International Studies Alumni Profiles
Andy Burnett
Class of 2005
Andy Burnett defines his University of Evansville experience in one word: personal. "During four years of personal interaction through course work, studying abroad, extracurricular activities such as athletics and campus organizations, and constant mentoring from professors and advisors, UE helped me to transition from a young student with a vague interest in international studies into a graduate with a strong sense of purpose and clear career goals."
Courses in international relations, such as international organizations, U.S. foreign policy, international political economy, and comparative politics of the developing world, helped Andy establish a strong foundation in the increasingly complex global environment. "These courses, taken with course work from other UE departments, which in my case were history and economics, helped me build interdisciplinary knowledge and skills that are invaluable in the international affairs workplace. Plus, my summer abroad in Japan helped to bring real world applications to my course work and was a valuable growing experience."
Andy credits the close guidance of his UE faculty mentor in choosing to continue his studies at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, where he earned a master's degree in May 2007. "I now work as a foreign affairs officer at the U.S. Department of State, a realization of a goal that was in large part due to my personal experience at UE."
Elisha Sulai
Class of 2003
When he decided to leave Nigeria for college, Elisha Sulai did not know what he was heading into. "I had never been to America before, and never lived in a place where I would be an outsider. 'Evansville?' — I was asked a million times. 'Where is that? Why not New York? Are you crazy?' UE turned out to be just fine. In fact, it was the right choice for me."
Elisha realized after spending a summer in Japan that he wanted to change his major to international studies. "Then I spent a semester at Peking University, China's premier institution, to study Chinese history and Sino-U.S. relations. In China, I had the rare opportunity of interning at the Beijing bureau of Time magazine. I covered China's political transition to its present crop of leaders, Chinese organized crime, and China's space program.
I also traveled widely across China to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Dalian, the inner provinces, and Tibet." After graduating from UE, Elisha took a job in Washington, D.C., as a journalist at Foreign Policy magazine. "I then obtained a master's degree at the London School of Economics and Politics in international studies. Currently, I am working as an analyst for the African Development Bank in Tunisia."
"UE is a world class institution with a world class dream of producing world class leaders. My advisors at UE saw the spark of foreign affairs in me. That spark is now an inextinguishable flame. I love what I do, and it's all because of UE."
Jove Oliver
Class of 2001
Jove Oliver describes studying at the University of Evansville as wonderful. "The class sizes are small, you receive a lot of personal attention from great professors, you have numerous opportunities to study abroad, and there is plenty of fun to be had on the weekends. While I was at UE, I participated in student government, Sigma Phi Epsilon, intramurals, Model United Nations, and much more. I also studied abroad at Cambridge University in England."
Jove feels that his experience at UE prepared him for a great career in international relations. "I've worked for the World Health Organization and several NGOs, and I am now with former President Bill Clinton's foundation. UE really got me excited about the world and propelled me into living abroad for five years. I will always remember my time there fondly."
Matthew Goodman
Class of 2003
Matthew Goodman considers himself lucky that he was able to complete his undergraduate study at the University of Evansville. "My advisor and professors genuinely cared enough to help me make the most of my education. Five years later, I'm proud to still call most of them my friends. Due to the flexibility of the international studies curriculum, I was free to study the subjects that interested me, including history, astronomy, and philosophy, in addition to the politics and language courses required for the degree. Intramural sports, the Model United Nations team, and the Honors Program kept me busy when I wasn't studying."
During his junior year, Matthew studied at Cambridge University. "Spending a year there, adapting to a new culture, meeting people very different from myself, and challenging myself, meant that I learned more, personally and academically."
Matthew currently lives in Britain and works as a policy representative for a company that provides support to small businesses. "I represent small business interests to the government and our partners in Westminster & Whitehall. It's a busy job that requires me to stay on top of the government's policy initiatives and to lobby to protect our members' interests. Though it's a long way from southern Indiana, I feel that my opportunities today were shaped by the challenges I was offered and the support I received while at UE."
Mindy (Mennel) Duncan
Class of 2004
Mindy Duncan's study abroad experiences (she spent a semester each at Harlaxton College and Geneva, Switzerland) prepared her for working in a global environment. "During my internship at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research in Geneva, there were a lot of daily encounters that I saw as challenges. Now I realize they helped me think outside of the box to find solutions."
Today, Mindy is the global brand coordinator for Manpower Inc. with daily responsibilities that range from Web site management to team communication and project management. "I have both an international studies and mass communication degree from UE. The combination prepared me for absolutely everything I have encountered in my current position."
"From an international studies perspective, learning a foreign language was essential, as was the political background it provided. Learning and understanding various cultures was absolutely vital for my current position. Working with international colleagues is hard — understanding their cultural and business practices is often a challenge. Having a background in cultural awareness and business practice is a definite plus."
Kamerhe Lane
Class of 2004
After spending a semester at Harlaxton College in Grantham, England, Kamerhe Lane knew she needed an additional study abroad experience. "Since my area concentration was Africa, I wanted to travel there. UE helped me participate in a program in Uganda."
After graduation, Kamerhe felt ready to "conquer the world" and took a teaching position at Al Bayan Bilingual School in Kuwait City, Kuwait. "Although I didn't receive my teaching certificate from UE, every day I attempt to pass on to my students a passion for education. I believe that the cornerstone of any good educational program is not a specific set of textbooks or an established teaching method, but rather it is a commitment to creating citizens of the world who step out of the classroom and into that world knowing enough to want to learn more and improve themselves and everyone around them with that knowledge."
"I have the University of Evansville to thank for my current place in the world, in my profession, and in the lives of a hundred or so young Kuwaitis. In fact, my Purple Aces pride has intrigued some of my students, and after class a few of my seniors peruse the UE Web site with me as I recall the halcyon days when my desk was smaller and came with fewer responsibilities."
Katie Henke
Class of 2003
For Katie Henke, study abroad was a primary reason for choosing to attend the University of Evansville. "I participated in three separate study abroad programs. I spent a summer in Japan conducting a comparative political analysis; a semester in Uganda, focusing on international development issues, including an ecotourism practicum at Mt. Elgon National Park; and a summer in England."
Now working in Washington, D.C., in a career in international development and foreign aid, Katie spends time analyzing the U.S. Foreign Operations Budget to determine U.S. Government priorities in the Asia Region. "To strategically position my company within each country, I frequently travel throughout the region to gather intelligence on upcoming foreign aid programs, to market my company's services and previous experience, and to establish a network of contacts within those countries. When USAID solicits proposals from firms to carry out a specific project, I am an integral part of the proposal development process, frequently writing portions of the technical approach, recruiting international and local staff for our programs, or establishing relationships with potential subcontractors to assist us in implementing a specific portion of the work."
Katie plans to continue her current work while pursuing a law degree. "I want to focus on protection of human rights for refugees and other displaced populations in hopes of taking a long-term overseas assignment to provide technical assistance under foreign aid programs such as the ones administered by USAID, the United Nations, and other international donor organizations."
