When Jonah Philipp arrived in Dhaka, Bangladesh this summer as part of a four-month internship with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), he had no idea how much he'd draw on his previous experiences- or his training here at Pitt.
Philipp, a Master of International Development (MID) student who will graduate in the spring, is also in his second year as part of the USAID Donald M. Payne Fellowship Program. The Payne Fellowship is the organization’s flagship initiative for recruiting outstanding individuals from diverse and often underrepresented groups interested in a career as a Foreign Service Officer. It has supported the professional development of nearly 100 future members of the Foreign Service since it was established in 2012.
“The Payne Fellowship requires we spend our second summer at a USAID mission overseas, and Dhaka was the location chosen for me,” Philipp shared upon his return to the States this fall. “We are assigned to offices where our background and future officer positions are considered most relevant.”
In Bangladesh, Jonah was assigned to the Democracy, Rights, and Governance team and worked on projects addressing economic governance design and tax procedures, increasing civic engagement, promoting free and fair election practices, and supporting labor organizations nationwide. He spoke highly of his team on the ground whose support allowed him to fully engage in a place where he thought he may feel alone, and also highlighted the surprising ways the experience drew on his studies thus far at Pitt.
“I was ecstatic when we had a workshop where I utilized several tactics I’d practiced in Dr. Lisa Alfredson's NGO Advocacy course, such as a Problem Tree and SWOT Analysis,” he shared. “Dr. Nuno Themudo's courses covering the UN Sustainable Development Goals were also crucial in my understanding of what objectives USAID was trying to achieve and complement with local partners.”
Philipp’s time in Bangladesh was cut short due to civil unrest that began in early July, as initially peaceful student demonstrations over civil service job quotas grew and led to violent clashes in the streets of the capital city. Nationwide curfews were put into place towards the end of the month, and evacuations of non-essential staff followed a few weeks later. While it may not have been the experience he anticipated going into the summer, it also wasn’t the first time he’s had time abroad impacted by civil and political instability.
“I think my previous experiences abroad working in conflict zones, including Israel-Palestine and Northern Ireland, were crucial in understanding the historical tensions that sparked the protests leading to [former Prime Minister] Sheikh Hasina's resignation... and helped to limit my panic amidst the violence.”
Jonah doesn’t know where he will be placed when he begins his career as a Crisis, Stabilization, and Conflict Officer with USAID next May, but he believes his time in Dhaka this summer has prepared him well for whatever lies ahead.
“Spending a summer in a location designated a Hard to Fill post showed me that I can be a part of genuine impact and change in any location,” he shared. “I also saw how important it is to take substantial time sitting with local staff to learn what they have faced and the possibilities they see for peace ahead. My past experiences working abroad are valid, but the context in each individual country's history can't be replaced. I learned that the core of development is figuring out that you aren't always the leader; you're following the amazing local staff's lead and supporting them to build a brighter future ahead for their country.”
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