Loren DeJonge

Special Assistant,
Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense

Degree: MPP, 2003
Location: Washington, D.C.

After graduating from the Humphrey School, the Texas native was accepted into the Presidential Management Fellowship program, a competitive program to train future government leaders. She began with the FBI as an intelligence analyst and moved to the Department of Defense, where she found a home for her interest in national security, an interest she honed at the Humphrey School.

What motivated you to pursue a career in public affairs?
When I first entered college, I was very interested in history and anthropology—particularly focusing on ancient cultures. After a few semesters spent learning Classical Greek and archeological practice, I realized I was most interested in the political dynamics of that time and how they were relevant to modern policy debates. I took a required world politics class and from there became a lifelong student of international relations and fascinated with United States’ balance of hard and soft power use over time.

Who at the Humphrey School had a major influence on you, and how?
Steve Andreasen. The theoretical background I received at Humphrey was useful, but Steve had a practitioner’s perspective that brought the theory to life. His classes were bar-none the best preparation I received for my career—particularly being able to dash off a one-page memo! 

Do you have any advice for incoming and current students interested in a career like yours?
Read at least one newspaper every single day and have opinions about what you’re reading. It sounds like generic advice but it can make a difference between getting a job or not and being an active participant in your workplace. Whatever you’re interested in, make sure you understand the players and dynamics going on in that issue area, as well as the long-term trends. Someone who is thinking ahead, beyond the next day or the next week, is invaluable in public policy, whether in Washington or elsewhere.

What is the biggest career lesson your have learned since graduating from the Institute?
Choose your boss. If you work for someone who is passionate about the cause they are serving and willing to devote time to your career, the issue you are working on is far less important. I received this advice at the Humphrey School, regretted every time I did not follow it and benefitted hugely from the times I did. It makes such a difference to have someone supervising you who you respect and you enjoy working with.

 

March 15, 2012