Samantha Jordan '13 is a foreign service officer for the US State Department. She received a bachelor of arts in international economics from Lafayette and a masters in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
The Department of State advises the President and leads the nation in foreign policy issues to advance the interests and security of the American people. The State Department negotiates treaties and agreements with foreign entities, and manages America’s relationships with foreign governments, international organizations, and the people of other countries.
As an economic officer I help build and maintain positive economic and trade relations between the U.S. and other countries. I work with U.S. and foreign government officials, business leaders, and international organizations to promote national security through economic security. In my former position in the Office of Macroeconomic Affairs, that meant monitoring post-pandemic developments in the Western Hemisphere and supporting sovereign debt negotiations.
The amazing people I get to meet, learn from and work with! In my last job I had the pleasure of working on the State Department’s study abroad programs – Gilman, IDEAS, and the Critical Language Scholarship Program (CLS), that allow incredible young students to study abroad and gain the experiences and skills that will prove invaluable as they embark on careers in a range of fields. I get hope from young leaders like the nursing student who studied Russian through CLS with hopes of providing healthcare services to Ukrainian refugees.
Historically, it is not unique for the U.S. to face challenges on multiple international fronts. That said, the depth and breadth of current challenges we face –from the Middle East to climate change– are overwhelming. The pandemic showed us that there are some challenges that are too severe for any single country to overcome alone. We must work in alignment with our partners, while taking a strong stance against our competitors.
Adaptability, because over the course of your career you will work in a diverse range of countries and with different cultures. Teamwork, because diplomacy is about leveraging the strengths of our teams and working with a wide range of stakeholders. Finally, communication, both oral and written, is key to advancing our diplomatic efforts.
State Department employees come from very diverse educational backgrounds. Masters degrees are not required. If you are interested in a career in diplomacy, I encourage you to check out careers.state.gov for more information on different career paths.
International Affairs with Professor Park equipped me with frameworks for understanding international relations. Being a Writing Associate and helping other fellow students craft their writing skills helped me learn to write more concisely and persuasively. Finally, Dean Goldberg was essential in helping me prepare for my interview for the Pickering Fellowship.
Studying abroad in Paris the summer after my sophomore year instilled a love of travel, language, and engaging with different cultures that has persisted until today. As a student-athlete on the basketball team, I learned discipline, teamwork, and time management skills that prepared me for life after Lafayette.
With a liberal arts degree, I’ve found your major doesn’t matter much after graduation. I had a pretty diverse course load, but I wish I had taken even more classes across a range of fields that interested me.
Study abroad!
I strive to create distinction between family time and being on the clock. It’s important to rest. I’ve also found workouts are really important for my mood and well-being.
My love language is quality time. So I enjoy hanging out with my family and friends. It can be as simple as going on a hike or having a meal together. Since we are often living abroad, I cherish time with my loved ones.
Is it weird that I am thinking of all my favorite foods? Penne with vodka sauce from Campus Pizza, a sandwich from Simon’s Cafe, the Lambretti at Farinon, Friday hot wings at Marquis.