World Affairs Career Series
International Programs' Office of Academic Programs and Services and the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council are excited to present a new World Affairs Career Series. This series will include events throughout the year focused on international career options, internship and research opportunities, and skill building and career development. The series will give students the opportunity to interact with professionals who have real-world experience in fields like foreign policy, international business, and human rights.
Upcoming events in the series:
International Environmental Careers, postponed until spring
Spring 2010 schedule coming soon!
Past events:
Strategies for Finding International Internships, Tuesday, November 3, 4:30-5:30 pm, 1117 University Capitol Centre
The Iowa City Foreign Relations Council and International Programs’ Office of Academic Programs and Services invite you to attend this World Affairs Career Series event, “Strategies for Finding International Internships.” International Studies BA students will share about their internships experiences, and we’ll discuss strategies and resources to help you with your search.
Panelists and their internships include Laura Fitz, U.S. Commercial Services in Bangkok; Jeanette Gaida, The American Council of Young Political Leaders in Washington, DC; and Molly Kuhn, People in Need in Amman, Jordan. More information on the speakers is below.
This event is free and open to the public. We look forward to seeing you there!
Speaker Bios:
Laura Fitz is an undergraduate senior majoring in International Studies. Laura interned with the U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Embassy, Bangkok from June 8 - July 31, 2009. During this two month period, she contributed to and assisted U.S. Companies in the export of their products and services. Highlights of her internship included researching Thailand’s packaging industry market, promoting new products for U.S. companies, introducing U.S. franchise companies, working with the Regional Intellectual Property Officer, crafting intellectual property toolkits for the website www.stopfakes.gov1, and serving as media escort for the arrival of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Thailand.
Jeanette Gaida is a junior majoring in International Studies and Anthropology with minors in Spanish and Italian. Jeanette interned at The American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL), a non-profit, bipartisan organization that seeks to foster intercultural communication through the development of bilateral exchanges between the United States and other foreign countries. Jeanette gained experience in all four of the agency’s areas: outreach, development, program, and finance and administration. Her main role was to assist the program officers who developed and organized international inbound and outbound exchanges. Jeanette plans to attend graduate school in Washington, DC upon completion of her degree at The University of Iowa.
Molly Kuhn is currently a senior International Studies major with an emphasis on the Middle East and Muslim World. Molly spent last year studying abroad in Amman, Jordan at the University of Jordan and working as an intern for People in Need. People In Need, headquartered in the Czech Republic with 45 locations worldwide, is a nongovernmental organization dedicated to providing assistance for relief and development while promoting democratic reform and human rights. People In Need has been working in Iraq since 2003 with its mission originally focused on the reconstruction of destroyed education and healthcare facilities. Recently however, People In Need has begun focusing on the empowerment of Iraqi civil society, carrying out a number of projects aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Iraqi civil society, free media and local governance.
Careers in the United Nations and UN Organizations, Thursday, October 22, 3:30-4:30 pm, C230 Pomerantz Center
The Iowa City Foreign Relations Council and International Programs’ Office of Academic Programs and Services invite you to attend this World Affairs Career Series event, “Careers in the United Nations and UN Organizations.” Join us to learn about more about the realities and myths of working for the United Nations as well as organizations that support the work of the UN.
Panelists for this event are Gillian Sorenson, Senior Advisor at the United Nations Foundation; Alan Brody, former UNICEF officer in Swaziland, China, Afghanistan, Turkey and Nigeria; and Andrea Niehaus, Co-Director of the Iowa United Nations Association. Detailed speaker bios are below.
Speaker Biographies
Gillian Sorensen is a Senior Advisor at the United Nations Foundation, and is a national advocate on matters related to the United Nations and the United States-United Nations relationship. Prior to this, Sorensen served in the United Nations as Assistant Secretary-General for External Relations. From
1993-1996, Sorensen served as Special Adviser for Public Policy on appointment by Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Sorensen earlier served for over 12 years as New York City Commissioner for the United Nations and Consular Corps, head of the City’s liaison with the world’s largest diplomatic
community.
Alan Brody joined the Peace Corps in 1968, and spent almost ten years in Ghana working and volunteering in teaching, publishing, rural development, and agricultural communication.From 1978-84 he studied Development Support Communication at the University of Iowa, earning a Ph.D. in Journalism and Mass Communication. He joined UNICEF in 1984, where he worked in public health, education and life skills, women’s development and micro-credit initiatives, emergency planning, and HIV and AIDS. His UNICEF assignments included Nigeria, Turkey, Afghanistan, China, and Swaziland, where he was the UNICEF Representative from 1999-2006.He retired from the U.N. in 2006 and moved back to Iowa City to pursue his vocation as a writer.
Andrea Niehaus is Co-Director of the Iowa United Nations Association. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with areas of emphasis in International Relations and Developing Areas and a minor in history. After graduation, Andrea taught English in Beijing, China before returning to Iowa to pursue a career in nonprofit.
Careers in International Economics and Business, Tuesday, October 6, 2:00-3:00 pm, 1117 University Capitol Centre
The Iowa City Foreign Relations Council and International Programs’ Office of Academic Programs and Services invite you to attend this World Affairs Career Series event, “Careers in International Economics and Business.” Join us to learn about interesting opportunities in international economics, trade, business, and social entrepreneurship, as well as tips on identifying and preparing for these career paths.
Panelists for this event are Jake Colvin, director of USA*Engage, and David Burgess, Lecturer in the UI College of Business. Detailed speaker bios are below.
Speaker Biographies
Jake Colvin directs USA*Engage, a business coalition that promotes the idea that engagement with the world is in the best interests of the United States, and which has become the leading business organization supporting reform of U.S. policy toward Cuba. Through USA*Engage, Jake encourages policies that facilitate international trade and travel, dialogue and diplomacy, and humanitarian assistance. He also advises non-governmental organizations on economic and trade issues.
Jake has made the coalition’s work on changing U.S. policy towards Cuba a priority after years of majorities in Congress to remove the travel ban, the passage of sanctions reform legislation and increasing evidence of a change in Cuban-American sentiment.
Prior to joining USA*Engage, Jake had been a consultant to U.S. and foreign corporate clients on a variety of international economic and trade matters. He also has worked on issues involving U.S. immigration policy, refugee assistance and family reunification.
Jake has provided commentary on economic, trade and foreign policy issues for a variety of organizations, outlets and publications including National Public Radio, the Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Miami Herald, San Francisco Chronicle and the Center for American Progress.
David Burgess is a Lecturer in the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business, where he teaches courses on business writing and principles. In winter 2008, David led a University of Iowa class in India titled “Business Plans for International Non-Profit Microenterprises.” His work focuses on social entrepreneurship and experiential learning. David was a Fulbright Fellow in Lithuania in 1994 and 1995 before completing an MPhil (Master of Philosophy) at Vilnius University and an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) at The University of Iowa.
Careers in Foreign Policy, Tuesday, September 22, 10:30-11:30 am, C230 Pomerantz Center
If you’re interested in working in foreign policy and would like to learn more about the kinds of jobs in the field, how to find them, and how you can prepare for them now, this event is for you!
Panelists for this event include Ambassador Nancy Soderberg, former White House Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs; Damon Terrill, Senior Vice President & General Counsel for International Legal and Regulatory Affairs at Integrated DNA Technologies; and Simeon Talley, a senior International Studies student who has worked with Obama for America and The Stanley Foundation. Detailed speaker bios are below.
Speaker Biographies
With nearly twenty years of experience in the formation of U.S. foreign policy, Ambassador Nancy Soderberg has a deep understanding of policy-making and negotiations at the highest levels of government and the United Nations. Ms. Soderberg achieved international recognition for her efforts to promote peace in Northern Ireland; participated in a United Nations' mission to Indonesia and East Timor; negotiate key United Nations' resolutions regarding the Middle East and Africa; conducted shuttle diplomacy in Latin America; assisted in the development of the Administration's policies toward political and economic normalization with Vietnam; and advised on policies toward China, Japan, Russia, Angola, the Balkans, Haiti, as well as on a variety of conflicts in Africa. Since December 1997, Ms. Soderberg has served as Alternate Representative to the United Nations as a Presidential Appointee, with the rank of Ambassador. From 1993-97, Ms. Soderberg served as the third ranking official of the National Security Council at the White House, including as Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
Damon Terrill is Senior Vice President & General Counsel for International Legal and Regulatory Affairs at Integrated DNA Technologies (“IDT”) in Coralville. He also serves as Managing Director of IDT’s European operating subsidiary in Belgium. A 1991 graduate of the University of Iowa, Mr. Terrill earned his M.A. in international affairs from American University’s School of International Service (SIS) in 1995 and his JD from New York University School of Law in 1999, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the NYU Journal of Legislation & Public Policy. From 1999 to 2002, Mr. Terrill was an associate in the Washington, DC and Brussels offices of Clifford Chance, where his work focused on market access and investment disputes in and between the U.S. and EU. In the fall of 2002 he joined the Office of the Legal Adviser at the United States Department of State in Washington, DC, where he handled the European Union and former Yugoslavia portfolios. Mr. Terrill joined IDT in January of 2006 as the company began its international expansion in Europe.
Simeon Talley is a senior International Studies major at the UI focusing on international politics and international relations. Talley was involved in the Obama campaign as an Outreach Coordinator with Obama for America and recently completed a summer internship at The Stanley Foundation in Muscatine, IA. He has also been a campus leader in The Roosevelt Institution, a student organization that works to bring student ideas into the public discourse and in the process train and equip the next generation of our nation's leaders.
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Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact the sponsor or contact person in advance at the telephone number or email address listed in the event. For more information on disability resources please go to University of Iowa's Disability Information page.