Natalie Briggs always knew that she wanted to pursue a career in international affairs. After working for a few years at the New York County District Attorney’s office, she enrolled in International Affairs at The New School. “The ability to gain real-world experience through a practicum drew me to The New School, as I thought it would be a more rewarding experience for me than writing a thesis."
The applied nature of the program is what drew Briggs to The New School. Her professors—especially program director Peter Hoffman, whom she describes as possessing a “wealth of knowledge when it comes to all things international affairs”—provided her with valuable mentorship throughout her course of study.
Briggs' practicum project—working with the International Action Network on Small Arms on a project focused on gender and small arms control—set her on her current career path. “The practicum was the most rewarding experience for me and ultimately helped me realize that I wanted a career working on disarmament issues.”
The practicum gave Briggs the opportunity to meet experts in the field and build her professional network, as she transitioned to roles working on arms control and disarmament with Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just & Inclusive Societies and with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. In her current role as a policy advisor for the Norwegian mission at the United Nations, she works on disarmament and nonproliferation at the Security Council and in the General Assembly.
Briggs' experiences at The New School speak for themselves. “The International Affairs program helped me focus on a specific issue within the field that I was passionate about, helped me make connections with those working in the field, and taught me practical skills necessary to effectively succeed,” she says.
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