Recent Alumni

Sydney Taylor , 2011, United States

On the flexibility of the curriculum: The flexibility of the Fletcher curriculum allowed me to be as well rounded as possible, while still guiding me within a focused area. For many of us in international affairs, we are attracted to the different possibilities that come with it, whether it be development, policy formulation, or security. Fletcher allows a balance of possibilities with a great number of them to choose from. Fletcher provides such a diverse curriculum that there is never a dearth of potential class options, I even found myself overwhelmed by the number of Fletcher courses that I was interested in. Courses such as “Cultural Capital and Development" provided me with a solid background in the processes and ethics of development, while “Analytical Frameworks of Public Policy” provided me with a qualitative approach to decision making. The diversity of my coursework helped provide me with the most well rounded master's degree possible.

Something that has surprised me about Fletcher: One of the things that surprised me about Fletcher was the diversity of experiences that each student brings to the school. Many people are coming from very interesting career backgrounds; it is a learning experience within itself. Many of my classmates came from peace keeping operations, the Foreign Service, working in Congress, and financial institutions to either switch sectors or learn more to improve their proficiency in their given sector. While in the beginning I thought I might feel inadequate because I didn’t share the same range of experiences, I realized that we are all on a level playing field. Many students come to Fletcher, giving up already stable careers to learn more about their passions. Within that, it becomes a mutually beneficial relationship in sharing knowledge and experiences within the classroom and beyond.