IIC Student Spotlight

LeeAnn Schmerber- 1st year IIC Student

1) What undergraduate college did you attend? Where?

Elon University in North Carolina 

2) What was your undergraduate focus?

Major in International Studies, Minor in Communications

3) How did you become interested in the IIC Program?

I always knew that I wanted to get a Masters, it was just a matter of picking the right time and the right school.  I'd moved around a bit after college and over the past few years decided I wanted to make Denver home, at least for a while.  The jobs that I had weren't putting me in direction that I wanted career wise, and DU offered a program that fit what I was looking for.   So it seemed that the timing and place were perfect.

5) What is your favorite place where you've traveled/lived so far?

I've never really been anywhere I did not like and have a ton of favorite places, all for different reasons.  Right now, I'll go with Iceland -  the geology is fascinating - I went snorkeling in a fissure between the North American and European plates, the water was crystal clear.  It was beautiful.  

 

6) Do you have a dream job? What?

Study Abroad Adviser 

7) What is your favorite part about the IIC program thus far (i.e. favorite class)?

What I think I've found most interesting is that I'm taking two very different courses (International Communications and Major Issues in International Security - in Korbel) and the content of the courses has merged a few times throughout the quarter, especially at the end.  It's interesting to read different perspectives on similar issues.  I feel like the quarter has come full circle.

8) Anything else you would like to share?

I'm just really happy that I made this decision.  I quit a full time job (with a career path, albeit one that I did not want) to become a full time student.  Even though it was a career path that I wasn't passionate about, it was security.  The decision to come back to school was hard but as I mentioned above, the timing and place were right.  I knew that this was the best opportunity to find the career that I really wanted.