Wanted: Motivated Individuals Dedicated to Public Service. IYLA visits the US Department of State
The IYLA paid a visit to the U.S. State Department orientation this morning to learn about it’s mission and opportunities.
Did you know the first Secretary of State was Thomas Jefferson? Kieran Reilly, IYLA delegate from James Madison University didn’t. The fun fact enhanced her opinion of the third president of the United States. “I knew I liked that guy!” she wrote.
U.S. State Department has more than 270 diplomatic missions around the world. The State Department is “responsible for promoting peace and stability in areas of vital interest to America, and helping developing nations establish stable economic environments.”
According to the State Department, it seeks out “motivated individuals with sound judgment and leadership abilities,” and “are dedicated to public service.” Department members have exciting jobs that take them around the world, but also require them to keep their cool even in sudden political overturns or environmental disasters.
Jonathan Pacheco am International Relations from Austin College in Sherman Texas and Social Media and Outreach Coordinator for GYLA reflected on the orientation.
"It was beneficial for us to learn the different divisions of the state dept. We got an inside look at life in the department.
It also opened delegates up to ideas on how to get involved with their own governments in the same aspect. U.S. embassies abroad provide international participants with connections to America even after they leave this country.
In later segments we learned about the always changing foreign officer culture. It was intriguing to learn more about the diverse, exciting and rich cultural experiences and the challenges associated with such positions."
Kieran Reilly, a criminology and political science major felt “privileged” to get the inside scoop about U.S. foreign affairs from “to learn about it from people who have dedicated their lives to being foreign diplomats.”
The State Department candidate profile puts into perspective the relevance of IYLA. “Leadership”, “public service”, key themes of the IYLA, are universally sought out qualities.
This is a blog post co-written by Jonathan Pacheco and Kieran Reilly.
