo of a young man wearing a Dickinson College baseball cap, walking down a street in a European city.

Dickinson College is a leader in international education. Photo by Joe O'Neill.

Yale Yoon

Hometown: Waco, Texas
Employer: ALTist Co., Ltd.
Job Title: international development team intern
 
Job Responsibilities
 
My primary responsibility is to keep track of shipping documents during the import/export of raw ingredients needed for the company's products or for its business partners. Secondary responsibilities are to perform market research online to gather data and information and translate documents from Korean to English or to proofread/edit said documents in English.
 
How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?
 
I have realized I have become more independent and mature as I went through my life in college at Dickinson, especially as I came far from home. I also got to think more seriously about my interests and get the opportunity to learn more about them in classes and study abroad in Korea.
 
What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?
 
I have been nervous yet anticipating delving deeper into my interests in East Asian history, society and culture as I currently pursue my internship and life in Seoul, Korea, after studying abroad as a foreign exchange student and definitely as I plan to pursue my master's degree.
 

Sadie Fowler

Hometown: Quakertown, Pennsylvania
Majors: educational studies, international studies 
Scholarship: Fulbright
Purpose of scholarship: English teaching assistant in Italy
 
Job Responsbilities
 
Teaching English in secondary schools in the south of Italy. 
 
How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?
 
Dickinson has taught me important intercultural communication skills that are essential for living in our increasingly globalized world. I have learned so much about the importance of recognizing one's own identity and the "space" you inhabit. My professors have taught me how to think and write critically, as well as how to assess validity and use rationality and logic.
 
What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?
 
I am anticipating a lot of uncertainty, to be honest. Living abroad in a foreign country for nine months is daunting, particularly when the spoken language is not your native language. However, after studying abroad for a semester, I have learned a lot about who I am as a person and how to navigate situations I am unfamiliar in or may feel out of my comfort zone.
 
What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?
   
I think being able to study abroad in Bologna was one of the most defining moments of my Dickinson experience. I have worked so hard with my double major and minor in organizing and completing coursework, establishing relationships with professors and staff, and I persevered through a pandemic in order to study abroad. Going to Italy was the culmination of my studying and dedication in pursuing what I love, as well as a chance to show off all that I have learned in my language classes. But the best part was proving to myself just how capable I am. Not everything can be taught in a classroom, and being able to live in another country has taught me so much about who I am and what I can do.
 
Internship Experience
 
Thanks to the partnership between Dickinson and the United States Army War College, I have had the privilege of working with them for over a year. As a research intern for the Department of Educational Methodology, I generated request for information and literature reviews for resources and beneficial annotative collaborative tools for the college to implement, working 30 hours a week for a total of 300 hours for the summer program. I also created survey instruments for the Department of Educational Methodology to collect data on readability statistics of all students at the college. As a research intern for the Center for Strategic Leadership, I also collaborated with a team of three to six undergraduate students around the United States to create international strategic crisis negotiation exercises on the western Sahara and the Arctic for graduate students to simulate a peace conference at 10 graduate schools.
   
In addition, through Dickinson, I was a student-faculty researcher for Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies Kristine Mitchell. I analyzed and coded oral history files of people who moved to Southall, London, during the 1950s and 1960s. I compiled and wrote short essays that contextualize and complement the primary texts of understanding the demographic transformation that occurred in Southall and the ensuing societal responses for the eventual end goal of a co-authored book. Also through Dickinson, I was an international security studies research assistant to Visiting Professor of International Security Studies Jeff McCausland. During this internship, I researched and wrote briefs for podcasts and radio shows relating to topics on the U.S. military, World War II, cybersecurity and U.S. foreign policy. In addition, I monitored news sources from the Gulf States, Myanmar, Russia and NATO to develop weekly news summaries as well as collaborated with other assistants from Dr. McCausland's company, Diamond6 Leadership & Strategy, LLC, on topics of ethics and leadership within companies during the global pandemic. Furthermore, I distributed materials and relevant information about the publication of Dr. McCausland’s newest book and organizing webinars to promote his work through marketing and social media management.
   
Finally, through my Italian Studies Intercultural Seminar, I was a virtual student teacher at Liceo Laura Bassi, an Italian high school in Bologna, Italy. I taught three English classes of 10-22 Italian high school students lessons on comparative economics and politics. I also utilized online blogs and social media to share intercultural experiences as an American student learning about Italian culture and language.
 

Jacob DeCarli

Hometown: Greencastle, Pennsylvania
Majors: international studies, Italian studies 
Scholarship: Fulbright
Purpose of scholarship: English teaching assistant in Italy
 
How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?
 
My Dickinson education made me a critical thinker regarding various issues in the world. Through my intensive courses, I learned how to be a more effective and analytical writer. Aside from academic skills, Dickinson prepared me to be confident in myself and my ability to be a future leader. 
 
What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?
 
Post-graduation, I will be a Fulbright English teaching assistant (ETA) for an Italian high school. I previously accepted a job in the U.S. before finding out that I won a Fulbright. However, Fulbright is such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I cannot pass up, and it's always been my dream to live in Italy for a year. Being an ETA in Italy will not only allow me to further develop my Italian skills, but it will also help me become an even better global citizen. After Fulbright, I hope to return to the opportunity that I had accepted in the U.S. Beyond the near future, I hope to work in international affairs in some capacity.
 
What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?
 
There's so many that I could think of! A defining moment of my experience was going to Italy for two weeks in January 2022 for a funded research opportunity. Thanks to the William G. and Elke F. Durden International Initiative Fund, the Center for Global Study and Engagement, Resident Director and Italian Studies and Contributing Faculty Bruno Grazioli and Professor of Italian and Film Studies Nicoletta Marini-Maio, I had the wonderful opportunity to complete research for my honors Italian thesis while also exploring the country that I had been studying for three years. One general moment of my Dickinson experience has been all of my interactions with the Italian department and involvement in its activities. The Italian department has been like a family to me, and they (Professor Nicoletta Marini-Maio, Senior Lecturer in Italian Luca Lanzilotta, Lecturer in Italian Luca Trazzi, Associate Professor of italian James McMenamin and Professor Grazioli) supported me so much during my time as a Dickinson student. Majoring in Italian was the best decision that I made in my college experience, and I have the Italian department to thank for pushing me to do my best and pursue my dreams.
 
Another defining moment of my Dickinson experience was working as a Presidential Fellow for the Office of College Advancement. The staff at college advancement is absolutely incredible, and they made the internship super fun yet rewarding. Additionally, I got to meet so many amazing alumni who I now consider mentors (like Eric Fennel '92, Christian Beitel-Horton '13, Caitlin Mitchell '09 and so many others). 
 
Internship Experience
 
While at Dickinson, I've had various internships in diverse fields. During the summer before my sophomore year, I interned part-time at Franklin County Human Resources, where I assisted the director of HR in various projects. That same summer, I interned for an Italian-American newspaper called La Gazzetta Italiana, where I researched topics related to Italian-American life and wrote articles about them. La Gazzetta Italiana published all six of my articles on their website. During the summer before my junior year, I interned full-time for the Office of College Advancement as a Presidential Fellow. I interviewed over 100 Dickinson alumni across all backgrounds about their experiences during and after Dickinson. It was my favorite internship by far, because I got to meet and network with so many amazing alumni from our Dickinson community. Finally, during the summer before my senior year, I interned at the U.S. Army War College for the director of women, peace and security (WPS). As the WPS intern, I proposed ways to integrate WPS concepts into the War College curriculum. This internship related closely to my international studies major as I looked at case studies that I had already analyzed in various classes at Dickinson. 
 

Claire Simpson

Hometown: Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Majors: quantitative economics, international studies 
Graduate School: Duke University School of Law
Field of study: law

How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?
 
They have provided us with ample job or internship opportunities to apply for. I feel confident in my critical analysis ability as a result of a liberal arts education. 
 
What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?
 
I can't wait to be in law school and become a practicing lawyer. 
 
What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?
 
Qualifying for Nationals with my Mock Trial team; Leo's ice cream with friends; Octals' concerts.
 
Internship Experience
 
Research assistant with the Department of Economics. We wrote a book chapter on how shocks in the developing world impact education. I read through multiple economic articles a day to understand the subject material and wrote literature reviews. Completed on Dickinson's campus over the summer.
 

Sarah Yanega

Hometown: Center Valley, Pennsylvania
Majors: international studies, Chinese
Employer: Saucon Valley School District
Job title: substitute teacher
 
How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?
 
I now have a strong and impressive educational background.
 
What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?
 
My athletic achievements and presenting my thesis.
 
Internship Experience
 
Observational Judicial Internship and U.S. Army War College internship. 
 

Will Colleran

Hometown: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Major: international studies
Employer: Stratus IP
Job title: sales development representative 
 

Brendan Harlan

Hometown: Ipswich, Massachusetts
Majors: international studies, German 
Employer: Glacier National Park Conservancy
Job title: sales associate
 
Job Responsibilities
 
As a sales associate for Glacier National Park Conservancy, I will be spending my summer working in a seasonal capacity in the national park's various on-site stores. I'll be doing the main retail things within the job, such as stocking products and helping customers, as well as being an ambassador for the Glacier Conservancy Foundation, which funds education and other park initiatives.
 
How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?
 
Dickinson has challenged me, on both personal and academic levels, to grow beyond the kid I was when I started college four years ago. It's been a great environment for the development of my own self-understanding, within the classroom and outside of it. I've gained a much better understanding of my capabilities and made some really rewarding friendships. From my professors and peers, I've received mentorship and support throughout my college career to the point that I'm feeling excited for life after college.
 
What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?
 
My future feels wide open, which is both exciting and frightening, but I feel well-qualified to pursue a variety of things in the coming years. What I'm most looking forward to, though, is to do something different this summer, by working in Montana and getting a little break from my academic life. After that, I'm anticipating applying to jobs in the D.C. area this summer with the hope that I can move to the area this fall/winter to work within my majors' subject fields and to be near my girlfriend.
 
What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?
 
As a first-year student and sophomore, College Choir and working as an RA were rewarding and meaningful experiences to me. I found a close friends through both groups, particularly older students who welcomed me into their communities. Getting to go abroad to Germany this past fall, something I'd hoped to do when applying to college, provided a number of important moments to my college career too.
 
Internship Experience
 
In the summer of 2020, I had the opportunity to conduct student-faculty research remotely with Associate Professor International Studies Shamma Alam. Then, for the spring and summer of 2021, I interned at Carlisle's U.S. Army War College, working on analyzing and developing stabilization frameworks.
 

Published March 30, 2022