Shane Smith, CAR Student

Shane Smith, a junior from Dallas, TX, has been interested in foreign affairs since high school. After working with two “lost boys of Sudan,” he realized his desire to work in that field, particularly on issues relating to Africa. Initially a government and international politics major, he learned about conflict analysis and resolution while training to be a Mason Ambassador, a student representative of the university tasked with assisting the Admissions office with welcoming and assisting prospective undergraduate students and their families. Attracted to the youth and vitality of the CAR program, Shane changed his major and hasn’t looked back.

During the fall semester, Shane was selected by the Center of Global Education at Mason to travel to London to take part in classes, as well as an internship at Peace One Day, a non-profit organization that aims to promote peace through arts and education. At his internship, he was responsible for assisting with communication and outreach efforts. While in London, he was also able to attend events with human rights activists, Parliament members, and other peacemakers.

Shane understands the value of this international work experience and hopes to leverage it one day for a career at the U.S. Department of State. In the meantime, he has recently accepted an internship offer with the Office of the Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education for the spring semester. Grateful for these opportunities, Shane acknowledges the importance for S-CAR students to gain experience outside of the classroom and hopes to continue to do so throughout his remaining time at Mason.