UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Master’s students in the Penn State School of International Affairs (SIA) recently had the opportunity to meet with employers and staff at the Council on Foreign Relations, Bank of America, CJPA Global Advisors, and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations as part of the school’s annual career exposure trip to New York City.

The trip, which took place Feb. 22-23, also included a tour of the United Nations (U.N.) headquarters — including the General Assembly hall— and a networking reception with SIA alumni.

Under the leadership of Grant Littke, director of career services, SIA organizes annual career trips to New York City in the spring and Washington, D.C., in the fall to provide its students with a unique opportunity to meet and network with potential employers and SIA alumni and to learn more about the diverse career paths they can pursue with a master of international affairs degree.

“The New York trip gave SIA students exposure to a wide range of career possibilities spanning from the United Nations to the NGO world, to private consulting, to the international financial sector,” said Mitchell Smith, director of SIA and professor of international affairs. “SIA is fortunate to have contacts in each of these fields with the experience to provide our students with a sense of what one can accomplish working in the area as well as detailed insight into the skills needed to get started.”

Career insights

For second-year students on the cusp of graduating, the trip provided practical insights and tips that can help them in the job search process.

“My favorite part of the trip was listening to the potential employers talk about what they look for in a candidate, because it gives you a sense of how to tailor your resume and cover letter to stand out from other applicants,” said second-year student Rayan Mama Amadou.

Though first-year students may not be applying for jobs just yet, and are still in the process of figuring out their career plans, the trip helped them gain a broader perspective on the possibilities that are out there.

“Between the alumni reception and the various meetings, it's a really great learning opportunity and a chance to begin thinking about what you want to do with your degree,” Olorunnisola said. “We're often told it's a very flexible field, without necessarily knowing what moves to make to get to a desired career, and the trip helps with that. I learned a lot about what companies look for and value in international affairs graduates and got some good insight into career paths I otherwise wouldn't have considered.”

Making connections with alumni

Networking, both formally — though meetings and panel sessions — and informally at the alumni reception, is a common thread that ran throughout the entire trip. The reception and other meetings with SIA alumni were jointly coordinated by Littke and Kim Plummer, assistant director of alumni relations at SIA and Penn State Law.

“Alumni are a valuable resource to our current students,” Plummer said. “SIA alumni are doing incredible work in the field of international affairs and our students are always eager to talk with them about their experiences and make connections that will help them as they begin their career search.”

Several students emphasized the significance of meeting and talking with SIA alumni who are in the midst of their careers.

“I would recommend the career trips to future SIA students because it’s a chance to network with SIA alumni,” Rios said. “The alumni were in our position once and have useful information on how they transitioned from SIA to their careers.”

Many SIA alumni stay connected with the school after graduation and are eager to share their experiences and insights with current students.

“Engaging with the school's community, alumni, students, professors and administrators is a fundamental part of a master’s degree and the professional world,” said SIA alumnus Alfredo Malaret Baldo, who graduated in 2016. “Doing good work out there, even advancing your own career, is in large part about working with other people and creating a network. I think social skills and relationship-building are fundamental to international affairs — and staying engaged with the SIA community has been fundamental to my work and career.”

Malaret Baldo, an urban violence officer at the University of San Diego and co-facilitator of the Peace in Our Cities Network, is one of 11 Penn State alumni who will receive the 2024 Alumni Achievement Award from the Penn State Alumni Association. The award recognizes alumni 35 years of age and younger for their extraordinary professional accomplishments. Malaret Baldo will return to campus March 14-15 to attend the awards ceremony and meet with SIA faculty and students, including a talk on Careers in Violence Prevention and Arms Control.

Visiting the United Nations

Over the years, many students have pointed to the U.N. visit as a highlight of the trip because of its iconic status in the world of international affairs.

First-year student Dayo Olorunnisola echoed that sentiment.

“My favorite part of the trip was the opportunity to tour the U.N. I've been to New York numerous times but that's something I've never done before,” Olorunnisola said. “It was such a cool experience to walk into the General Assembly and see it in session!”

Second-year student Kateri Rios also listed the U.N. visit as her favorite part and appreciated that the tour “gave us some background on the history of the U.N.”

Career readiness

Rios and other SIA students have attended multiple career trips to help prepare themselves for the professional world.

“I have been on every career trip since I started the program,” Mama Amadou said, “and in each one I have learned about a new opportunity I didn’t know existed prior and, most importantly, I have expanded my professional network.”

During the course of the two-year master’s program, SIA students have the opportunity to attend four career exposure trips, in addition to numerous professional development workshops offered throughout the year.

“Coupled with our travel to D.C. in the fall,” Smith said, “the New York trip completes an annual professional development cycle that places our students in a strong position to start their careers.”

Learn more about the comprehensive career services that SIA provides to its students.