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John Hughes, MIA 2010: Political and Economic Risk Analysis
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John is a second-year SIPA student pursuing an MIA degree with a concentration in Political and Economic Risk Analysis. He holds a B.A. in English Literature from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Prior to studying at SIPA John worked in a number of roles for EF Education First, an educational travel company based in Lucerne, Switzerland. John began his time with EF as an English teacher in Wuhan, China, where he taught English to Chinese students ranging from small children to corporate executives.
Upon returning to the States he moved to San Francisco and continued working with EF at their English school in Oakland, California. He eventually became the Director of the school in Oakland and spent his last couple of years running that school as well as a second school that he helped the company open in downtown San Francisco. In his position John was fortunate to work with students and colleagues from more than 30 countries, a precursor to his time at SIPA.
What attracted you to SIPA?
“I did a lot of research into different graduate programs before applying, both for rival international affairs degrees such as those offered at SAIS and Georgetown, as well as MBA programs. Ultimately, I decided that international affairs programs offered a better fit for my career goals and interests than an MBA, and among the top programs SIPA was always my top choice.
Specifically, SIPA offers such an amazing variety of classes and concentrations that you are able to tailor the program exactly to your career interests. It also has a relatively large, extremely fascinating student body from all over the world, and top-notch professors. One can argue that the other top IR programs offer similar attractions, though none offer the scope of learning and experiences on hand at SIPA, not to mention the amazing opportunity to be in New York, a true global center. It was this incredible diversity in coursework, students and in the living experience that attracted me to SIPA, and I must say it was a wonderful choice.”
Can you comment specifically on some exciting things about your concentration?
“I have opted to do a self-designed concentration in Political and Economic Risk Analysis. The problem was not that I did not like any of the other concentrations, but rather that there were too many good ones to choose from! My goal after SIPA is to pursue a career in political and economic risk analysis and consulting, a position where I need to be as well-versed in international finance and economics as I am in geopolitics and international relations.
As such, I felt that combining key courses from among the finance, economics, energy and security concentrations would best fit my needs. Luckily, SIPA was happy to help me make it work. I drew up a detailed course plan explaining why each course was necessary for my career goals, and had my concentration approved this past spring. SIPA’s willingness to work with me towards my goal has been incredible, and I can honestly say that all of the classes I have taken thus far have been great.”
What did you do for your summer internship?
“I did a summer internship at STRATFOR, a geopolitical forecasting and consulting company based in Austin, Texas. The position was a perfect fit for my concentration and career goals, and was a great learning experience. I split my time between the Latin America and Eurasia teams, conducting in-depth research on diverse topics for the senior analysts at the company. I also performed macro economic analysis across regions related to how countries were faring as a result of the economic crisis. I had a chance to write a couple of my own pieces for STRATFOR’s clients as the summer wore on, and I am happy to report that I’ll be continuing the internship part-time this Fall.”
How did you obtain your internship?
“I got the internship through SIPALINK, SIPA’s on-line career portal. I cast a wide net last fall and spring, networking with alumni and other connections. I knew I wanted to do something related to political risk, and targeted companies and contacts accordingly. When the STRATFOR posting came up I saw that it was a great fit, and decided to apply.
I conducted a phone interview a couple of weeks later, and was offered a position soon after. It’s a bit strange that the position I got was obtained through a direct application, rather than networking, since this is usually not the case. That said, it’s good to pursue as many channels as possible, and the application happened to work out. The networking was not in vain, however, as I now have a solid network to draw upon as I begin to look past graduation.”
Can you comment on the quantitative rigor in the curriculum?
“The great thing about SIPA, as I already mentioned, is it amazing array of course offerings and concentrations. In the context of this question it means that SIPA can be extremely quantitative or less so, depending on what you want to do, though every student must take some coursework in economics and statistics.
I took the advanced economics sequence last year, knowing that it would be necessary for me if I wanted to take additional courses in economics and finance. The year-long sequence was extremely challenging and required a good bit of effort, but I feel that I now have a much greater grasp of the intricacies of international economics. I expect my economics and finance classes this year to be quite challenging as well, though I would expect nothing less from a school like SIPA.
Now, back to my main point: SIPA’s vast array of offerings allows students to tailor their courses to fit their needs. The core curriculum ensures that every student reaches a common threshold of knowledge and skills, including quantitative skills, which are necessary to succeed in the field of international affairs. Beyond that the concentrations allow students to shape their studies according to their needs, whether those needs are all econ all the time or a less quantitatively focused path. I cannot stress enough what an asset such flexibility is!”
What advice would you give a first-year student?
“The biggest piece of advice I can give to first-year students is to be open to new possibilities. SIPA has so much to offer in terms of courses, lectures, events and opportunities that at first it can seem a little overwhelming. Don’t try to do everything, but certainly get involved and take advantage of these experiences as they come along. Most importantly, get to know your amazing classmates. SIPA has students from close to 100 countries, representing myriad experiences, skill sets and opinions. Learn about those experiences, argue your opinions, and draw upon those unique experiences. It will make for an extremely enriching time and multiply your learning experience immensely.”
[September 2009]