By Lily Ameika (‘24)
Hunter Gilfillian has always loved international affairs and knew he wanted to go into public service from an early age. His goal was to work at the Department of State, but he knew there would be some time before that would happen. Hunter graduated as an International Studies major from Baylor in 2017.
While at Baylor, Hunter was a part of the Baylor in Washington program. He said the program contributed to his life after Baylor because it gave him an avenue and the drive to go to DC. During the program, Hunter interned in the U.S. House of Representatives for a member of congress. He still keeps in contact with the friends and networking relationships he made there, which was very instrumental. Hunter was also involved with Baylor’s chapter of International Justice Mission, afterschool programs, and community service. These experiences inspired him to continue community service in DC, and he now volunteers at the Capitol Area Food Bank. Hunter participated in a study abroad program as well, with Baylor in Dénia, Spain. Through the study abroad program, he made lifelong friends and had an amazing experience. This experience was also the first time he was able to see the real world of international affairs.
During his senior year at Baylor, Hunter was torn between pursuing a professional career after graduation or continuing his studies in a post-graduate program. However, he ultimately decided upon the latter and attended the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University starting in Fall 2018. When asked about his reasoning behind attending graduate school after Baylor, Hunter answered that he loved learning and wanted to do a deeper dive into international affairs. Baylor gave him a good foundation, but he wanted to drill down into specific topics that he was interested in. Hunter’s focus in graduate school was on U.S. foreign policy, but he was also interested and took classes in public diplomacy and counterterrorism. Through graduate school, Hunter was able to figure out what he really wanted to do after graduation, and it reinforced his desire to pursue a career in public service. Hunter graduated with a Master of Arts in International Affairs from The George Washington University in May
2020.
The Elliott School was always the graduate school for Hunter, even though he applied to a few others. The Elliott School offered flexibility for students to pursue internships or jobs during the day since a lot of the graduate classes were held at night. Through these classes, Hunter was able to see the theories he already learned being applied to the real world as many classes were taught by instructors who worked in international affairs careers in the past and present.
Hunter’s first job in D.C. while he was a student was a Press Assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives. He worked for the same member of congress he interned for during his Baylor in Washington program, and he received the position after networking and reaching back out to the staff. As he worked for someone who was very active in the press, everyday was different, fast-paced, and there was always something new happening. In this role, Hunter worked on writing speeches and talking points, pulling relevant news clips, and making sure the member of congress was prepared for press related activities. It was a very eye-opening experience, and everyone on the team worked together to make sure the priorities of the member and their constituents were taken care of. While Hunter loved this experience, he learned that he did not necessarily want to work on the Hill forever. He always wanted to work for the Department of State, and he was able to secure a Pathways Internship. Hunter was able to later convert to the civil service through this internship after graduation from graduate school. While he was originally planning to go into the foreign service, the Pathways Internship showed Hunter the civil service side of the Department. He discovered that he loved the work and supporting the overseas and domestic mission of the Department. While Hunter said he will never say never to the foreign service, he enjoys the civil service and sees himself staying for some time. Hunter currently works as an Analyst in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. He describes it as a team focused environment with a lot of collaboration and communicating with colleagues to meet the goals and mission of the organization. When asked what a typical work day might look like, Hunter said there is a mix of strategic planning and performance management related work, and he also said every day is different.
Regarding advice for current students, Hunter said you should not be afraid to network and reach out. He said while networking was a new experience while he was at Baylor, reaching out for opportunities or even just to talk to people was how he had so many doors open. Hunter said that it is important to just talk to people, as most people truly want to talk about and share their experiences. He advises to find those people who have or have had a career you’re interested in and reach out to them, and the worst thing they can say is no. Hunter also said it is important to maintain those connections and relationships.
For other advice, Hunter said, “Don’t be afraid to chase your dreams.” You never know what tomorrow might bring, so take the opportunities as they come to you if you are interested in them.
