by Rachael Alaimo-Monson
Daily Lobo
Moving every two years, living and working in a foreign country and learning another language may not sound like the ideal career for someone fresh out of college.
But for A. Ellen Shippy, UNM's diplomat in residence and former U.S. ambassador to Malawi, Africa, it was.
As the University's diplomat in residence, Shippy's job is to educate students about American diplomacy and various U.S. State Department programs. She also helps recruit personnel for the State Department from New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and west Texas. On Wednesday, Shippy gave a presentation about the many available foreign service career opportunities.
"Through the foreign service, I have had the opportunity to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, ride elephants and camels, and shake Queen Elizabeth's hand," Shippy told a crowd of about 20 in the SUB's Lobo Room.
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Foreign services offers five career tracks from which to choose, Shippy said. They include: administrative manager, counselor, political and economic officer, and public diplomat. All are designed to aid and protect American interests overseas.
"In the foreign service, we train to the assignment," Shippy said. "So if you don't speak the language, that isn't a problem because we will teach it to you."
The application process is lengthy, Shippy said, and involves passing not only a written exam, but gaining medical approval and getting the necessary security clearances.
Once these hurdles are cleared, "the pluses far outweigh the minuses," she said.
The State Department provides housing or housing allowances overseas depending on the assigned officer's personal needs. Starting pay, depending on work and educational experience, can be anywhere between $35,000 and $60,000.
Stefanie Bryant, a continuing education student at UNM, said part of her interest in serving the United States overseas is to see the world and to represent Americans in a positive light.
"The opportunity to show the world that Americans are concerned about the welfare of other countries, not just our own, is important to me," Bryant said.
The presentation, sponsored by UNM's Office of International Programs and Studies, was meant to raise awareness of international issues and programs on campus.
Ken Carpenter, associate director of the international program office, said the office is working to "internationalize" the campus, which is part of the reason why Shippy is here.
"Almost everyone who graduates from a university these days goes into a workforce that is very diverse and international," Carpenter said. "It is part of UNM's responsibility to our students to prepare them for work in a global marketplace."
