With a little help from my friend, Chat, I developed this list of goals for my year in Scotland.
- Finish my dissertation by July 1, 2026, with a research question focused on U.S. foreign policy or global migration, incorporating at least 5 interviews with subject-matter experts.
- Achieve an overall distinction (70% or higher) in at least two core IR modules by the end of Semester 2 through consistent weekly reading, active seminar participation, and regular meetings with faculty.
- Attend at least three academic conferences or IR lectures hosted by the university or partner institutions (e.g., Chatham House or PSA) before May 2026, and take notes to help inform my dissertation topic.
- Apply to at least five graduate schemes or fellowships in diplomacy or global governance (e.g., U.S. Foreign Service, UN YPP, UK FCDO Fast Stream) by the end of Term 2.
- Complete one internship or field-based experience related to international policy (e.g., with an NGO, government agency, or think tank) by the end of August 2026, ideally in Europe or the U.S.
- Conduct at least 10 informational interviews with professionals in diplomacy, global development, or migration policy before the end of the academic year, and document key takeaways in a short personal career brief.
- Grow my LinkedIn network from 75 to at least 250 meaningful connections by June 2026, and regularly post or engage with content related to international relations, public policy, or career development.
- Write and publish 2 policy briefs or op-eds related to migration, nationalism, or U.S. foreign policy—one for a class assignment and one submitted to a blog, university journal, or think tank—by May 2026.
- Take a grant writing or international project design course, and draft a mock proposal for an IR-related initiative by April 2026 to use in job or fellowship applications.
- Develop a personal website or portfolio by June 2026 to showcase my CV, writing samples (e.g., policy briefs, op-eds), and academic work to support post-grad job applications.
My hope is that these goals will provide a clear focus and a way to measure results.
We’ll see how it goes…
-KL
