New “Meet the Experts” series introduces students to unique professionals

This February, the Saint Rose community welcomed Kyla Brooke, Diplomat in Residence for the New York Metropolitan Region of the United States Department of State in a series of events organized by the College’s Career Center. The sessions were the first of a monthly series called “Meet the Expert,” hosted by the Career Center. Brooke, who has over 16 years of experience as a Foreign Service Officer, met with students on Thursday, February 8, to discuss job and internship opportunities at the Department of State.

Students were invited to join Brooke for a meet and greet breakfast in the Career Center’s new location found on the third floor of Saint Joseph Hall, giving them the opportunity to network before her formal presentations. Over breakfast, Brooke met with President Marcia White and fielded questions from students and professors on her experience in the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, Afghanistan, and Israel. Brooke, who received her BA in communications and political science from the University of California, Los Angeles, was candid with students about the journey that led her to pursing a master’s degree in international relations and the benefits and challenges of working with the Department of State.

In her presentations, Brooke outlined the different paths students can take should they pursue a career with the State Department, including civil service and foreign service generalists and specialists. She also encouraged students to apply for a variety of fellowships and paid internships offered by the department, all of which are completed while students are either in undergraduate or graduate school. Brooke herself was a recipient of the Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship, a program that prepares graduate students for foreign service careers at the State Department.

Diplomat in Residence Kyla Brooke shares the steps students can take to join the foreign service at the U.S. Department of State.

Encouraging diversity in all its forms is also a top priority in the State Department, according to Brooke. “To understand and improve a diverse world, we must also be diverse,” she explained, adding that all academic disciplines and backgrounds are welcome and useful in the State Department. To further promote this, the Career Center collaborated with multiple Black, Hispanic and Latinx, and LGTBTQIA+ student organizations, as well as the BOLD Women’s Leadership Institute, for a special session with Brooke.

“We were so excited to welcome Diplomat Brooke to campus,” says Sharon Edwards-Grant, director of the Career Center. “In sharing her experience working in the Department of State, Brooke has undoubtedly opened new doors for Saint Rose students interested in a career in civil and foreign service.”

The Career Center will continue their “Meet the Expert” series throughout the spring semester.

Students interested in learning more about careers in the U.S. Department of State can contact Brooke via email at DIRNewYorkMetro@state.gov.

More details about career opportunities at the Department of State can be found on their website. Students interested in interning with the Department of State can find more information here.

For more information on upcoming events with the Career Center, visit their website here.