Published on May 9, 2020 by Sean Flynt  
Sarah Williamson
Sarah Williamson

Sarah Williamson developed her interest in international relations by full immersion, living with her missionary family in Lusaka, Zambia, from age 12 to 18. “I realized that I wanted some kind of career that would allow me to travel outside of the United States and interact with diverse people and cultures,” she said as she prepared for graduation and her next steps.

Williamson said a collection of great Samford experiences, including involvement in the International Club and Samford RUF ministry, an internship in the Global Engagement Office and service as an International Ambassador, kept her on that path. And, of course, her major in international relations provided an outstanding, interdisciplinary foundation for whatever career she chooses. “I studied both Arabic and Spanish and took classes in economics, history, language and political science,” she said. She also studied and had an internship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last summer, which enriched her understanding of Latin America.

Williamson’s longtime professional goal is to become a Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. State Department, and her next step in that direction is to attend the University of Maryland as a Robertson Fellow in the Masters of Public Policy program.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.