Title: Austin Lowe (MASIA’18) Leaves Georgetown Hoping to Make an Impact On U.S.-China Relations

Austin Lowe came to Georgetown in from his hometown of Manhattan, NY, where he also attended Columbia University for his undergraduate degree. He says that he chose Georgetown “for its esteemed faculty, many of whom have a track record of public service, and its world-renowned reputation.” Lowe chose the Master of Arts in Asian Studies Program (MASIA), specifically, due to his academic and professional interest in Asian affairs and because he “felt that the faculty and staff were very invested in their students’ success.” The program’s focus on professional development appealed to him as someone interested in pursuing a career in international affairs.

As part of his development, Lowe has taken advantage of Asian language programs through Georgetown: “I continued to improve my Chinese language skills at MASIA and developed great relationships with many of the Chinese language teachers. I participated in a Chinese speech contest at George Washington University during the Fall 2016 semester, and Georgetown’s Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures was especially helpful in assisting with my preparation.” Building on his growing interest in Southeast Asia, Lowe began learning Vietnamese during Fall 2017 through consortium courses.

Lowe has also been applying the knowledge gained and language skills honed at MASIA in the professional world. He interned at the State Department’s Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs during the Spring 2017 semester, and in the Political Section at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China during the summer of 2017. Since September 2017, Lowe has been working as an analyst at The Asia Group.

Lowe credits SFS for the switch of his focus from the public sector to a private sector career in international affairs: “I came to Georgetown set on a career in government. Despite my continued interest in public service, I – along with many of my fellow classmates – have come to recognize the important role that the private sector plays in foreign policy and in our world more generally. I have realized that it is not where you are, but what you do there that matters.”

Despite the switch in career direction, Lowe still remains committed to the professional vision that led him to SFS. “My future goal is to make a positive impact on the U.S.-China relationship, and U.S. relations with Asia more broadly. I came to the SFS with this goal in mind, but my time here has opened many doors to paths that I did not know of. My studies in the SFS have helped me to better understand the complexities and challenges associated with this goal, and simultaneously ensured that I am best equipped to handle them.”

Lowe also found great mentors and advisors at MASIA who have helped guide his academic and professional trajectory. “MASIA Director Dr. Michael Green has been a great help to me in navigating difficult choices throughout my academic and professional careers. Professor Apichai Shipper, who teaches classes focused on Southeast Asia for the Asian Studies Program, was particularly instrumental in helping me expand my academic interests beyond China.”

Lowe’s favorite course, however, has been America’s National Security Toolbox with Secretary Madeleine Albright. He values being an alumnus of this prestigious course, and the perspective he gained from “one of the most respected public servants of our time.” Lowe says, “It was an experience I will never forget, and I am incredibly grateful for her dedication to us as students – and more importantly, her immeasurable wit.”

Lowe came to Georgetown expecting to find such experienced and attentive professors, but he expressed surprise at how much being around other like-minded, driven students contributed to his personal growth. “I was around similar students as an undergraduate, but I think that as young adults we have a better sense of self-awareness that enables us to be our best selves for our friends and classmates. I was around students that inspired me every day, and that is something that I think is unique to graduate school at Georgetown SFS.” It is unsurprising, then, that his favorite memories at Georgetown are those he has shared with the “lifelong friends” that he developed within MASIA.

Proof of how much Lowe values the SFS community is his record of student engagement. He has served as an editor for MASIA’s flagship journal, Georgetown Journal of Asian Affairs, for two consecutive cycles, and has held leadership roles in the Georgetown Collaborative Diplomacy Initiative. He says, “I will miss being a graduate student – both the freedom and constraints that come with it. Luckily, I won’t be too far away, so I plan to remain in touch with all of my friends and professors.”

Despite his attachment to his SFS peers, Lowe is looking forward to developing new relationships on the next step of his promising career path. “After serving as an analyst at The Asia Group since last September, I will be starting as a full-time associate in June. In this role, I will work to assist clients facing complex business challenges across China and Southeast Asia. I could not be more excited to join this group of talented and highly motivated professionals.”

Lowe leaves SFS with some departing advice for incoming graduate students: “They should know that, by attending the SFS, they have access to offerings across all eight graduate programs. This is significant, as each of the eight programs has unique strengths and advantages. You won’t get this at any other master’s program in international affairs – Georgetown brings the best of the best to the Hilltop, and you have access to all of it.”