TFAS Alumni Share Career Advice with Capital Semester Students

Over the past five decades, TFAS has grown an Alumni Network of more than 18,000 global leaders in policy, economics , journalism and other fields. This vast network provides current students with the opportunity to receive career advice from alumni mentors who can help them transition from TFAS students into the professional world.

Continuing the legacy of paying it forward to future TFAS students, Washington, D.C. area recent alumni shared advice with Capital Semester students during the Young Alumni Panel.

Alumna Madison Beasley ’18 kicked off the discussion by sharing how TFAS helped define her career interests. Beasley said that her experience with TFAS allowed her to discover her passion for government service, leading her to her current role at the Department of Justice.

“TFAS really helped me figure out what I want to do in life,” she said. “You might already have your mind made up, but this experience exposes you to so many opportunities you might not have considered before.”

Students (L-R) Olivia Sheir, Sebastian Davis and John Mark Haase listen as alumni reflect on their TFAS experiences.

Production associate at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, Carter Woolly ’17, added that his TFAS summer internship launched his career by providing him with numerous professional networking opportunities.

“What I consider TFAS to be is a bit of a diving board into professional life,” Woolly said. “They really afford you the opportunity to live, learn and intern in Washington, D.C.”

Professional development remains a key benefit of participating in TFAS academic internship programs. In 2019, 97 percent of D.C. Summer Programs students stated the program expanded their network of professional contacts. Additionally, 94 percent said the program made them more competitive in the job market.

With only a few weeks of the spring program underway, Capital Semester student Shannon McSkimming ’20 from Flinders University in Australia said the discussion encouraged her to be open-minded to new opportunities throughout the semester.

“My biggest takeaway from tonight’s discussion was that it’s important to be open to every new experience,” she said. “You never know who you’re going to meet or what opportunity you’ll find here in D.C.”

TFAS thanks alumni Madison Beasley ’18, Carter Woolly ’17 and Avery Phillips ’18 for sharing their advice with TFAS Capital Semester students.