SPA Spotlight: Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellow Ayanna Camara (MPA, 鈥26)
In a wide and complex world plagued by poor communication, Ayanna Camara (MPA, 鈥26) always knew she wanted to make global connections and impact.
The Palm Beach, Florida native, who earned her bachelor鈥檚 in political science and history from Florida State University in 2019, made the most of her undergraduate years. She served as student council ambassador for undergraduate research and creativity, taught in the undergraduate research program, and presented her own paper at the FSU Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) annual symposium in 2017, investigating the correlation between comic book characters and gender.
Beyond an interest in research, Camara holds a special affection for intercultural programming. She earned a global citizenship certificate and participated in the Global Noles Mentorship Program and the Beyond Borders: Germany Program. At FSU, Camara served as an English conversational partner to international students, an ambassador for FSU's Center for Global Enrichment, and a member of various cultural exchanges.听
鈥淭o me, intercultural communication means having the ability to effectively articulate with someone who comes from a different culture and walk of life,鈥 said Camara. 鈥淲hether two people primarily communicate directly, or indirectly, finding a middle ground and acknowledging gaps in communication is important for moving forward.鈥
After graduating in 2019, she took time off to travel, then accepted a job teaching English in South Korea. Camara found the job unrewarding and was at a loss for her next step.听
鈥淎s a political science and history double major, all signs pointed towards politics or law,鈥 she said. 鈥淭o be honest, neither option appealed to me in the long run. I saw nothing but stress and burn out.鈥
When a family friend mentioned the possibility of using a foreign affairs scholarship to fund graduate school, Camara saw an opportunity to bring all her passions into alignment.
鈥淚 knew three things about myself: I loved helping people, I enjoyed communicating with others, and I cherished travel,鈥 she shared. 鈥淢y experiences as a college coach in AmeriCorps and an ESL teacher in South Korea opened my eyes to the benevolent aspects of public service. I wanted to be a part of the change that would help bridge gaps between the haves and have nots.鈥
Camara applied for and was awarded the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship, which exists to help attract and recruit diverse talent into the U.S. Foreign Service. The fellowship came with financial assistance for a two-year graduate program, two summer internships (one domestic and one abroad), mentoring and other professional development opportunities, and a five-year Foreign Service commitment.听
The next step for Camara was to identify the right graduate program in proximity to the U.S. State Department. Though the city offered multiple graduate programs in public affairs, she was immediately drawn to SPA.
鈥淚 knew I wanted to be in D.C., in a big city, which presented many opportunities,鈥 she said. 鈥淸Also,] SPA's MPA program offers tons of tangible, practical skills that most MPA/MPP programs do not offer.鈥
At SPA, Camara works as a research assistant for Dr. Jordan Matsudaira; in that role, she is developing an interest in educational policy. She also works part-time as an ESL instructor to adult learners at the International Language Institute. In her spare time, Camara takes advantage of the best of D.C. living, going to exhibitions, painting, learning languages, cafes/restaurants, watching movies, and thrifting.听
鈥淚'm now learning as I go about the ins and outs of diplomacy,鈥 she shared. 鈥淚'm excited for what the future holds, and I am looking forward to embracing the changes of the environment.鈥
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