U.S. Diplomat Martin Healy ‘85 is among Fairfield’s alumni who found great passion in their education, career and life, which he shared with Fairfield students on Monday night.
Graduating from Fairfield with a double major in politics and economics, Healy said that he realized his passion for international travel during his undergraduate years. This spanned into an early career working 15 years in the private sector and then later a career in diplomacy, for which he still works.
“It hasn’t escaped my notice that there are no other Fairfield graduates working in the Foreign Service,” said Healy in an interview before the lecture.
Healy said that Fairfield gave him skills that helped him in his career, such as being able to write well and analyze situations ethically. Additionally, he was one of the first Fairfield students to have the opportunity to study abroad, which also gave him an edge.
“If you can’t write in the Foreign Service, then you’re not getting in. That’s the bottom line,” said Healy.
“I really kind of figured out that every job I had, even the schools I went to, I always tried to go international somehow,” said Healy. “I decided, why don’t I just make international part of my life? Why don’t I use that as a vehicle and then find a job that brings me around?”
Healy had also worked in counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism and was also stationed in Honduras, which he claimed was the most dangerous country in the world.
During his time in Honduras, Healy was able to create a program in which high school students were offered a monetary prize to whomever could create the most viable business plan. The program was a great success which brought together high schoolers, mainly female students, from neighboring communities. The program has since dissipated following the recent coup in Honduras.
Ten students attended the lecture, and all left with a newfound knowledge of a career in diplomacy.
Junior Kaneez Anwar appreciated Healy’s talk, especially since she is a political science and international studies double major.
“Foreign service was not something I really previously looked into because I think I misunderstood the work that they did, and exactly how important it is to foreign policy,” said Anwar.
Senior Klevisa Kovaci, who is currently interning at the Permanent Mission of Albania to the United Nations, agreed with Anwar and felt that Healy gave an open exposition of the reality of working in diplomacy.
“He was very honest. He talked about everything: the good, the difficult, the challenges, what’s great about it, what’s rewarding,” said Kovaci.
While the students were grateful for the opportunity to have a U.S diplomat come to speak to them, students like Anwar feel that Fairfield does not offer enough opportunities like this recent lecture.
“I think Fairfield does a great job in guiding business students post-grad, but if you’re in the liberal arts … you’re kind of on your own,” said Anwar. “You have to figure out how to get a job after you graduate.”
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