By Karen Kelly
Photos by Bryan Gagnon
Jennifer Diamond, MA, European, Russian and Eurasian Studies
After working for four years at a think tank in Washington, D.C., Jennifer Diamond moved to Ottawa and began looking into master’s programs.
She came across the Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (EURUS) and after meeting with Professor Achim Hurrelmann, she knew she had landed in the right place.
“I was really impressed with the quality and breadth of the program,” says Jennifer. “Professors and students come from different backgrounds, whether political science, sociology, economics or Russian studies, and that leads to a more holistic approach to the region.”
Her master’s thesis focused on far right populist parties in Germany. She compared the current Alternative for Germany (AFD) party to the German Republican party around the time of reunification.
“I was asking why the AFD was able to break the taboo and win seats in the national parliament. No party has been able to do that since the Nazi era,” she explains. “I considered the political and economic drivers of populism.”
Jennifer also embraced the co-op opportunities offered through Carleton University and EURUS to gain experience at Global Affairs Canada. She is currently working in the North American advocacy division at Global Affairs.
“I really appreciated all of the resources at Carleton,” she says. “The co-op office helped me reshape my CV and EURUS was great about teaching us the skills we needed for the workforce, such as writing policy briefs and public speaking.”
Jennifer says graduate students may be tempted to think, “I’ve got this” when they arrive on campus, but she encourages them to take advantage of the support that is offered at Carleton.
“There are so many things that can help push you into the next phase of your career.”
Wednesday, May 29, 2019 in Convocation, FPA Voices, Students
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