An Enriching Cultural Experience While Earning a Dual Degree

Christina Riegler
Masters of Arts in International Affairs (MAIA) ’19

After learning more about the school from its alumni, Christina was confident that a dual degree from SAIS Europe and her former graduate institution, Leiden University in the Netherlands, would allow her to excel in a career focused on international relations, complemented by Johns Hopkins SAIS’ focus on economics.

During her graduate studies, Christina founded the European Affairs Club with her classmates. Together they organized several brown bag lunches with professors where they discussed current issues such as the European elections, Brexit and migration, as well as social events such as a European Valentine’s Party. They also had the honor of hosting the Austrian Consul General in Milan, who spoke on the Austrian Presidency of the European Council in 2018.

As a proud Austrian, Christina really enjoyed supporting the school’s annual trip to the Vienna Ball of Sciences and its cultural program. Leading up to the ball, Christina and a few of her Austrian classmates provided Waltz lessons to students at SAIS Europe. It was a great pleasure for Christina to teach her classmates about her culture and to show them some of the most beautiful spots in Austria when they were in Vienna. Just as Christina was able to teach her classmates about her native Austria, she was able to learn a great deal about the many cultures her peers hailed from. This cultural diversity truly enriched her time at the school and she was grateful to be part of this unique experience.