NSLI-Y Alumni Leadership and Public Service Workshop Reflection

Hello! My name is Logan Burgess, and I participated in the virtual Chinese program in summer 2020 and the Korean program at Songdo in summer 2021. I am currently a junior studying international relations with the goal of becoming a foreign service officer. In this pursuit, I often get lost in the different possibilities and pathways to achieve my goal. As such, when I discovered the 2024 NSLI-Y Alumni Leadership Workshop, I knew it would assist me in finding ways to apply my language skills toward my career aspirations.

The second day of the program, we had the privilege of visiting the Department of State, serving as an opportunity to gain knowledge and insights into opportunities and perspectives I didn't know existed. The program began in the lobby as we were able to explore the small exhibits that detailed the duties and importance of the department. As I viewed the exhibits, I was filled with a sense of duty and awe at the expanse of the Department of State and the efforts they put forth for the United States.

Eventually, we all made our way to the panel room, where we had two panels lined up. The first consisted of fellow NSLI-Y alumni who spoke about their experiences abroad as well as their continued progress in their languages. All three shared a passion for the respective languages they learned and have gone abroad since their participation in NSLI-Y to continue practicing and using their skills. They likewise spoke about other exchange programs they participated in to enable their continued immersive language learning journey. Through their stories, I became inspired to search for programs such as CLS or the Fulbright program, where I can continue to push my language skills.

After the NSLI-Y alumni spoke, members of the Department of State paneled, detailing their experience working in government and how they reached their current positions. Each panelist had a wide range of experiences, allowing all of the NSLI-Y alumni to gain inspiration in their professional journeys. That expansive nature is what stuck with me—realizing that there are countless ways to gain success and fulfillment working at the department.

Following the panels was the lunch, where we got to talk with people currently working in the State Department. At my table were two new members of the department, one being an intern and the other being a representative on behalf of the Fulbright program. As they were closer to my current position professionally, it gave me a sample of options I can pursue in the future, such as studying with Fulbright or getting an entry-level position in the Department of State.

Looking back at my experience at the Department of State during the 2024 NSLI-Y Alumni Leadership Workshop, I feel invigorated to continue to search for and work toward opportunities to study abroad or to work in a government position. All the options I learned about all help me work towards my professional goals and also learn about new possibilities I was unaware of before.

As a lesson to both alumni and those who have not yet traveled abroad: there are a countless number of opportunities that fit your goals and aspirations; you just need to find them. Those opportunities might not take you where you expect them to, but they are all valuable in the end.