Group photo of U.S. Exchange Alumni from Career Connections Seattle. All photos were provided by the World Affairs Council of Seattle.
Fifty-four U.S. Exchange Alumni from across the country gathered in Seattle, WA from September 11 – 13 to participate in the Career Connections seminar, “Advancing American Tech Excellence.” This U.S. Department of State sponsored event was an opportunity for alumni to network through roundtable discussions and engage in panels with Seattle-based tech leaders, including Amazon and Microsoft, while career building and tech skills workshops offered real-life professional development.
The seminar opened with welcome remarks from Erik Black, Director of the Office of Alumni Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, who emphasized the significance of international exchanges as a point of cultural exchange, career development, and public service. Erik encouraged alumni to connect through the experiences and knowledge gained on their exchanges over the course of the seminar.
Director of the Office of Alumni Affairs, Erik Black, makes welcome remarks.
The first full day kicked off at Indeed Inc. Seattle offices with Max Scott, the CTO and Co-Founder of StratAlliance Global, who delivered the keynote address. Max advised attendees ”if you’re unsure of your next move, or overwhelmed – look around you. These are your collaborators.” Alumni then participated in a panel titled “Space: The New Career Frontier,” which included Sadia Pekkanen from the University of Washington as a moderator and aerospace industry professionals Andrew Hanna of Stoke Space and Jaspreet Gill of Amazon as panelists.
They discussed how a STEM background is not necessarily required to enter the space sector, with Andrew sharing “I majored in Middle Eastern Studies…so hopefully that is a sign for you all that a career in space is possible.“ The session touched on the potential of space exploration technology through the growing commercial sector, and highlighted the importance of cross-cultural communication and collaboration in the industry.
Later in the day, participants joined a second panel session starring local business leaders about the role of AI in the future of work. The speakers, Nirav Desai of HP and CEO of AI Startup Moonbeam, Heidi Obermeyer from Google AI, and Brent Hecht from Microsoft, highlighted emerging capabilities in artificial intelligence with an emphasis on safe and responsible innovation. One participant reflected on Desai’s remarks, commenting that “I really appreciated what [Nirav Desai] said about being resilient as opposed to focusing on being ‘indispensable.’ This comment really resonated with me and I’m applying it to both my career and personal life!”
The day culminated in a career roundtable session, where participants worked in small groups with accomplished Seattle tech professionals, networking and exploring potential career paths. Attendees were also given the opportunity to take advantage of one-on-one professional resume reviews and receive formal headshots.
From left: Neeraj Joshi, Eileen Lambert, Robert Cromwell, and Hansi Singh pose for a photo after the Energy Tech panel.
The final day of the seminar kicked off with breakout sessions hosted by industry professionals in technology and energy fields, where participants engaged in panel discussions on themes of “Cybersecurity and Digital Diplomacy” and “Energy Tech.”
From left: Rob Spiger, Morgan Zantua, Terry McCorkle, and Ann Robinson answer questions on the Cybersecurity and Digital Diplomacy panel.
The Energy Tech panel provided great advice on the value of communication and how to thrive in any career as technology continues to rapidly develop. When asked by one attendee what the most valuable skill is to have in the career search Neeraj Joshi shared, “staying curious is the most important skill, because technology is changing…for the technical side right now [due to] AI.” Likewise in the Cybersecurity panel, Morgan Zantua shared on the topic of certifications, “You do not want to be a paper tiger…look for programs that give hands on experience.”
The seminar culminated with a ”Lunch & Learn” Sailboat Tour through Elliott Bay in the Puget Sound, where participants had the chance to reflect on the career insights gained and expand on professional connections made during the event.
Alumni enjoying a beautiful day in Seattle on a sailboat.
Participants involved left feeling better prepared to take on leading roles in the technology industry and more connected to their fellow U.S. Exchange Alumni. As one alum shared, “Career Connections Seattle was both useful and timely as I consider a career change. The speakers’ perspectives, opportunities to network with like-minded peers, and assistance with my resume were all extremely useful.”
The contributions of the U.S. Department of State, speakers, event staff, and participants at Career Connections Seattle showcased the importance of international exchange experiences as a means of driving U.S. tech innovation and building alumni relationships in both local and global communities.
Written by Oscar Snider, GLX Intern and Political Science student at the University of Washington