Notre Dame political science majors have had remarkable success in finding careers in the U.S. and abroad.The skills they gain in writing and critical thinking through their time in the College of Arts and Letters make them competitive across a variety of industries, whether they’re working in business, government, or something else entirely.
John Phillips ’66, a College of Arts and Letters alumnus who majored in government and international studies, has found success abroad as the United States ambassador to Italy. Before being appointed as ambassador by President Barack Obama in 2013, Phillips attended law school, citing the liberal arts education he received at Notre Dame as being crucial to his success.
Mallory Brown ’06, a political science major and German minor has spent her entire career at Egon Zehnder, a global management consulting and executive search firm, beginning at its Chicago office, then New York and, for the last five years, Berlin. She's had the opportunity to hire entry-level researches in all three offices, and targets liberal arts majors because she knows they can write well and have had exposure to a broad range of topics.
Bill Dirksen ’82, a government and economics major, is now vice president of labor affairs at Ford Motor Company. He is responsible for global labor relations, negotiating with unions that represent about three-fourths of Ford’s 200,000 employees. He feels that the empathy, curiosity, and communication skills students develop in the liberal arts are the foundations of professional success, regardless of career path.