March 13, 2008

Lillian deValcourt-Ayala, a native of Lafayette, LA, graduated summa cum laude in Political Science with a Concentration in International Relations in 1995.  She spent her Junior Year in Florence, where she decided to double major in Italian and to write her honors thesis on contemporary Italian politics.  Her study abroad experience opened her mind to new academic and professional frontiers and led her to teach English in rural Japan on the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program ( JET).  She then earned a Masters of Science in Foreign Service with distinction from Georgetown University.  After a brief stint at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, DC, she joined the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer, specializing in public diplomacy.  Since 1999, she has served in Brazil, Angola, and Washington, DC.  Lillian is currently Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Mission to the UN Food and Agricultural Agencies in Rome. She was interviewed via email by Emily Hartnett, a Senior in the Department of Political Science, who is also earning a BSM degree in the Freeman School of Business. 

Professor Langston, utilizing questions suggested by his students, interviewed James Jeffers via email:

After graduation, what were your plans, and how do they match up with your work now with the State Department? Any advice for Political Science students who are uncertain of what they want to do or for those who are interested in a possible career with the State Department?

When I left New Orleans in May 1995, I took off for rural Japan where I taught junior high school English for the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program (JET). I come from a family of teachers so I felt at home in the Japanese classroom, even though it was thousands of miles away and very culturally different from Louisiana. My time in Japan was an excellent “year off” between undergrad and graduate school. I went on to complete my Masters degree in Foreign Policy at Georgetown and to work for a year at the Japanese Embassy in Washington, DC, before joining the State Department in 1999. I do not know whether I will put my Japanese skills to use in the Foreign Service, but the experience overall gave me a good perspective on Asia to contrast my prior focus on Europe and more of multidimensional view of international relations - both were useful to my job as a diplomat.

I encourage Political Science students who have not decided on a career path to go abroad and experience the world for a year or two. A great first step would be a study abroad semester or year that complements your course of study. An excellent option for international service after graduation is the Peace Corps. Living overseas will challenge you and make you a better professional regardless of your future career. For those interested in the State Department, there is no better way to see for yourself than to intern in Washington, DC or at one of our many embassies overseas.

How do you think your Political Science degree helped you along the way? What did you gain most from it? Are there any special classes or languages that they should take?

 My Political Science degree increased my curiosity for the practice of diplomacy – the real “behind-the-scenes” element of international relations: how the personalities of foreign leaders influence history, how political actors negotiate and agree upon laws and treaties, and how non-state actors influence political decision making. I could not wait to be part of history.

The Political Science classes that were most beneficial encouraged me to write analytically and to make sense for myself of complex political theories, often by writing papers or through class discussions but most creatively by keeping a daily journal of thoughts and impression of course readings. I would recommend that Political Science majors not overlook History, Economics and Geography courses, as many can enhance their understanding of politics, especially international politics. All students should strive to be proficient in one foreign language before graduation.

What does a typical day at your job consist of? What do you enjoy most about your position?

 For the first hour or two of every day, I review various sources of news and analyze the press reaction to U.S. foreign policies that relate to my current job as Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations Agencies in Rome. I scan stories and reports about humanitarian assistance, climate change, food aid, global health, and agricultural trade. I follow closely foreign trips and speeches or statements made by President Bush and Secretary of State Rice and update our Mission’s website accordingly. A typical day might also entail writing a speech for the ambassador, reporting on a UN press conference, meeting with a local journalist, or preparing for a U.S.-sponsored seminar at the United Nations on topics ranging from biotechnology to sustainable agricultural practices.

The best part of my job is the travel. Leaving the office and visiting developing countries helps me put a human face on the statistics of those struggling to live day-to-day in challenging conditions. When I travel with the ambassador and arrange for foreign reporters to cover how the United States works hand-in-hand with the international community to feed the hungry poor and to minimize the devastation of floods, droughts, HIV/AIDS in places like Bangladesh, Mali, and Mozambique, I feel that I am making a positive impact on increasing awareness of importance our country places on sharing our blessings and serving others.

If you could come back and do your Tulane years over again, would you do anything differently?

 I look back on my Tulane years with great affection and maintain contact with fellow alumni and university staff to keep the memories alive. I think the only thing I would add to the full schedule of my years in New Orleans is more community volunteerism. I see how valuable Tulane community projects are to post-Katrina New Orleans. I wish that I had ventured more outside of the academic bubble, like so many broad-minded Tulane students do today, to bring about positive change in a city that I care so deeply about and want to see transformed and vibrant again.

Ms. deValcourt-Ayala welcomes students interested in discussing careers in the foreign service, and/or students on their way to Rome [perhaps to study at John Cabot University JYA]  to contact her at frequentemente@yahoo.com.