By Angela Zheng, Program Associate, Global Ties U.S.
On Friday, June 21, 115 U.S. citizen ExchangeAlumni gathered at the U.S. Department of State for the third annual Career Connections DC: Careers in the Federal Government. This was the largest Career Connections event to date, and covered topics including pathways to foreign and civil service, interactive roundtables with alumni in various federal careers, and a career fair with representatives from 22 federal agencies including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Department of Education, FBI, NASA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Attendees represented 21 U.S. government-funded exchange programs, including the Gilman International Scholarship, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Peace Corps, and the Boren Awards.
Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell (front, second from left) with Career Connections DC attendees and organizers. All photos from Global Ties U.S.
For Mynhan Do, a Gilman Scholar and Youth Ambassador for the USA Pavilion at Expo2020 Dubai, attending Career Connections DC was an opportunity to both connect and network with peers, and learn more about federal careers. Shared Mynhan: “I am always looking for ways to thread my cultural exchange experiences into my professional career, and I was excited to see how the federal government is looking for that! Being here just makes it [federal careers paths] more open, realistic, and tangible.”
“My exchange experience fundamentally shifted my career direction,” said Juliana Hanle, a 2013 Fulbright Research Scholar. “I went into my exchange as a writer and left with the aim of gaining land management knowledge and technical expertise to support natural resource managers.” Juliana now works in machine learning with a specialization in land use management. She shared that “Attending Career Connections DC has helped me work towards my career goals by showing me what paths are possible, what mid-career federal careers comprise, and demonstrating the diversity and power of the U.S. ExchangeAlumni experiences.”
Attendees at the Fulbright exhibitor table including Juliana Hanle (second row, second from left).
Career Connections DC opened with remarks from Madelina Young-Smith, Director of the Office of Alumni Affairs and Katherine A. Brown, Ph.D., Global Ties U.S. President and CEO; and a special keynote from Kurt M. Campbell, Deputy Secretary of State, who reflected on his career in public service. “As you’re here exploring opportunities in federal government, I want to say that for me there is no higher calling… There will be opportunities to represent who we are as a people and what we believe in.”
The day continued with interactive career roundtables and skill-building sessions. Speakers Dave O’Brien, Kim Fassler, Betsy Goldemen, Tiffany Iheme, John Simpson, and Joshua Trinidad shared their experiences and provided tips on federal resume building, career transition, and more, inspiring ExchangeAlumni at all stages of their federal career journey.
Faith Seawell (second from left) networks with attendees at the Federal Career Fair.
“Hearing from all these speakers really encourages me,” said Faith Seawell, a 2022 Gilman Scholar, nurse, and advocate on anti-trafficking and refugee issues. She shared how participating in Career Connections Miami this past April was a “transformative experience,” and motivated her to learn more about the U.S. ExchangeAlumni network and possibilities available to her. Shared Faith, “The most important thing is not to limit yourself. How can the sky be the limit when there are footsteps on the moon? So keep on going and you never know where to lead you.”
Leo Huang, an alumnus of the Youth Leadership Program, agreed. “Being able to meet all these people has been an absolutely phenomenal experience,” he said. “I think it’s events like these that opens doors and show me that there is a much wider range of things I could do…. especially within the federal government and in an amazing city like DC.”
Career Connections DC offered a dynamic day of programming, networking, and skill-building sessions. It also included two virtual sessions, ahead of the in-person event, for U.S. ExchangeAlumni to learn more about federal careers and the hiring process. More information about those two sessions and other more professional development resources are available in the Alumni Resource Center (ARC).
Looking ahead, the next Career Connections seminar will take place in Detroit, MI from September 26-27.