Meet Miami U

In her first year, Teryn Scott ’24 knew she wanted to make the world a better place. She just wasn’t quite sure how to go about doing it. Early in her studies, she met with her professors and advisors at the Center for Career Exploration and Success to learn about what kinds of opportunities she could pursue. Then something clicked when she saw a guest speaker — a Miami alum — with a successful career as a foreign service officer at the State Department. That’s when she figured out exactly what her calling was.

Teryn Goes to Washington

Once she had a direction, Teryn decided to pursue majors in Diplomacy and Global Politics and minors in Geography and Sustainable Development. Then, after learning about Miami’s Inside Washington program, she secured a prestigious internship working for Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Through this experience, she got a unique look at the behind-the-scenes work of the legislative process, from writing policies to meeting with stakeholders. She also gained essential knowledge that she would later apply to her senior capstone project. But most importantly, she learned that she was equipped to pursue her dream. 

“It gave me a lot of confidence that this sort of thing is possible,” she says. 

With that reassurance, she was ready to take the next step.

Teryn Goes Global

If Inside Washington gave her invaluable career preparation, her study abroad trip to Zambia solidified her passion for international diplomacy. For three-and-a-half weeks, she studied bacterial contamination in the groundwater, with the goal of better understanding what resources could be used for water sanitation.

But the study abroad program wasn’t just academic. She also engaged in the rewarding, hands-on work of installing wells and water pumps in areas that desperately needed them. By giving marginalized communities access to clean, safe drinking water, Teryn was making a lasting impact in the world even before she graduated.

The trip culminated in a three-day conference attended by the Zambian government and the United Nations. For someone interested in pursuing a career at the State Department, she knew how profound it was to be in that audience.

“It was just a very interesting opportunity to look at multilateral diplomacy, right in my face in a foreign country,” she says. “Honestly, it meant everything to me.” 

Teryn Goes for Her Goals

Teryn credits her Miami study abroad program with inspiring her next big life decision: joining the Peace Corps. Thanks to her incredible accomplishments, she received an invitation from the federal volunteer program to teach English in Lesotho for two years after graduation. Serving in the Peace Corps will open the door to other fellowship opportunities. It will also make her resume stand out to the State Department and other employers. But above all, it will give her another chance to be culturally immersed in a foreign country, doing the impactful work she’s always dreamed of.