Maximizing the SAIS Europe Experience

Caroline Lupetini
BA/MA ’20
European and Eurasian Studies
First Year: SAIS Europe

As part of the five-year BA/MA track offered at Johns Hopkins University’s undergraduate International Studies program, Caroline Lupetini left the Homewood campus after her third year to begin her Master’s program at SAIS Europe. She knew she wanted to continue her studies at one of the most prestigious graduate schools in international relations. Another enticing factor was the opportunity to study in Bologna, Italy. With a strong background in Italian, Caroline was eager to employ her speaking skills in everyday life to better understand European politics from a closer point of view.

The intimate size of the Bologna campus has been a big advantage. As part of a 180-person cohort, Caroline has been able to share many experiences with her fellow classmates. One unique activity included the live-streaming of the US midterm elections, which she watched with her classmates until the next morning to catch the results. She is also looking forward to attending the Wiener Ball der Wissenschaften ball in Vienna, Austria.

Visits to top consulting firms focused on international relations and informal meetups to discuss current global affairs are activities Caroline values highly. She has also enjoyed the panels offered by the Bologna Institute for Policy Research, a platform for extensive networking with field practitioners.

Caroline so far has attended two career treks. In London, she visited employers in the finance industry and in Lugano, Switzerland, she attended a one-day training seminar on portfolio risk management. Caroline hopes to attend another study trek and a career trek over winter break to further focus on European political issues.

After graduation, Caroline plans to leverage her Russian and Italian language skills to launch a career in political and economic analysis of European politics and foreign policy. As of now, she is looking into financial institutions, risk advisory firms, the Foreign Service and intelligence agencies. She is excited to explore these and many more options as she searches for a summer 2019 internship.