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Community

Small is beautiful. Our cohort size means that you will likely get to know everyone you study with by their first, last and nick name. We study together, travel together, attend events and simulations alongside everyone. Every crowd has its edge and plenty of our students find their comfort zone right there. Introverts are welcome. 

It is often said that in diplomacy and many other endeavors relationships are everything. Our small but incredibly diverse cohorts are, by design, the foundation of many life-long personal and professional relationships. It happens fast, but will last forever. The shared events and curriculum mean that you have a safe space to grow in any direction that suits you. 

For those of you still with us after graduation, we do what we can to help you remain connected to your classmates, while taking great care to protect the privacy entrusted to us. If you'd like to hear from us or what is happening with your cohort, start by letting us know how we can reach you. As you benefitted from your alumni relationships, help those just getting started find their way.

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2024 10 05, ISCNE Katie Putz and Rick Spencer

Alumni Katie Putz and Rick Spencer return to help with the 2024 ISCNE.

Mark Mahan, Mahan Multimedia

Fit check

The Patterson School is dedicated to creating and maintaining a dynamic learning and work environment. In our global, competitive economy, we firmly believe appreciating, understanding, and embracing all people is essential to success. We will not discriminate. In the admissions process, consideration is placed on assembling as varied a class as possible in all its attributes. Indeed, this is critical to the Patterson School’s pedagogical model. The unique qualities, perspectives, and life experiences of each student enriches the education of the entire cohort.

How large is the international group of students?

International students tend to be about 10% of the cohort, but representing all continents and major regions.

Ashley Wagers through Fall Conference crowd

Ashley Wagers through Fall Conference crowd

Mark Mahan

Do the job that is in front of you. If the job that comes up for you is job C, rather than job A, it is not the end of the world. It is only the end of the world if you make it. My advice is, do the job that is presented, that’s in front of you.

John T. Ice, Alum 2003
J.T. Ice
Foreign Service Officer
2022 DACOR Reunion

2022 DACOR Reunion

Where do Patterson Alumni work?

Patterson School graduates are employed by a broad range of institutions in the public, private, non-profit, and multilateral sectors. Aside from clusters in a few select US government agencies (State Department-USAID, Intelligence Community), Patterson alumni are widely scattered across the nation and the globe. The greatest concentration of graduates is in and around Washington, DC.

While some students line up career employment before graduation, many spend months on a job search, or winding through the lengthy selection process to enter the Foreign Service or join other US government agencies. Positions in the public and private sectors requiring a Top Secret security clearance can also entail a considerable delay in employment. Patterson School graduates engaged in further study are often participants in dual-degree programs with UK Law School or the Gatton College of Business and Economics.

Meet our Alumni

Current Student Spotlight: Tori Vestal

Tori Vestal is a current first year student in the Patterson School. She is majoring in Diplomacy and dually pursuing a certificate in Global Health. She received her BA in Foreign Languages and International Economics from the University of Kentucky May 2022 before joining the Patterson School in August.

Meet Katie Smith, 2021 Alum

Katie Smith is a 2021 Patterson School graduate that is currently working at the Department of Commerce in the International Trade Administration as an International Trade Compliance Analyst. Her department is responsible for protecting domestic industries from foreign products that can outcompete with American goods.

Meet Brennan Tucker, 2021 Alum

Brennan Tucker graduated in December 2021 and has begun working as a contractor employed by CAMRIS International Inc.. Her assignment has placed her in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) where she works in the Bureau for Global Health in the Office of the Assistant Administrator. Tucker also says The Patterson School prepared her well for her job  - “Patterson gave me a very diverse set of skills that I think are applicable in many different work settings, including at USAID.

Meet Vivianne Leonard, 2021 Alum

Vivianne is currently employed with John Snow Inc., Research & Training Institute as a Program Coordinator in their International Division for the Country Health Information Systems and Data Use (CHISU). Operating in more than 15 countries, CHISU is a USAID Bureau for Global Health flagship funded projects that implements digital health strategies and supports countries; self-management in health data.

Managing your Career

The Stuckert Career Center does an exceptional job assisting University of Kentucky students and alumni with career exploration and job search tools. Throughout the year, the Center offers general career counseling, career workshops, mock interview training, and public and private sector recruitment events. While the career center can be an outstanding resource, we believe – in keeping with our specialized program of study – that career assistance must also be personalized.

Patterson School faculty, staff, and alumni will offer insights on how to craft successful resumes and applications, on which internships best compliment your ambitions, and on how to negotiate the seemingly Byzantine federal job process. Although it is difficult to track the job market, our faculty often alert students and alumni to potentially promising opportunities that arise. Alumni are also known to peruse the Patterson School LinkedIn page for possible candidates for internships and open positions.

Stuckert Career Center

Our personalized individual appointments offer expert guidance on a wide range of career and professional development topics to help you achieve your goals.

Location
408 Rose St., Lexington, KY 40506
 
Hours of Operation
Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm
 

Schedule an appointment

Contact Student Affairs

Nash and Nimbus

Nash Meade Student Affairs Officer

Linked Department (or Location)
Meet our Student Affairs Officer
Location Detail
120 Patterson Dr. Rm 455, Lexington KY
Email
nash.meade@uky.edu
Phone
859-257-4666

Director

Joe Young, Director

Dr. Joe Young Professor, Director of the Patterson School

Linked Department (or Location)
Meet Dr. Joe Young
Location Detail
461 Patterson Office Tower
Email
joe.young@uky.edu
Phone
859-257-0328