Former Country Director for India
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs
Washington, DC

Cara Abercrombie was looking to transition from her work in the nonprofit sector to work in the federal government, and specifically wanted to pursue a public policy degree. She first learned of the M.P.A. program as an undergraduate, and was attracted to the School's commitment to public service, as well as the careers the School's graduates pursued.

"I wanted to round out my previous professional experience with coursework in foreign and security policy, as well as build a foundation in quantitative analysis. I knew I wanted to participate in the Office of Personnel Management's Presidential Management Fellows program, which requires that applicants be enrolled in a graduate program. WWS stood out from other programs as more personal and welcoming; it was clear from my first communication with the Admissions office that I would be more than just a number. The generous stipend that was offered was also a significant factor, as it made my decision to leave the working world to pursue graduate study much easier.

"International Relations theory provides a framework for understanding the world. In addition to helping me conceptualize my own world view, I find that when I understand how others view the world--whether through a realist or a liberal internationalist lens--I can better assess how they will approach questions of policy.

"In my initial months at the Pentagon, I was very thankful to have taken Colonel Mike Meese's M.P.A. '90,  Ph.D. '00 course on military force planning, and Professor Michael O'Hanlon's Ph.D. '91 courses on terrorism and U.S. defense policy. Both helped familiarize me with key policy and cultural issues that I now face on a daily basis. Professor Robert Hutchings continues to be a valuable mentor, providing guidance and sage advice on navigating Washington policy circles. He is a tremendous asset to the School as the ideal practitioner-scholar--equally comfortable in policy circles or the university classroom. In my work, I have often recalled the lessons from his course on the conduct of international diplomacy. In particular, he taught three sessions that focused on the different dynamics that are at play when negotiating science and technology issues in foreign policy. The importance of those lessons have become increasingly apparent to me in my work at the Department of Defense."