Former Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky (SFS’77) has applied her SFS education to many different fields, from government work to the business world and academia. During her tenure at the State Department, she worked on human rights issues, the environment, and the international drug trade. At SFS, Dobriansky says, she gained “the knowledge of history and political science theory as well as the practical skills” necessary to tackle these complex interdisciplinary issues.
Today, Dobriansky serves as an adjunct faculty member in SFS and continues to be impressed by the way in which the school’s curriculum continues to engage in the most cutting-edge international affairs theory and practice. “What’s exciting is the crossover, where you not only take the traditional core curriculum for diplomacy, but you can cross over into the health and medical field or international business, applying the skills you learn in the SFS,” she says.
She is also inspired by her students. Dobriansky reflects, “The students have gone on to affect the world in so many ways. They’ve made a mark.”