U.S. Consulate General Shares Career Path and Insights with Public Administration Students
On March 23rd, the Public Administration students in PPA 5500: International Trends in Public Administration were privileged to welcome United States Consulate General (USCG) representative, Susan Crystal, to Lakeshore Campus. Professor Wendy Feldman introduced the esteemed guest, who delivered a captivating presentation about the work of the U.S. Consulate in Toronto, and its role in fostering the Canada-U.S. relationship.
During the talk, Susan shared her experiences as a foreign service officer, outlining her career path and describing her previous postings in Australia, Ecuador, Haiti, Mauritius, South Africa, and Ottawa. She also highlighted the role of the U.S. Consulate in supporting Americans living in Canada and administering visas for visitors, as well as their role in Public Affairs, Commerce, and Agricultural sections and Customs and Border staff at the airport.
In addition to discussing her responsibilities in Washington, where she was responsible for the Department of State Global Talent Management, Susan also spoke about her efforts to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within the U.S. government. She outlined the USCG’s longstanding internship program open to Canadian students, emphasizing the potential opportunities for students seeking to expand their knowledge and experience within the international public administration realm.
Susan's insights were a welcomed addition to Professor Feldman’s International Trends in Public Administration course, which has seen a variety of esteemed professionals discuss their experiences in public service, including representatives from the Ontario Public Service, immigration and public policy consulting, an Ontario union, and a UK youth engagement non-governmental organization (NGO). All of the speakers emphasized the importance of a comparative international lens in their work and the many career possibilities available to Public Administration students.
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