Recent Alumni Profiles

Aaron Delano-Johnson , 2012, United States

US Coast Guard Officer, US Coast Guard - Washington, DC 

How has your Fletcher experience impacted your professional trajectory? Nine months of concentrated study outside of government service allowed me to gain valuable experience from the perspective of my classmates, and professors, with diverse backgrounds in development, law and the private sector. Armed with this global perspective, I have made the transition from a junior officer to mid-grade officer and am now making decisions within the inter-agency and representing my service in the international arena. I plan to build upon my Fletcher experience throughout my career and create an international affairs career path within my service.

What was your favorite class at Fletcher and why? With only two semesters to complete the MA degree requirements, taking the classes you are interested in, writing the thesis and meeting your breadth requirements is difficult. Despite these demands, the one class that was not optional was Prof. John Curtis Perry's DHP H202: Maritime History and Globalization. The sea connects the global community to an extent that many cannot grasp and understanding it, from Zheng He to Somali Pirates, is to truly understand how the world's greatest empires and contemporary economies came to be. As a lecturer, Prof. Perry approaches the subject in the classic style and instills a liking for the sea and its lore in even the most trepid sailor.