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Douglas Mercado, a visiting lecturer in public and international affairs, was appointed by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger to the advisory board of the state’s Office of New Americans. Through the 4-year appointment, Mercado will support efforts to assist refugees and immigrants in Virginia.“This appointment marks a continuation of my decades of professional engagement supporting refugees, internally displaced persons, and disaster-impacted communities around the world,” Mercado said. “My experience with humanitarian assistance agencies has allowed me to witness firsthand the significant challenges faced by individuals and…

Zipora Otieno MPP ’25 came to graduate school at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs with a clear career goal: After 15 years of climate change adaptation work in Africa, she wanted to expand to a new region. A few months into the program, she began applying for senior-level international positions. “Most students usually start looking for jobs when they are a few months from graduating. That presents a lot of challenges if you’re seeking a role in international organizations,” she said, noting that she applied in October and received a job offer in February. She is now the regional climate finance adviser for the Caribbean at The…

From Washington, D.C., and New York City to London, Geneva, Tokyo, Nairobi, and more, alumni of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs hold an enormous variety of influential policy-related positions. But world capitals and global financial centers are not the only locales to find them. For some Princeton SPIA graduates, the best place to apply the skills they learned at the School is back home.In the Milwaukee suburb of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, for example, Dennis McBride MPA ‘80 is in his second term as mayor, the latest in a long string of public service roles in and around his hometown. Among other positions, he was a Wauwatosa…

The Indian government has awarded one of its highest honors to Sajid Farid Shapoo Ph.D. ’23, a decorated senior Indian security and counterterrorism official who earned his doctorate in public affairs with a concentration in security studies at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.The President’s Medal for Distinguished Service recognizes Shapoo’s exceptional commitment to duty and is the highest honor reserved for high-ranking officers.“It’s a humbling experience,” Shapoo said, adding, “Your work should speak for itself.”Shapoo currently serves as chief vigilance officer under India’s Ministry of Defence. Throughout his 28-year…