Connecting with our Alumni Whenever and Wherever We Travel

Lauren Hill Rose, Karla Parra, Christine, and Camille Coleman meet up in Dallas

Being able to connect with our alumni away from campus can be just as much fun as having them return to their alma mater for a visit.  I was in Dallas, TX last Wednesday for an APSIA recruiting event and was able to catch up with three of my former PAIA Admissions Graduate Assistants.  Karla Parra (’11) who focused her studies in Public Management & Corporate Social Responsibility is working for Accenture.  Camille Coleman (’13) came here after a year of service with the Posse Foundation in Atlanta and an interest in Urban and Education Policy. She is in a third year of service with Teach for America, just outside Dallas.  And Lauren Hill Rose (’14) just finished her first year as at the City of Mesquite, TX after studying for a career in local government!  Lauren was active in the Maxwell ICMA student chapter.

Additionally, last Monday, while in Washington, DC for the APISA meetings and fair, I was able to celebrate with Brooke Dickson-Knowles (’00).  She will begin her new position working as a consultant for the USAID privacy office in just a few weeks.  Congratulations Brooke!

Catherine Bertini (L) and Julia Schulteis, MA IR ’14, (R)

But, it is not just me who connect with our alumni while out and about! Professor Catherine Bertini was able to enjoy coffee with Julia Schulteis (’14) just this morning near UN headquarters in NYC. Julia who works in corporate social responsibility for UNICEF in Geneva was in NY for the UN Sustainable Development Goals Summit and related meetings.

Fjolla Raifi (’14) and Andrew Horsfall, LLM Admissions, showing SU spirit in Kosovo

And these connections are not always on US soil.  Last week, Andrew Horsfall of SU’s LLM program caught up with Fjolla Raifi (’14) in Kosovo and sent me this wonderful picture (I so wanted to make this trip too!!).  Fjolla Raifi and Fitore Hyseni were the first two students to earn their SU/Maxwell MPA via two new programs bringing young leaders from Kosovo to study in the US.   These programs, offered through American Councils for International Education (Kosovo American Education Fund) and World Learning ( Kosovo Transformational Leadership Scholarship and Partnerships Program ), have since been able to fund students studying across a variety of programs at Syracuse University, including our LLM program.  Andrew was able to travel to Kosovo to assist in the recruitment of new scholars for the American Councils program where he met up with Fjolla.

So, even after you leave Maxwell and SU – know that you are still part of our community & we enjoy connecting with our alumni whenever and wherever we are able!