Alum Aid from Emily, Tufts' own Carmen Sandiego

Emily Scott is a bubbly Chicagoan who graduated from Tufts last year with majors in History and French. Just like Carmen Sandiego, Emily has traveled all over the globe. Currently, she is serving as a Human Rights Intern at the Carter Center in Atlana, and is planning an upcoming trip to the Congo. Here, she discusses when and how her future plans began to take shape...

EMILY

When did you realize what you wanted to do after graduation, whether it was get a job, teach abroad, travel, etc. How did you reach this decision?

I knew I didn't want a job I wouldn't enjoy, and several travel opportunities popped up over the spring semester that really excited me. I think my excitement about them helped clarify that taking time to travel was the right choice for me. Now I'm starting an internship with the Carter Center, which I applied for because I knew I wanted to explore working in a humanitarian organization.

What kind of career field were you interested in? Where did you look for jobs?

When I got back from traveling, I knew that I was interested in humanitarian work/international development, so I spent a lot of time on idealist.org and other job search sites. I applied for lots of jobs and internships. I applied for anything that looked interesting.

Susannah Says:
Idealist.org is an excellent resource for people who are interested in delving into the world of nonprofits. Not only does it list thousands of job postings, but it also features volunteer opportunities and special events. This is a great place to conduct your job search while forming connections with Tufts alumni and other professionals working in the nonprofit sector. (For more on forming connections and gathering useful info via networking, go here

OpportunityKnocks.org is another good site to visit for nonprofit opportunities, and if you're interested in public service, check out MakingtheDifference.org.

What do you hope to accomplish in the next year? The next five years? How do you intend on reaching these goals? How did Tufts prepare you?

In the next year, I want to explore some career options (esp. international development/humanitarian work) and travel. Within the next five years, I would like to be a little more settled and have a bit more focus for my long-term goals. I'd like to be in a job that I feel will contribute to a lifelong career, but if I'm having other great, educational experiences, it's less important. Tufts gave me an education that broadened my world view, especially through my study abroad. Having a degree from Tufts opens a lot of doors because it's so highly regarded.

Stay tuned for another young alum story... coming soon!