Meet Wrenn Bellamy, '07 Alum

Wrenn Bellamy graduated from Patterson in 2007 with a major in International Commerce and a minor in Development. Before entering the program, he earned an accounting degree from Asbury University. Between degrees, Wrenn gained financial and international experience working for a CPA firm in Chicago and later helping with the finances of a non-profit that managed a French abbey.
 
Upon graduating from Patterson, he worked for USAID as an auditor. Wrenn cites the economic modeling classes in helping to narrow interests and identify USAID as a future employer. The performance audits he completed to grade the achievement of development goals within nations relied heavily on knowledge gained at Patterson. The information gained in the development courses taken at Patterson often appeared in the reports - especially regarding agriculture.
 
In 2012, Wrenn shifted to the State Department and has been there since. Wrenn is currently the Senior Finance Director for U.S. Missions to Austria, OSCE, and UNVIE. Wrenn believes Patterson was crucial in helping him with his career over the past fifteen years. He learned of the phenomena that exists at the international level through summer readings and classroom discussions. This information was paired with the writing skills he gained from language to structure of writing, which have been crucial in his various roles with USAID and the State Department.
 
This knowledge was also helpful in day-to-day dealings in the State Department thanks to the real-world experiences that helped him to understand the culture of business and government. The experience and education gained through the program, thanks to faculty like Dr. Farley and Ambassador Cavanaugh, allowed him to be prepared for success in a highly competitive field.