On Mar. 20, the Jones International Connections Club was excited to welcome David Dunford as a guest speaker to their meeting. As a former foreign ambassador and economic officer, the members sought out his expertise to gain an inside perspective on the field of international service work.

“Dunford shared a lot of his experiences about working in the Middle East, as well as some context of the Gulf War and what’s happening in Palestine,” said one of the founders of the club, Roya Esfahani ‘25.

If one is unsure that they’re interested in this line of work, the club remains a useful resource for some of the most pressing international matters at hand.

“We have spoken a lot about America’s presence in the Middle East, as that is a region of the world where most of our members are interested in, as well as other foreign countries,” said another founder of the ICC, Charlotte Quinn ‘25.

The club and its members seek a larger context of the worldly affairs surrounding them, and how we as a country fit within that picture.

“It’s a student-led organization that allows students an opportunity to engage with a range of speakers and concepts,” said Daniel Kovacs, a social studies teacher and the club’s sponsor.

The club is of interest to people interested in becoming a foreign service officer, somebody who works at an international embassy or department and actively advances the interests of the U.S. abroad. 

“The main goal is to engage people with current events that peak their interest outside of the classroom and discuss things that might not be covered,” said Kovacs.

“Our diplomacy in America is going downwards, and I want to be a positive change in the relationship that we have with ourselves and other countries,” said Quinn.

The club hopes to forge meaningful connections both domestically and overseas.

“We would like to do a field trip eventually to see foreign service at work in Chicago while hopefully meeting more people in the industry,” said Quinn.

Staying informed of diplomatic affairs in both Chicago and as well as other countries is a cumbersome task to tackle by yourself, but with the help of the ICC, they make this important information accessible to the student body.

“We want this club to give space to students to talk about international relations, and current events, and to get a scope of how diplomacy works,” said Quinn.