Thirty organizations spanning government, development, global security, sustainability, language services, and more welcomed over 60 Middlebury Institute students and alumni as well as 11 undergraduates from Middlebury College this past March during the 2023 D.C. Career Exploration Week.
This spring, the Center for Advising and Career Services (CACS) hosted the first in-person D.C. Career Week since the pandemic.
“The biggest takeaway for me was a deeper understanding and catharsis about what I wanted to do with my career and where I am with my life,” said Dylan Souquet Moglen, a joint MPA/MA in International Policy and Development student who hopes to work in conflict resolution. “I’ve learned an incredible amount about my field.”
Seven to eight sessions were scheduled each day throughout the week where students could learn more about an organization, its work environment, and its hiring needs.
“It was great—the most students we’ve ever had go,” said Director of Employer Relations Bryce Craft. “It was a blast.”
He said it was after the official presentation was finished that participants got to shine.
“That’s when the magic happened,” said Craft. Students got to ask educated questions and show they’d done their research.
Thirty employers welcomed students during the week—many of them actively recruiting.
“I’m always impressed by the caliber of students that I meet through the MIIS program—professional, engaging, and very knowledgeable,” said Julie Montgomery, vice president of memberships and partnerships for the Society for International Development–U.S. “The organizations and people they meet during their D.C. week are some of the best in the industry, so it’s a fantastic opportunity for students to connect and learn.”
Employers included the Organization of American States (OAS), which was seeking graduates from the Institute’s Translation and Interpretation and Localization Management programs, as well as the Congressional Research Service and Natural Resources Defense Council. Some new employer participants this year included the African Wildlife Foundation, Cisco Systems International, Counterpart International, CRDF Global, Deloitte, and the Office of Language Services for the U.S. Department of State.
Highlights included meeting the director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), Christine Abizaid, and comptroller of the U.S., Gene Dodaro, who each generously spent their valuable time with students.
“MIIS grads have proven to be some of our best interns and often eventually staff,” said Sheryl Cowan, senior vice president for the NGO Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture, which annually welcomes students.
The social networking agenda culminated in a networking reception attended by D.C. Career Week participants and alumni from both the Institute and College. Career Week closed with a CIA recruiting session and exclusive tour of CIA headquarters.
Dylan Souquet Moglen’s focus for the trip was seeing the industry trends with employers and the skills in demand.
“I was particularly focused on either organizations with a direct relationship to conflict resolution or ones that offered a tangible insight into conflict resolution and peacebuilding,” said Souquet Moglen.
At the Alliance for Peacebuilding, he connected with International Policy and Development alum Shaziya DeYoung, senior research associate for learning and evaluation.
“Getting to hear about her research in creating a database of peace indicators was truly fascinating,” said Souquet Moglen, who also found staff at the Search for Common Ground incredibly responsive in follow-up communications.
At the dinner for alumni from both Middlebury College and the Institute, he met a former Peace Corps volunteer who’d served in Benin as he did, only to discover one of the Middlebury professors also in attendance had served in Benin as well, 30 years before them.
“We were able to make this amazing connection over our shared Middlebury experience.”
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