•Sarah Benefiel, B.A. International Relations, 2004...After graduating from Lehigh, I began serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic, as an agroforestry technician.  My plans involve entering graduate school upon completing my service and continuing study in the field of development.  My advice would be to save the syllabi from every course you take, they can be helpful when applying for graduate school.  Also, read the newspaper or the Econimist, they are essential reading.

•Bethany (Ganssle) Danyluk, B.A. International Relations, 2002.   After graduating from Lehigh, I moved to the Washington, DC area to work for consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, where I have been for nearly 7 years.  At Booz Allen I //support defense and intelligence community clients through research, analysis, wargames, and alternative futures exercises that examine a range of political, security, and economic issues relating to the future security environment.  Regionally, I focus on India and have authored or co-authored a number of studies on Indian strategic issues, including energy security, perspectives on China, and relations with the U.S. military.  My work has taken me to India five times, and I am about to embark on my sixth trip since I began working here.  I have also traveled to Paris, London, Istanbul, and Madrid in support of a range of clients.  In 2004 I was inducted into the International Institute of Strategic Studies, based in London, and I also serve as the Managing Director of Finance for Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, a DC-based non-profit that was started by a colleague at Booz Allen.

•Megan Hannan (Goss) , B.A. International Relations, 2004...I celebrated graduation from Lehigh with a trip to China, after which I settled into a position with the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia. I've now been there for four years and am enjoying the fact that travel has now been added to my job perks! I'm also enjoying travel with my husband, Travis, we've recently been to Ireland and Mexico.

•Jeff Leknes, B.A. International Relations, 1978...I had 27 years active and reserve service in the USAF around the world; six years in international air freight with FEDEX and now a civilian government job within the DOD, serving today (June 08) in Iraq and calling Germany home.  Advice : Learn multiple foreign languages, live overseas. Immerse yourself in the critical thinking that IR courses can give you....it pays great dividends.

• Elizabeth Mendenhall, B.A. International Relations, 2003 (with departmental honors).  Immediately after graduating from Lehigh (class '03), I joined the Peace Corps to get some grassroots-level work experience in development. I was sent to Ukraine for 2 yrs as a TEFL volunteer, which meant my primary job was as an English teacher in a small-town public school. I did far more than teach, however, and was also active in youth/community development, gender issues (especially trafficking of women), and HIV/AIDS education. Upon returning from my 2 yrs of service, I was accepted into the graduate program at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). There I spent 2 years getting my MIA in economic and political development. Through SIPA I had a few amazing work/learning opportunities, including working on women's political participation in Africa through a Council of Women World Leaders fellowship at the Club of Madrid; doing a third party evaluation of a governance and civil society project in Colombia as a consultant; and doing climate change advocacy at the UN for CARE International. Following SIPA, I took a short break from the international development field to work for the Obama campaign as a field organizer in Ohio. It was one of the most fulfilling jobs I have ever had. After the campaign, I moved to DC for a short-term consulting position with the Wolfensohn Center for Development at the Brookings Institution and to wait for my start date as a foreign service officer with USAID. While at Brookings, I had the opportunity to work on creating an index for foreign aid effectiveness. After a long wait, however, I have finally started my new career as a foreign service officer with USAID. I am currently working at USAID headquarters in Washington, but will soon be leaving for my first post - the Dominican Republic - where I will serve as a program/project development officer.  Needless to say, it's been a very busy 6 years!   I can be reached at  emendenhall@usaid.gov      Updated: 09/18/2009

•Giancarlo Pellegrini, B.A. International Relations, 2007...After graduation from Lehigh I entered Harvard Law School, where I'm currently in my third and final year.  I am spending this semester on exchange in Geneva, Switzerland, studying various aspects of international law.  I have accepted a post-graduation full-time position as an attorney with Bingham McCutchen, a large law firm located in Washington DC.  I can be reached at pellegrini.giancarlo@gmail.com

•Leigh Thompson, B.A. International Relations, 2004... After graduating in 2004, I have worked in Washington, DC. I worked with Transparency International (www.transparency.org) as a office coordinator and researcher on issues related to anti-corruption and governance in international development. I am currently working as a Research Assistant at the Urban Institute (www.urban.org) on international development projects. I am also a first year graduate school at George Mason University's School of Public Policy. I am working toward a M.A. in International Commerce and Policy, expected spring 2009.