Grace Howe

Why did you choose the Trachtenberg School?

While completing my bachelor's degree at GW, I was looking for opportunities to further my education in international affairs and environmental studies while also building towards the establishment of my career post school. The Trachtenberg School, specifically the Environmental Resource Policy (ENRP), stood out as a key chance to combine my interests and build my academic experience into a meaningful career. The school and program provided me with different lenses to study and understand my passions and the freedom to determine exactly what areas I wanted to pursue following school. 

Looking back, what are the most valuable skills, tools, or aha-moments you gained at Trachtenberg that you still rely on today?

Taking a multidisciplinary approach to policy was necessary to develop my skills and understanding of environmental policy. In Environmental Law, I learned how to be objective and analytical. In Transnational Organized Crime, I discovered my interest in pursuing the role natural resources play in society, and the conflict that can stem from resource stress. In Environmental Policy as well as Economics, I learned how to address those conflicts and work towards sustainable solutions. I rely on the knowledge from all these classes to continue guiding my career to this day.  

What advice would you share with someone looking to pursue a career similar to yours?

Let the world be your oyster! Seek out opportunities and allow yourself to grow in different spaces! At GW I interned/worked with for-profits, NGOs, and the federal government to best understand where I felt I could make the most impact and/or fit best in the community. I also met with GW alumni to learn more about their work and pathways to grow. Once I determined my ideal path, international ocean policy, I was clear in my determination and took every opportunity to grow and learn, even if the opportunity steered me away from ocean work.