Recent Alumni Profiles

Eric Purcell , 2010, United States

Why I chose Fletcher: The Fletcher School’s reputation for excellence in International Affairs is one of the primary reasons that I was interested in attending. Six weeks into my first semester, I am convinced that its reputation is well earned. I have realized that the academic rigor is just one part of what the Fletcher School has to offer. The diversity of the student body and faculty, in terms of nationalities and ethnicities, offers numerous non-traditional educational opportunities. On the first day of orientation, I had thought provoking conversations with fellow students from every continent, minus Antarctica, but I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody from Fletcher has traveled to or done an internship there. As a student here you get to know almost everyone, thus, you get to know people from nearly every country in the world. I don’t think many other schools can offer an experience quite like this.

How I learned about Fletcher: As a major in the United States Marine Corps, last year I was at a point in my career when I was ready to pursue an advanced degree. Each year the Marine Corps sends about 120 officers to school to receive advanced degrees. The vast majority of those officers go to the service war colleges, a handful of officers attend foreign war colleges, and one individual is selected to attend The Fletcher School. Consequently, last year I was quite surprised to learn that I had been selected to be a Marine Fellow at The Fletcher School. I was even more surprised to find out that I had to take the GRE, create a resume, write essays, and apply like any other student. While I had to jump through a few hoops in a short period of time in order to come here, it was definitely worth it. This is an unbelievable school that I would recommend to anyone who is serious about studying law and diplomacy.