Calvin College - International Development Studies

Every month Calvin is in session a new Calvin IDS graduate will be featured on this page.

For May 2008 through the Summer, Chris O'Brien has been kind enough to answer a few questions, and share a few photos of his experiences after graduation.

What degree did you graduate Calvin with?

B.A. in Economics, a second interdisciplinary major in International Development Studies, and a minor in German.

What's your official position where you are working now?

I recently finished my term as a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) in Peru, where my official title was at times Small Business Advisor, and at other times Economic Development Agent. My next official position will be "student" when I start graduate school at Fordham University in August.

Please give a brief description of your tasks for this position.

As a PCV, your task is to integrate yourself into the community you live in for 2 years and find where your skills meet the community's needs, goals, and resources. This means that every PCV has a unique set of tasks, which he or she defines in coordination with their local counterparts in the community. My primary counterparts were a regional tara farmer association, a local NGO working with the tara farmers, and a local guinea pig farmer association. The following are a few examples of my primary tasks: developing new business models for farmer associations and small businesses; leading workshops on basic business strategies (teaching analysis of profit margins and rate of return on investment); facilitating needs assessment and capacity building trainings for NGO's; conducting a value chain industry analysis and export feasibility study; coordinating the grant proposal process for NGO's and municipalities.

Please describe briefly the path you've followed since graduation that led
you to this position?

My firm plan after Calvin was to work overseas to gain solid grassroots experience in the developing world. During my last semester, I applied to CRWRC's program HOPE and to MCC. Both organizations expressed interest in accepting me, but through our conversations no available positions were found to be a good fit for me. Both left me with some variation of "we like you a lot, so why don't you call back in three months when we have more positions available." Because I was set on spending time overseas volunteering and really liked both organizations, I waited and called back. I passed the time working temp jobs that weren't valuable to me or my resume. After about a year waiting and calling back, I realized that I needed a new plan and applied to the Peace Corps. The PC application process lasted another year, which I also spent working not-so-valuable temp jobs because I didn't expect the process to take so long.

Lessons learned: 1. Pursue lots of possibilities after graduation, because you never know which will come to fruition and which will not. 2. Don't let the possibility of starting something in three months keep you from pursuing valuable work/volunteer opportunities today.

My faith is the reason for what I do. In a very real way it gives the me perseverence and purpose to hold to a path that is not often easy. Development work is not for the faint of heart or those who want a comfortable life.

My faith also gives me a worldview that makes good development work possible. It is a perspective that affirms the value and potential of each human being - reminding us that the solutions to poverty won't come through top-down plans designed by rich, well-educated people who work isolated from the realities they purport to change. Solutions can only come from people living within those realities, and those who work together with them. Our responsibility as development workers is to "walk with the poor" to borrow from Bryant Myers.

While you're still in GR, look for other ways to gain experience: intern at the CRWRC home office; volunteer with a justice oriented community organization or one of the many NGO's serving immigrant communities; plan events with SJC or other student groups; work for the service learning center. Finally, work to acquire language skills, whether it be through classes, travel, self-teaching books or tapes, or interaction with foreign studients at Calvin or immigrant communities in Grand Rapids.

What is your biggest regret looking back at your time at Calvin? What do you
wish you had done differently?

I'm very happy with the choices I made at Calvin, especially taking advantage of 4 chances to study abroad. Undergrad studies may be the easiest opportunity you ever have for such travel. I do sometimes wish that I'd had the opportunity to take a few business classes and to do an internship using my economics while studying, but you only have time for so much.

Do you have any other words of hope or wisdom to offer soon-to-be IDS
graduates?

Find what you're passionate about, and pursue it. Expect it to be difficult at times, but also expect sticking with that path to be well worth it in the end. If you're still looking for that passion, find other people who are passionate about different vocations, and learn why. Find websites and listserves that expose you to the types of positions that exist in your field of interest. (one easy way is to sign up for daily job/internship e-mails from idealist.com) Start to envision what your dream job is (it's okay if you change your mind later). Take every opportunity to talk with people in that dream job, or in different steps along the path to getting there. Make connections with as many people as possible, and don't be shy about asking for them advice or for other contacts to meet with.