A Wealth of Opportunity
Name: Sean Crowley
Home Country: United States
Degree: Master of Arts in Strategy, Cybersecurity, and Intelligence (MASCI)
What led you to Johns Hopkins SAIS?
Like many of the decisions in my life, SAIS just seemed to fit serendipitously. When I left the U.S. Army, I knew that I wanted to pursue graduate education and continue serving my country as a civilian. After my wife and I moved to the National Capital Region for work, it gave me the opportunity to explore Johns Hopkins SAIS, Georgetown, and others. Ultimately, the globally and technically focused classes at SAIS drew me in. SAIS was an easy decision.Where did you grow up and what drew you to a career in the U.S. military?
I grew up outside of Seattle, Washington, in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains and the military was something I always had an interest in. My dad was a firefighter and my grandfather served in Germany, so military service was a way to continue the family’s tradition of service.
Left: Sean, center left, with company mates after Christmas dinner at West Point. Middle: Sean during a “Norwegian Ruck March” event in Indiana. Right: Sean, far right, alongside classmates after graduating the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course at Fort Moore, GA.
Why did you pick the service branch you joined and how long did you serve?
Though I pursued a degree in systems engineering during my undergraduate education, my interest has always been in how people work together as part of the overall system and how that system can solve the critical problems ahead of us. The Army gave me the best chance to pursue the career I wanted for myself — one where I was on the ground, leading soldiers — and I served for seven years as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army.How has your time in the military helped you with personal and professional growth?
My time in the Army gave me a lot of interesting opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. I don’t think I would have chosen my path, but I benefited greatly from it.The opportunities I had to work with joint, multinational, and interagency partners left me with a strong respect for the use of influence operations as part of a whole-of-government approach. The four years I was lucky enough to be stationed in Germany gave me a great deal of additional insight into the way that other countries and cultures view the similar problems that we all face and led me to be a lot more understanding of cultural differences personally and professionally.
I don’t know where else you would find such easy access to the wealth of professional and academic opportunities that saturates the SAIS calendar.
What has been your favorite experience at SAIS?
I think the cohesion and closeness of the MASCI cohort has been my favorite part of the experience. A close second would be the extracurricular lectures by industry and government leaders though. They are fantastic and I don’t know where else you would find such easy access to the wealth of professional and academic opportunities that saturates the SAIS calendar.What do you plan on pursuing after graduation?
I want to be working for the Office of the Secretary Defense for policy or the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, working to help integrate the military more closely into a whole-of-government approach to handling the problems ahead of our nation. I am very interested in how we can apply both direct and indirect military strength along with the other arms of power to achieve our nation’s goals in a way that supports the rules-based international order.My boss told me, “You will never regret an opportunity to invest in yourself.
What is one piece of advice you would give to students in the process of choosing graduate schools?
When I asked permission to reduce my hours to pursue my education at SAIS, my boss told me, “You will never regret an opportunity to invest in yourself.” As stressful as going back to school after a break can be, I truly feel like I am investing in myself and think that anyone choosing a graduate program should look for what feels like the greatest investment, both professionally and personally, that they can find.If you are looking to learn more about what it's like to be a current student at Johns Hopkins SAIS, we encourage you to schedule a virtual appointment with one of our Admissions Fellows.
Enjoyed reading Sean's experience? Learn more about our Master of Arts in Strategy, Cybersecurity, and Intelligence (MASCI).
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