Sarah Ayewah, M.A., Class of 2011

"As a Nigerian, my motivation to study International Relations was a desire to find solutions to the intricate problems of my country and contribute to its development and good governance. I moved to Paris to pursue this goal, obtaining a BA in International Economics at the American University of Paris before attending the American Graduate School in Paris. I opted for the full spectrum of AGS’s academic programmes, graduating with a Double Masters in International Relations and Diplomacy, and Strategic Negotiation in collaboration with the Université de Paris Sud, as well as the LL.M Programme at the University of Cergy Pontoise.

I enjoyed my time at AGS, not only because of the quality of teaching, the richness of knowledge received and the rigor of the work for each class, but also because of the caliber of students that I met from all over the world and the discussions we had in class about various political issues. It enriched and expanded my ideas about politics, development and diplomacy and prepared me for a career in International Relations.

Since graduating from AGS, I have been working with the Nigerian government at its Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, here in Paris. It has been a great opportunity for me to realize my goals to contribute to development in Nigeria. The Nigerian Delegation acts as a mediator between the Nigerian government and UNESCO and facilitates collaboration on various programmes and projects and the sharing of best policy practices in Education, Science, Culture, and Communication and Information. I had the opportunity to intern with the Delegation twice, while I was a student at AGS. Once I graduated they offered me a position as Programme / Administrative Assistant.

My time at AGS definitely prepared me for the diversity of tasks, initiatives and projects I tackle every day in my current position as Senior Administrative Officer at the Nigerian Delegation. It gave me the intellectual flexibility to take on any assignment in the various programme sectors of UNESCO. Each day on the job is different, with a plethora of missions ranging from research and contributions to reports and policy briefings on various matters, advising the Nigerian government, as well as planning meetings and events to showcase Nigeria’s art, food, and culture, in UNESCO."