Alumni Network

Sarah Henderson '03

Hometown: Old Lyme, CT
Major: International Studies and French
Minor: Italian
Graduation Class: 2003
Activities at Fairfield University: Member if the French Club, Assistant teacher for French and Italian for speaking fluidity
Study Abroad: Italy and France


Employer: United States Peace Corps
Location: Port Antonio, Jamaica
Position: Community Development Officer (Volunteer). My work here includes various community based projects that relate to environmental, health and business development.

Jaclyn Macchi '03

Hometown: Ridgewood, N.J.
Major: International Studies, Politics
Minor: Peace & Justice
Graduation Class: 2003
Activities at Fairfield University: IRHA, FUSA, RA, SAA

Employer: Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Southwest
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Position: Assistant Programs Coordinator at Casa de Paz Fillmore, one of the three sites of the non profit, Helping Hands. The nonprofit provides affordable housing and free support services to extremely low-income individuals and families intended to improve the quality of life for our residents and their children.

Greg DiCamillo '05

Major: Interntional Studies, Spanish
Minor: Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Graduating Class: 2005
Study Abroad: Santiago, Chile (1 year)

After graduating in 2005, I returned to Houston and began working with an IT staffing firm called Sai People Solutions. I spent one year at their office in Hyderabad, India working during the night and taking Hindi classes during the day. I have changed courses since then and in June 2007 started a one year, premedical post-bac program at Johns Hopkins. After working for a year, I will start medical school in the Fall of 2009 with a focus in International Health.

Andrea Bean '06

Hometown: Belmont, MA
Major: International Studies
Minor: Russian and East European Studies
Study Abroad: National University of
Ireland, Galway

I currently work as an ESL teacher for grades 1-4 in a
public school. After school I volunteer tutoring an adult
English Language Learner and take a class for my
Masters program.

Mikaela Conley '06

Hometown: Wolfeboro, NH
Major: International Studies and Spanish
Minor: English
Graduation Class: 2006

Activities at Fairfield University: Volunteer for Bridgeport Rescue
Mission, Founder of the Afghan Children's Project, Classroom Assistant at Head Start, Intern at Stratford High School in the ESL department
Study Abroad: Granada, Spain
Current Employer: Columbia University Medical Center
Position: Cancer Research Worker

After graduating in 2006, I lived in Changzhou, China for 10 months where I taught English at a local university. I was able to travel throughout the country, as well as to Vietnam and Thailand. I currently live in New York City where I work at Columbia University Medical Center as a cancer researcher. I take post-bac writing classes at Columbia University as well, and I hope to be getting my Masters in the near future.

Jessica Martin '06

Major: International Studies and Economics
Study Abroad: The Beijing Center at the University of International Business and Economics at Beijing, China in spring 2005, where two thirds of the semester was devoted to classroom China studies and one third to experiencing China through travel
Current: research analyst for Bank of America's Chief Investment Strategist, learning the interworkings of the work economy
Location: New York City

I found the culture of China both perplexing and fascinating. Through my travels I gained an appreciation for China's need to achieve sustainable development. I could not get enough of the challenge the country presented me so I spent the summer in a dilapidated Chinese apartment tutoring in English and taking additional trips to Tibet and Hong Kong. Studying abroad is such a powerful experience due to the dynamic of living and learning the study abroad experience offers. Whether I was navigating the bus system and using my newly learned vocabulary from Chinese class or biking through Yangshuo, Guangxi Province, I felt a constant connection between the classroom and my surrounding environment. The world often became more of a classroom than any physical classroom had been. This idea of integrating the classroom and real world has been extremely important to me throughout my college career. I found much of my work in the classroom was inspired by my experiences outside of the classroom. During my senior year I won a Fulbright scholarship to return to China to pursue an independent research project. I spent the year after graduation in Beijing, China again researching the development of Chinese environmental NGOs. I spent half of my time in class at a Chinese university and half interning at one of the first environmental NGOs in China.

Aamina Awan '07

Major: International Studies, Politics
Minor: Spanish
Graduation Class: 2007

Activities at Fairfield University: Model United Nations, Co-Founder of the Afghan Children's Project
Study Abroad: Granada, Spain (Spring 2006)
Internships: Summer internships at Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (HPFS), Sturbridge Insurance Agency, Techman International Corporation, & International Centre for Education
in Islamic Finance (INCEIF)
Current Status: US Fulbright Scholar
Location: The Kingdom of Bahrain (Persian Gulf)

Upon graduating in May 2007 from Fairfield, I received a Fulbright scholarship to look at women's economic empowerment through entrepreneurship and private investment banking in the Kingdom of Bahrain. I am affiliated with the University of Bahrain, where I have been taking three courses this past semester: one in Arabic language study, one in Islamic banking, and the last one in Economic Development in the Post-Oil Era in Bahrain. I have also been guest lecturing in the American Studies Center at the University of Bahrain. I conducted research this past semester at the Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence (CEEB) in Manama, Bahrain, where I was able to interview Bahraini women entrepreneurs who currently own a business in Bahrain or are in the process of. Beginning in February 2008, I will also be affiliated with the Royal University for Women, the first private, all-female university in Bahrain dedicated solely to educating women. I plan to TA in the Economics Department, as well as assist in student extra-curricular activities. I will also be continuing my Arabic language study through a private institution beginning February 2008.

I have been fortunate enough to participate in two major projects: the Manama Dialogue and Bush's first presidential visit to Bahrain. At the Manama Dialogue, I was allowed to attend the conference and assist on the American Embassy behalf as a runner. I also attended the organizational meetings leading up to the conference. In addition, Thomas Friedman, who had attended the Manama Dialogue, agreed to do an open discussion/round-table with American Studies students at the University of Bahrain (where I guest lecture). I assisted in the planning on getting Friedman to come to UOB and to talk to students and myself about his experiences with the NY Times and the field work he has done. At the second project, given to me by the Public Affairs Officer at the American Embassy here in Bahrain, I was given the responsibility as a local host in escorting the White House's press pool to Sakhir Palace for the opening ceremony. My responsibility was to be there as a source of information for the selected press taken to the ceremony and to make sure everything went smoothly on behalf of the Embassy at Sakhir Palace for the press pool. The major projects I have had in Bahrain is because of the contacts I have made at the American Embassy here. My experience has been rewarding so far in Bahrain because of this.

Evan Berand '07

Upon graduating in May of 2007 I received a Fulbright grant to perform research in Caracas, Venezuela. The grant has two major components: an internship at a multinational development firm and my research. The research aspect of my project focuses on Venezuela's Socialist movement in the context of globalization. The aim of my work is to examine how international actors (multinational corporations, NGO's, International Organizations... etc.) and trends have affected domestic policy here in Venezuela. The other part of my project, my internship, is being carried out at the Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF). CAF's goal is to improve the competitiveness of its member countries (most of which are, but not restricted to, Latin American nations) through strategic loans aimed at improving any number of things from infrastructure to the efficiency of a specific industry.

I arrived in Caracas in September of 2007. Since then my experience has been wonderful. The Venezuelan people have been incredibly amicable and my work has had very few dull moments. Venezuela is a breath taking country with a great amount of natural diversity. I have visited islands in the Caribbean as well as small pueblos high up in the mountains of Merida. Caracas is a hectic yet interesting city and has been an ideal site for me to carry out my research. I will remain in Venezuela for another 6 months and hope to travel a great deal more during this period of time while finishing my research. Upon my return I would ideally work in a related field and eventually return to school to receive my Masters in International Studies.

Ryan Darmofal '07

Major: International Studies, Spanish, Economics
Graduation Class: 2007
Study Abroad: Sevilla, Spain, in Spring 2006
Internships: UBS Financial Services in Stamford, CT, for senior year

Employer: UBS Financial Services
Location: Stamford, CT

At night, I am taking classes towards my MBA, concentrating on Finance and International Business, with an expected graduation date of 2009. It is not a stretch to say that studying abroad surely changed the course of my life, as I currently expect to use UBS as a stepping stone towards working internationally. I have returned to Europe once so far, and have plans of traveling to Central America and back to Europe by the upcoming spring.

Maria Fernanda Rivera '07

Major: International Business
Minor: French Language Studies
Activities at Fairfield University: Model United Nations, International Studies Honor Society
Internships: Ficensa Bank (Tegucigalpa, Honduras), Honduran Banking Association (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (for school credit) (NY, NY), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (NY, NY)
Study Abroad: Institute for American Universities, Aix-en-Provence, France in Spring 2006

Current Employer: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Location: New York, NY
Position: Regional Program Assistant for the Latin American and Caribbean Division Languages: Spanish, French

Cristina Gaschino '07

Major: International Studies/Italian Language & Literature
Minor: Economics
Study Abroad Experiences: Florence, Italy, in Summer before Sophomore year; Padova, Italy, in Fall of Junior year; Brisbane, Australia, in Spring of Junior year

Internships & Jobs relating to my area of concentration: Jones King Lawyers in Brisbane, Australia (Spring of Junior year), area of concentration in corporate law research and analysis with the responsibilities of researching commonwealth law principles and applying them to current cases as well as accompanying the firm's leading partner to cases held in Queensland State Courthouse; Winebow, Inc. (International Wine Importer & Distributor Nationwide) in Montevale, NJ (Summer before Junior year), area of concentration in international public relations and advertising experience with the responsibilities of working to coordinate a press fair for the company in NYC; Northwestern Mutual in Fairfield, CT (Spring, Senior year), area of concentration in financial planning and analysis with the responsibilities in run back office operations in Fairfield, CT for a Financial Adviser based out of NYC and allowed for exposure to Life Insurance and Investment policies, financial plans and client relations.

Current Status: Engaged in General Electric's two-year Financial Management Program (FMP) in Commercial Finance. This program is designed to expose the next generation of GE business leaders to the intense and diversified uses of Finance within the company. The program consists of four 6-month rotations throughout the country, offering unique leadership opportunities for its students to grasp the understanding of GE's core values of leadership, innovation, and quality analysis. The program is intended to drive its students towards management efficiencies and financial expertise within one of the world's most complex business models.

Brian Lynch '07

Major: International Studies
Minor: Asian Studies
Graduation Class: 2007

Activities at Fairfield University: Martial Arts Club, Writing for Fairfield's School Newspaper, "The Mirror", Irish Society, Captain's Club
Internships: Summer work as a Freelance Tech Consultant
Currently: Mac Specialist, Apple Store
Location: West Nyack, NY

I currently work as a Mac Specialist at the Apple Store in West Nyack as a diplomat for Apple; on any given day, I not only engage customers from America, but also help foreign customers find what they are looking for with ease.

Because of my background in International Studies and the inclination towards a broader world-view that it brought me, it has helped me contribute more to my job, and made me realize how important knowing cultural differences can be, from the global level down to the local level.

Jessica Marques '07

Major: International Studies, Latin American Studies and Anthropology
Minor: Spanish
Graduation Class: 2007
Study Abroad: Manus, Brasil
Internships: Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission
of Connecticut, Summer 2006; throughout senior year I interned at a small, private law firmspecializing inimmigration and real estate matters

Current: First year law student at New England School of Law
Location: Boston, MA