Class of 2012 Student Profiles

Thomas Widrich , 2012, Austria

Why I chose Fletcher:  As a mid-career student who had majored in a different discipline, I was looking for a one-year degree program in international relations that would allow me to build on my previous professional experience, while broadening my knowledge and my career possibilities. Fletcher combines scholarship with a practical approach. Courses are not simply centered on knowledge transfer, but use problem-based learning, showing students the practical application of knowledge. There are always a variety of extracurricular seminars, conferences, workshops and networking events; it’s often hard to choose which to attend. The Office of Career Services provides an impressive range of activities, reaching from workshops on essential application tools (elevator pitch, resume, cover letter) to databases of potential employers and alumni, job interviews on campus, career trips and personal coaching. There were so many reasons to attend Fletcher!

How I learned about Fletcher: The Fletcher School crossed my path when I asked a United States Ambassador, with whom I had worked for some time, whether he would provide me with a recommendation letter for another major US school of international relations. The ambassador turned out to be a former Fletcher fellow and drew my attention to the Fletcher website. It was love at first sight, and I was happy go get his recommendation for Fletcher.