Alumni Profiles

Legal Assistant at Bergs & More

I graduated from Elon University with a double major in IGS and Spanish, along with a minor in sport management. I currently work in Italy as a legal assistant for the international law firm Bergs & More. Within the firm’s sports law department, I oversee the migration division, managing visa applications, international mobility matters and logistical coordination for clients from around the world. I will be attending law school starting in August 2026.

Majoring in IGS has been one of the best decisions I have made. Beyond strengthening my academic foundation, the program profoundly expanded my cultural awareness and sharpened my interpersonal skills, qualities that have become some of my greatest assets as I entered the professional world.

The interdisciplinary rigor of the IGS curriculum, combined with the mentorship and dedication of its exceptional professors, has been instrumental in my success. The program taught me to think critically, communicate across cultures, and approach complex issues with a global perspective, skills that I rely on daily in my current role. Together, these experiences have positioned me to thrive in law school and pursue what I hope will be a meaningful and successful legal career.

Auxiliar de Conversación, Comunidad de Madrid

Being an International and Global Studies major allowed me to explore a wide range of academic interests while developing a deeper understanding of the world around me. The interdisciplinary nature of the degree encouraged me to engage with subjects spanning art history, economics, and politics, and to draw meaningful connections between them within a global context. The hard skills I developed during my undergraduate years such as analysis, research, and presentation provided a strong foundation that has supported me throughout my career journey, from working in a rotational program in the financial services industry to teaching as an Auxiliar de Conversación in Spain. However, the most profound impact of my time in the IGS department was the curiosity it instilled in me – the drive to keep learning, ask deeper questions, and seek greater understanding. That mindset has shaped the way I engage with the world and the information I encounter, allowing me to approach things from new perspectives and ultimately making me a lifelong learner.

Senior Development Associate, Regional and Special Projects, Georgetown University

Since graduating from Elon in 2021, I’ve taught English in Spain for a year, lived and taught in Argentina for a year through a Fulbright grant and moved to Washington, D.C., where I work at Georgetown University while studying for my Master’s in Public Policy. All of these pursuits can be attributed, in part, to my decision to be an IGS major. I became an IGS major because I liked the interdisciplinary nature of the degree. Designing my course of study across departments allowed me to focus on my strengths (and weaknesses), explore new topics and methods, prioritize faculty of interest, and be a part of a major where every single person had a different story to tell. My current profession in higher education has allowed me to see how ahead of the curve Elon is on both experiential learning and interdisciplinary studies. My IGS degree is meaningful to me because it helped me reflect internally and then seek advice externally from a diverse set of people to figure out where my academic passions lay. My education at Elon imparted me with the skills, knowledge and values needed to navigate both professional and academic spaces. I learned how to better observe, listen, and engage with those around me. I also learned how to feel comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Elon’s emphasis on engaged learning has been present with every new job or opportunity I’ve had as I’ve asked thoughtful questions and worked to employ my critical thinking skills. From teaching abroad, to working in higher education, to starting my Masters, I’ve felt prepared because of my time at Elon.

J.D. Candidate at Yale Law School

I am currently in my last year of law school at Yale Law. Prior to law school, I earned my Master’s in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University and before that I spent a year working for a non-profit with immigrants who were learning English. At Elon, my main focus was migration and the Middle East. I conducted undergraduate research centered on the experiences of refugees in North Carolina. This led me to pursue my Master’s, which focused on Palestinian refugees. My IGS major really helped me in pursuing graduate education and in succeeding in the academic setting. Through my courses, I learned how to think critically and engage deeply with scholarship. The mentorship I received from my professors, while at Elon and after, also played a huge part in me finding my path after college.

At Elon, I really enjoyed the experiential side of my education including studying abroad, participating in practicums, and volunteering in the local community. In particular, at Elon I felt like what I was learning in the classroom was transformed into real world skills and tangible actions. I missed this part of academia, which is what led me to law school. I felt that a legal education would give me the tools and ability to have an impact that felt tangible and meaningful for me.

In law school my interests have shifted away from the international context and more towards domestic civil rights and criminal justice. However, despite this shift I know that the skills that I learned as an IGS major have played a major role in my success thus far. Through my IGS coursework and study abroad, I learned how to connect with people, to appreciate everyone’s different experiences, and specifically to recognize and understand that my perspective is limited by my lived experiences and that often means I need to listen and defer to others. Beyond that Elon and the IGS major gave me the space to learn and practice cultural competency, empathy, and active listening. As I work with clients in law school, these skills are invaluable and help me to be a better advocate. I will always be grateful to Elon, the IGS major, and my professors for teaching me so many invaluable skills and for shaping who I am today.

Writing Coach at Prompt, Edinburgh, Scotland

I was lucky enough to study abroad every year I was at Elon, three Winter Term programs and one full semester. As a Latin America concentration, I spent my semester in Costa Rica. Living the pura vida life for three months was so much fun! I took interesting classes on development and human rights, taught English in a local community center, and spent most weekends on a beautiful beach or trekking in the jungle. I also lived with a host mom (and cat), so I was able to practice my Spanish 24/7. I came back to Elon so much more confident, both as a global learner and Spanish speaker!

I also went to India during my last Winter Term to study religion, caste and gender, and this opportunity had a massive impact on my journey so far. I’m currently living in Edinburgh after completing a Masters of Theology in Religion and Literature with a focus on ancient Indian epics. Having the support of the IGS program, even now, has been so helpful in my ability to embrace a new culture and country. Academically, I felt really prepared to jump into graduate level work thanks to my IGS classes at Elon.

Communications & Operations Manager at Mediators Beyond Borders International

I chose Elon University for the study abroad opportunities and declared my International and Global Studies major within my first month at Elon because I knew I wanted to study abroad multiple times. I am grateful for all five of my unique global exchange programs. I spent the spring 2016 semester in Amman, Jordan, in the Diplomacy and Policy Studies program with the Council on International Educational Exchange. During the semester, I completed an internship, strengthened my Arabic language skills, conducted undergraduate research for the Elon College Fellows program, traveled to four other countries in the region and lived with a host family. My time in Amman directly influenced my doctoral thesis and continues to shape my professional career.

Living in the region provided an understanding of cultural and political dynamics that goes far beyond what any textbook can offer. The program made course equivalencies, scholarship support and logistics seamless. After graduating, I moved to Bradford, England, to pursue a master’s degree. Upon completion, I settled in Washington, D.C. The global perspective I developed at Elon continues to inform my professional work. Elon, and particularly the International and Global Studies program, prepared me well for my academic and career path in the decade since my semester abroad.

Lutz was recognized for the 2022 Top Ten Under Ten Alumni Award for achieving major professional success under ten years from graduation.

Lutz was also recognized for the 2024 cohort of 40 Under 40 Awardees by the Middle East Policy Council.

Darden MBA | Celebrity Styling | Creator

IGS played a foundational role in shaping both my mindset and my career trajectory. What I appreciated most was the faculty’s personalized approach to each student’s development. The program exposed me to both traditional and nontraditional career paths and emphasized that global fluency is applicable across industries.

Professionally, I began my career in corporate fashion within global operations, where cross-cultural communication and international business skills were essential. A few years later, after COVID-19, I was accepted into a top MBA program, an experience that drew from the foundational business leadership that I had demonstrated since graduating with my degree in international studies. I’ve since pivoted back into fashion and entrepreneurship, where I now work as a lifestyle creator and stylist supporting editorial, runway, and celebrity projects globally.

I’m forever indebted to IGS for instilling in me the confidence to embrace learning across geographies, to move fluidly across industries with cultural literacy, curiosity, and conviction.

Graduate student in International Relations, University of Cape Town, South Africa

What I took away from the International Studies minor is my the desire to continue to want to learn about global affairs. The esteemed professors not only passed on their interest in the topics they passionately taught on to you but also encouraged me to think very critically about those issues. Thanks to this experience, I choose to continue in a similar field for a postgraduate degree.  Currently, I am about to graduate with a Masters degree in International Relations from the University of Cape Town.

English Teaching Assistant with the Fulbright Program in east Java, Indonesia

The opportunities that have opened up to me in my professional life have been directly due to my experiences from Elon and the International Studies department.

I majored in Political Science and International Studies. I credit a class I took my sophomore year, Dr. Brumbaugh’s “Latin American-US Relations” course, as changing my worldview and challenging my preconceived notions of the world. I regard taking this course as a sort of “awakening,” and it drove me to more rigorously question my previously held assumptions.

Throughout my time at Elon, I was involved with Model UN, and my senior year I led the Turkey delegation during its annual International Crisis Convention (ICCE), in which teams of students have to work together as a country to navigate simulated crises. I was also the secretary of Phoenix Pals, the campus organization that orients and integrates international exchange students to Elon and the American college campus experience.

I studied abroad at Koc University in Istanbul, Turkey. I picked up a little Turkish and even had the chance to stay and work at an English immersion summer camp for Turkish youth. Upon returning to Elon, I held a Virtual Student Foreign Service (VSFS) Internship with the Department of State. Over the course of several months, I filmed and produced a 20-minute video in French, promoting study abroad in the United States for high school students from the Cote d’Ivoire. My senior year, I found out about another internship opening in Raleigh via an email from Dr. Swimelar of the International Studies department. Due to this opportunity, I applied for and secured a semester-long internship with International Focus, where I helped implement programs for the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), a State-Department sponsored exchange program that brings foreign emerging leaders to the United States for programs of travel and observation.

I wrote my Political Science senior seminar on Political Islam in Turkey. I also completed my International Studies senior seminar on Turkish identity.

After graduating I continued my work with the IVLP at Meridian International Center in Washington, DC. In my position as Program Associate, I administered and implemented 40 programs for over 250 foreign emerging leaders from 75 countries.

I am now placed in east Java as an English Teaching Assistant with the Fulbright program, helping to enhance English-language learning capacity in my area, acting as a cultural ambassador, and partnering with other State Department programs to hold lesson planning workshops for teachers in the area.

Digital Investments & Transformation @ RBC DI | Industry Speaker | Social Entrepreneur

Samantha Simunyu is a Senior Manager in Strategic Capability Design at RBC Direct Investing in Toronto, Canada, where she leads digital transformation initiatives. She began her career in marketing before transitioning into digital product leadership and is passionate about building products that power everyday life. IGS played a foundational role in her journey. Studying abroad in Lyon shaped her global mindset and strengthened her resilience and adaptability, qualities that continue to drive her leadership style. It gave her the confidence to pursue ambitious opportunities, speak on international stages, and build a career that bridges strategy, technology, and human experience. More than anything, IGS showed her that the world is expansive and that she could take up space in it.

Development Coordinator, Tapestri (Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy) and Graduate Student in Public Policy

Since graduation, I have worked in the non-profit world. My first post-grad job was very relevant to my International Studies degree. I worked at a small, nonprofit school for newly arrived refugee girls. I’ve moved around the nonprofit world since then, including criminal justice (Southern Center for Human Rights) and social entrepreneurship (Center for Civic Innovation). I’m now in grad school for a Master of Public Policy at Georgia State University and working at Tapestri, an organization that advocates for immigrants and refugees. Through my graduate program, I just started a policy fellowship at CARE, basically making all of my undergrad dreams come true. My degree has definitely helped me. I came in primed with content knowledge, which I know for a fact has been the tipping point in landing me a couple of jobs. I write and edit frequently, which I know Elon also helped me with.

Senior Manager, New Business at Household

Aisha is a proud Washington, D.C. native, based in New York City, with deep expertise in business development, marketing and project management. From internships with the State Department, to her first job at a Chinese immersion public charter school, to leading strategy and global outreach across various nonprofits and industries, Aisha leads with curiosity, empathy and equity. She enjoys building impactful partnerships, creating systems and new ways of thinking, and assessing gaps to help ensure efficiency and effectiveness. Outside of work, she loves to travel and explore worlds outside her own, practice yoga, and eat her way through New York City! She currently works in business development at Household, a brand experience design agency based in London.

Senior Event & Conference Leader | Global Strategy & Large-Scale Execution | U.S. Diplomat | Founder, Ark & Sol Solutions

Brittany A. Carroll is a global operations and events leader and U.S. diplomat with over a decade of experience supporting high-level international conferences and U.S. government initiatives across multiple regions. She has served in Washington, D.C., Guyana, China, and Iraq, managing complex logistics, multimillion-dollar budgets, and high-stakes diplomatic engagements.

The IGS program was foundational in shaping both my worldview and my career trajectory. It gave me early exposure to international environments and affirmed that I could move confidently across cultures and spaces. From being interviewed in India during a historic moment in U.S. history to meeting a diplomat in Beijing who unknowingly inspired my path, IGS helped plant the seeds of possibility. It showed me that global work was not only accessible – but that I belonged in it.

Deputy Program Manager, Global Supply Chain Program (HII Australia)

As a junior at Elon, I spent a semester abroad at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, where I joined students from around the world in classes ranging from Japanese language to cross-cultural psychology while participating in a local homestay program. The semester was a rollercoaster of favorite firsts (visiting Kiyomizu Temple, teaching campus coffee shop staff to bake holiday cookies, visiting my host mother’s restaurant) and learning opportunities (missing a cultural cue, getting lost in rural Japan, my first taste of nattō). Living and learning outside the U.S. fostered a new sense of self-awareness and sparked an insatiable curiosity about the different ways people see and experience the world. Importantly, study abroad showed me the benefits that can accrue by allowing oneself to be comfortable being uncomfortable, whether in a new environment, context, or role.

This lesson has guided my post-graduation career. Since 2009, I have returned to Japan on three Fulbright fellowships to pursue research ranging from counterterrorism to premodern Japanese puppet theater. In between, I obtained an MPhil in International Relations from the University of St Andrews, worked as a defense contractor in Washington, D.C., and completed an MA in East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. After completing my doctorate in Premodern Japanese Literature from UCLA in 2025, I joined U.S. shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries, where I am currently posted to Australia supporting their global supply chain program and Asia-Pacific business development. On campus or overseas, Elon gave me the tools and confidence to explore myriad ways of experiencing the world. It is a journey I hope will last a lifetime.

Communications at Safe Kids Worldwide 

I graduated in 2008 and am currently working at an international nonprofit called Safe Kids Worldwide that works to prevent unintentional injuries to children. Safe Kids has locations in 400 communities in the US and offices in 30 countries around the world. I’m on the communications team managing on communication efforts on road safety around the world.  I work with companies like FedEx and General Motors to provide education and tools for families to prevent injury and death to children on the road, including car seat safety, pedestrian safety, bike helmets, teen driving and more. I’ve been able to do things I never pictured, like helping write a Clifford children’s book, speaking at international conferences, training NGOs on how to reach parents on social media, etc.

My degree has definitely helped me in my career. I take research and synthesize it to understand issues and write educational pieces for a variety of audiences. Obviously road injuries in India or China are different from the United States, and even different communities in the US have unique needs. My major helped broaden my horizons to understand the different cultures and how to reach them.

University of Pittsburgh

Following graduation in 2007, I left immediately for London where I worked for six months for Foundation for International Education (FIE), a study abroad provider, where I helped place American students in internships.  I returned to Elon University in 2008, spending 3.5 years in the Isabella Cannon Centre for International Studies as the Assistant Director for Short-Term Study Abroad Programs.  Since 2011, I have worked at the University of Pittsburgh, where I have seen my role change from Department Administrator for the Department of German to the Fiscal Manager for the Languages and Classics departments.  This year, I was nominated for the Chancellor’s Award for Staff in the Innovation in Advancing Administrative and Operational Efficency category.

My degree in international studies, and in particular, the study abroad experiences and language courses I undertook as part of the degree, were enormously helpful in securing all three jobs that I’ve had since graduating.  In between my junior and senior years, I did an internship in London at FIE, which not only counted for credit, but also led to their offering me the six-month position after I graduated.  I also participated in two other study abroad programs while at Elon that counted for credit and instilled in me an appreciation for how study abroad experiences can enhance the undergraduate experience.  As a result, I was delighted to return to Elon and help other students to find the study abroad opportunities that best suited their interests.  While a student, I took courses in French, Italian, and German, and it was my experience with German that contributed to my landing the position in Pitt’s German department.  Without the flexibility of the degree in international studies, I would not have had all of these opportunities and certainly not any of these work experiences either.  And on a personal note, the friends I made while working at FIE in London have become lifelong friends – I’ve gone back to visit them nearly every year (sometimes twice a year!) for the past 11 years.

Information Technology Sales

Since graduating in 2007, I have been in IT Sales working primarily at a company called SHI International. We are an $8B Value Added Reseller (VAR) assisting large enterprises in their selection, deployment, and management of all their IT assets. I never thought I’d end up where I am, but, I can definitely tell you that my International Studies degree has helped me tremendously. The key area that it’s been valuable from my Elon classes and professor is during times when I must submit responses to large scale request for price (RFP) bids on equipment. When submitting these responses, it is imperative to overview a solution, it’s benefits, and how those benefits meet a need for a client. Simply put, there is a ton of writing involved. At Elon I learned how to organize my thoughts clearly, concisely, while simultaneously referencing industry based standards and best practices.  These techniques have yielded immeasurable value to me and my ability to clearly connect technology solutions to my clients so they are able to understand what they are purchasing.

In addition, my job is all about data analysis and classification. I work with individuals who are data driven and utilize data to better the outcomes in all sorts of way.  I work with a large healthcare network, a private non-profit SaaS company, a mortgage servicing company, and even enterprise level global pest control. Understanding how to manipulate datasets (without changing things obviously) but to deliver them to people (CEO, CFO, CIO, COO, etc…) who need to make real world business decisions that impact a customer and in turn their revenue, is awesome. I love when I get to say, “well Mr. Client, the data shows xyz to be true…it’s just what is a factual data point. Let’s stop guessing and implement some technology to alleviate this problem”.

Recreation Director at U.S. Naval Air Station, Sicily, Italy

At Elon, I chose to study journalism and international studies because I wanted to write for National Geographic, however, I ended up working for Campus Rec at Elon and really enjoyed it. Therefore, I decided to pursue a graduate assistantship with UT-Austin in Campus Rec and work toward my Masters in Higher Education. After working at Central Michigan University for a couple of years, someone told me about job opportunities doing similar things, but for the military…and overseas! I applied, got a job in Japan and the rest is history! I’ve been living overseas since 2009 working for the U.S. Navy in the area of Moral, Welfare, and Recreation in Japan, Bahrain, Djibouti, and now Sicily, Italy. I absolutely love it. My International Studies degree, along with two study abroad programs at Elon (Belize and Paris, France) definitely prepared me very well for living outside the US. Although you can never be fully prepared, I had already experience many different cultures, religions, beliefs, perspectives, etc. while living in the International Pavilion (once it opened) and studying various courses within the International Studies major. I had a very open mind because I remembered how difficult it was for many of our international students studying at Elon. They were trying to obtain a college degree in their second or third (or even fourth) language! They missed home, their family, traditional food, their holidays, and so much more. I saw things at Elon through their eyes and so when I moved overseas now it was my turn to be in their shoes.

Agency Owner & Director, Amplifi Strategy

Ryan Turner is an entrepreneur and marketing strategist living in Madrid, Spain. After graduating from Elon University with degrees in French and International Relations, he returned to Europe and eventually settled in Spain, where he has now lived for nearly two decades. Over the years he has lived and worked in countries including Italy, South Korea, and Spain.
Ryan later completed a dual master’s degree at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in International Relations, Geoeconomics, and Geopolitics through the MERIGG program. He is the founder of Amplifi Strategy, a marketing consultancy focused on customer journey strategy and growth systems for online businesses. He lives in Madrid with his wife and two children and works with clients across Europe and North America.

After graduating, I embarked on a brief five year stint living in Las Vegas, after which, I took a job working as civilianworking Program Security for advanced programs for the US Navy.  After four years with Navy I left to work for a contractor (System High Corporation) and for the last four years have been working at the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) in the Security and Intelligence Directorate providing program security for some of nations most advanced national security related programs and working with some of the best and brightest scientific minds our country has to offer.  During the course of my career I’ve been able to leverage the geo-political, historical, and cultural knowledge base I gained in the international studies program.  This base was instrumental in further developing my insight into international military policy, defense resource strategies, the defense industrial base, and strategic protection of critical technologies, to name a few.  Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to support a number of interesting events including the DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals in 2015 and numerous other tests/demonstrations in a multitude of environments, all of which I never dreamed I’d be a part of back in my International Studies Senior Seminar.

Development Manager, American Academy of Nursing

Since I graduated in 2002, I’ve traveled around the world for work and the international studies degree I received from Elon prepared me to engage an increasingly globalized world.  Whether it was spending three months in South Africa working to rebuild an orphanage for children of AIDS victims or traveling the United States working on political campaigns, the education I received in International Studies classes provided me with the tools to engage the world from an informed perspective.

My training in international studies during my first three years at Elon was critical during a study abroad internship I did in Ghana for the Center for Democratic Development as a senior at Elon. My undergraduate research project on the role that Ghana’s truth and reconciliation commission was playing in their nation’s emerging democratic development led to a one-on-one interview with then-attorney general Nana Akuffo-Addo. Akuffo-Addo is now the current president of Ghana.

You don’t have to travel the world to effectively utilize your International Studies degree though. Currently, I work as the Development Manager for the American Academy of Nursing in Washington, DC. Our members hail from nations all around the world. To be competitive in today’s job market, you have to understand how the world works beyond America’s Western perspective. Your international studies degree from Elon will give you the tools to do that.

Political Science Professor, Hamilton College

I graduated with a double major in International Studies and Spanish in 1999. I spent the first 5 years after graduating working a variety of jobs – I worked for The Carter Center in Atlanta, served as an agriculture extension volunteer in the Peace Corps in rural Honduras, and worked as a teaching assistant in a Spanish immersion kindergarten classroom in Greensboro, NC. In 2004, I began a PhD in political science at UNC-Chapel Hill. As part of this process, I spent a year and a half in Mexico researching protest and its management. My international studies coursework as well as the research skills I developed when working on my thesis and a SURF research project helped prepare me for all these endeavors. After completing my PhD in 2013, I began teaching at Hamilton College in upstate NY. I continue to do research on Latin America and have taken three groups of students to the region. The professors and advisors that I worked with at Elon still serve as my models for what it means to be an excellent teacher and mentor.