Having landed a highly sought-after internship, John Casey, a graduate student in the International Political Economy and Development program (IPED), Class of 2013, will journey this summer from Fordham to Washington, D.C.
Casey recently was awarded an internship with the Office of Development Finance, of the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. At the forefront of international development, the Office of Development Finance works closely with the U.S. Treasury Department in assisting multilateral development banks such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the African Development Bank. It also supports the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a congressional initiative to improve the distribution of U.S. foreign assistance.
“It’s extremely competitive. I really wasn’t even giving it much thought that I even had a chance,” Casey said, “so I’m pretty excited.
Despite the competition, Casey’s “excellent academic and professional credentials, as well as strong references,” brought him to the fore, State Department officials wrote.
Among these numerous credentials were two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia, where Casey helped to bring an innovative radio education program to rural villages that could not otherwise access a school.
“The Peace Corps has really opened up the doors for all of my prospects for careers,” Casey said. “It showed my ability to think outside the box and take responsibility on my own.”
Although Casey is not certain what his next step will be after the internship, he is interested in exploring the contribution that private organizations can make to development.
“I really feel that private corporations do a have a role to play in development. I don’t think it all has to be the government,” Casey said. “I feel that that’s been missing in development.”
Casey has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Indiana University. Currently, he is specializing in International Banking and Finance and in International Economics and holds an IPED Public Service Assistantship.
— Joanna Klimaski
