| by Flynn Pollard
Middlebury Institute graduates discuss where they are working today, how the Institute helped them get there, and what advice they’d give to current and future MIIS students.
My name is Flynn Pollard, and I graduated with an MA in International Environmental Policy (MAIEP) and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the Middlebury Institute in 2017. My language of study was Spanish, and since graduating I have also learned Albanian, Macedonian, and Mandarin.
I am currently a foreign service officer with the U.S. Department of State, preparing for my first overseas post in Beijing, China. As a foreign service generalist, I am required to complete at least 12 months of consular work during my first two assignments abroad. My two-year consular tour in Beijing will involve adjudicating visa applications to the United States and providing services and assistance to American citizens in need. Before heading to China, I am completing intensive Mandarin language training, Chinese area studies, consular training, and additional security courses.
After my consular tour, I will transition to a new post, most likely in my career track of political affairs. In this role, I will analyze political and social dynamics in country and provide insights and advice on how these align with U.S. interests and strategic goals. As my career progresses, I will also negotiate with local partners on shared programs and initiatives addressing these interests.
I pursued this career because I recognized that the “wicked” global problems that brought me to the Middlebury Institute—promoting human rights, preventing democratic backsliding, and addressing climate change—are fundamentally diplomatic challenges. Solutions to these problems require international cooperation and diplomacy, which inspired me to join the Foreign Service.
I learned about the Foreign Service through a diplomat in residence (DIR) who introduced me to the career. DIRs are senior recruiters based at U.S. universities who seek out potential talent for the Foreign Service.
I pursued this career because I recognized that the ‘wicked’ global problems that brought me to the Middlebury Institute—promoting human rights, preventing democratic backsliding, and addressing climate change—are fundamentally diplomatic challenges.
While the Foreign Service does not require specific professional or educational qualifications, the experiences I had at the Middlebury Institute were instrumental in helping me develop the traits and abilities valued by the Department of State. From working at the META Lab and teaching Excel courses with the Digital Learning Commons to completing the International Development and Social Change Program and studying abroad in Chile with Dr. Jan Black, my MIIS journey helped shape my analytical, organizational, and cultural adaptability skills.
The Institute gave me the chance to practice teamwork and leadership, hone my communication and public speaking abilities, and deepen my understanding of the world. These experiences were critical in helping me pass the Foreign Service entrance requirements.
After graduate school, I joined the Peace Corps and served in Macedonia. Although my service was cut short by the pandemic, the experience was invaluable. In just seven months, I developed limited professional proficiency in Macedonian and Albanian, earning a State Department language certification in Albanian. The friendships I made and the work I did had lasting value for my community, and the experience also earned me noncompetitive eligibility, which helped me secure a policy job at the Department of the Interior.
While I recommend joining the Peace Corps before graduate school if possible, I believe it’s worth the jump at any stage of life. My Peace Corps service reinforced my commitment to international collaboration and prepared me for a career dedicated to tackling global challenges.
Doing well in class is important, but if you aren’t networking and leveraging the wealth of professional opportunities at the Middlebury Institute, you’re missing a crucial part of graduate school. All the A’s in the world can’t make up for a weak network or an empty résumé. Develop skills, practice them, and connect with others. Many careers launched at the Institute are fundamentally in the “people business.” Start building those interpersonal skills and growing your network from day one and don’t stop.
Master of Arts in Environmental Policy and Management
META Lab
| by Caitlin Fillmore
Environmental policy students collaborated with nonprofits on research assessing the impact of 2023 floods on the Pajaro community and surfacing their unmet needs.
| by Jason Warburg
Students in the Institute’s Environmental Policy and Management program performed a smelly but successful physical audit of the campus’s trash, recycling, and composting efforts.
Alum Kimberly Aiken shares how her connections through the Institute and hands-on experience led her to become the first-ever communications officer for an organization that advances sustainable development in the Arctic.
