Jessica Sewell
BA Political Science, 2018
Spring Semester 2017 in Vienna
As a student of Political Science at Illinois with a concentration in Civic Leadership, I felt compelled to join the Spring 2017 Vienna Diplomatic Program (VDP). In the aftermath of the 2016 Presidential Election, I was particularly eager to learn how the citizens of other countries engage democratically, especially as the world grapples with crises such as migration and climate change. My background in East Asian languages and time spent in Asia also motivated me to try something new.
The VDP allowed me to pursue these goals and turned out to be one of my best undergraduate experiences. Although learning German was challenging, living in European cultures, learning European history, and observing how EU member states managed the wave of asylum seekers who had just arrived enabled me to capitalize on my understanding of global culture and develop it further. Day-to-day academic experiences, along with our non-academic adventures as young U.S. Americans abroad, proved to be unforgettable. By the end of the semester I had made many lifelong friends-- within and outside the program.
Since graduation, I have held several roles as a public servant at the federal and state levels. I successfully managed a competitive county-wide race during the 2018 Midterm Elections. Currently, I serve as an Outreach Coordinator and Caseworker at the Chicago Office of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth. In my work, my experiences abroad have been more useful than I ever expected. The VDP helped me to appreciate cultural difference, deepened my compassion, allowing me to make connections that make the world a better, brighter place.