From Bologna to the Foreign Service: A Diplomat in the Making
Name: Heeba Chergui
Home Country: United States of America
Degree: Master of Arts in International Relations (MAIR)
Scholarship: Charles B. Rangel Graduate Fellowship
Before SAIS, I worked in public health research in my county and then at an international education nonprofit. I studied International & Global Studies in college and always wanted to pursue a career in diplomacy. I received the Charles B. Rangel Graduate Fellowship, which is a pathway program into the U.S. Foreign Service that helps cover 2 years of graduate studies, a domestic internship on Capitol Hill, and an international internship at a U.S. Embassy. I decided on SAIS because of the emphasis in practical skills, quantitative learning, and an opportunity delve deeper into regional and topical studies. The unique opportunity to study abroad in Italy, a country I always dreamed of visiting, was intriguing and exciting, and after speaking to current students about the opportunities Bologna offered (BIPR seminars, study trips, etc.) the decision was simple. This was also a special opportunity because my father studied abroad in Italy when he was in college, and he always spoke about his experience growing up. I wanted to witness this firsthand, as he always spoke highly of his time in Italy.
SAIS as a whole stood out to me due to its emphasis on quantitative analysis, practical skills building, and allowing students to focus on a regional and thematic concentration. As I’m nearing graduation, SAIS has met my expectations and allowed me to venture into other areas of study (Africa, Latin America, AI) and draw connections to my Middle East and GPS studies.At SAIS, each class reshaped how I understand Western policy in the Middle East—and strengthened my commitment to a career in diplomacy.
Living and studying in Bologna influenced my SAIS/graduate school experience by allowing me to learn about European politics and on a personal level, connect with the diaspora and migrant communities in Bologna.
My favorite SAIS tradition, and also one of my favorite memories, was attending the Vienna Ball and celebrating the end of the fall semester with my peers in the Vienna City Hall.
One of the most challenging moments I had at SAIS was the quantitative courses, since I hadn’t studied economics much before SAIS. I overcame this through study groups with some of my closest friends at SAIS, where we held each other accountable and helped one another in areas, we were most comfortable with. Although they were challenging, the concepts I learned from each Economics course has enhanced my learning in other courses, especially my Political Economy of the Middle East class, as I was able to apply macroeconomic concepts to our readings and my papers.
Professors and courses that challenged my thinking the most have been the Twin Pillars class on Saudi Arabia and Iran with Professor Vakil, and my Media Wars class with Professor Bajoghli. I’ve been able to form a more nuanced understanding of the Gulf and Iran, especially in recent developments, which was extremely helpful this past summer at the U.S. Embassy in Muscat. Each class reframed how I view Western policy approaches in the region, and further motivates me to pursue a career in diplomacy to enhance U.S-MENA relations, especially as an Arab-American.
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