UCL Americas alum talks to UCL Careers about how UCL helped to narrow down my career options

How did you get to where you are now in your career?

I think I’ve always been a ‘problem solver and someone who likes to mediate, rather than to escalate a conflict. I also love learning about different people (and different cultures), which compelled me to study political science and to work in public service thereafter. Without knowing anyone in Washington D.C., I had to network with over 70 people before securing an internship and another 200 or so people (staffers, elected officials, etc.) before finding a job. It’s tough, but it goes to show that you can form your own network from scratch.

 UCL’s resources helped me narrow down my options and think about the things I’m most passionate about.”

What skills are involved in your current role?

Integrity and hard work. There are a lot of hard and soft skills involved too, like research and writing skills, social intelligence, etc. But at the end of the day, I think it comes down to believing in what you’re fighting for. And because staffers must be knowledgeable about a wide variety of issue areas and there’s always a lot to do, they need to be inquisitive and diligent.

How did UCL Careers help you?

Like many people, I didn’t have a clear idea as to what I wanted to do after graduation. UCL’s resources helped me narrow down my options and think about the things I’m most passionate about.

What Joonsoo Yi had previously said about his time at UCL Institute of the Americas:

Studying at the Institute of Americas was a crucial stepping stone in my career, and I certainly would not be where I am today without the support and guidance from the wonderful faculty at UCL.

The program is immaculately structured, offering a wide array of courses ranging from foreign policy and health-care to civil rights, and many more. The courses are rigorous and comprehensive, yet very well-paced and easy to follow. Every module is taught by world-class professors, who bring unique perspectives to each class. Through seminars, they challenge their students to examine familiar issues in new ways, which I found to be very stimulating and educational.

But most importantly, I am very grateful for the academic staff, who went above and beyond to support me throughout the program, even long after I have graduated. If I had queries about personal issues, assignments, my career, or general questions on any given policy area, they were always there for me.

All in all, the master’s program offered by UCL Institute of the Americas trained me to be academically inquisitive. It trained me to examine old issues in new ways, and to consider analyzing those issues from other people’s perspectives. As I look back at my time in UCL, and having started working in the U.S. House of Representatives, where I am involved with the country’s legislative process, I can confidently say that I benefited a lot from IoA’s program, and would therefore recommend it to anyone interested in pursuing a career in politics.

Links:

MA United States Studies: History and Politics  |  academic prospectus

UCL Careers  |  website

Image:

Photograph © Joonsoo Yi