Students in the MAEUS program enjoy a wide variety of professional development activities facilitated by the European Union Center. The EUC frequently hosts visiting scholars, experts, and practitioners from government, business, and non-governmental organizations. Reflecting the centrality of the MAEUS program within the life of center, the EUC regularly facilitates small meetings between students in its community and visiting guests. These social settings foster professional development and networking, ensuring MAEUS students are exceptionally prepared for their future careers.
Past MAEUS, EUC graduate students, and FLAS fellows have had networking opportunities with distinguished scholars and other guests. We are particularly proud of the chances that our students have had to meet high-ranking diplomats, with the list below providing an idea:
- Ambassadors
- David O’Sullivan, Ambassador of the EU to the US
- Karin Olofsdottir, Ambassador of Sweden to the US
- Lauri Lepik, Ambassador of Estonia to the US
- Henne Schuwer, Ambassador of the Netherlands to the US
- Andris Razāns, Ambassador of Latvia to the US
- Michael Collins, Ambassador of Ireland to the US
- João Vale de Almeida, Ambassador of the EU to the US
- György Szapáry, Ambassador of Hungary to the US
- Jonas Hafström, Ambassador of Sweden to the US
- Anthony Gardner, Ambassador of the US to the EU
- Consular Corps
- Wolfgang Mössinger, Consulate General of Germany in Chicago
- Paul Van Halteren, Honorary Consul of Belgium in Chicago
- Klaas van der Tempel, Consulate General of the Netherlands in Chicago
- Mario-Ingo Soos, Deputy Consulate General of Germany in Chicago
- Yerassimos Lazaris, Trade Commissioner, Greek Consulate, Chicago
The EU Center also coordinates opportunities to meet with professionals from various international fields through events co-hosted or co-sponsored with other area centers in the Illinois Global Institute, as well as through the university’s Career Center.
In addition, the EU Center provides MAEUS students with opportunities to develop their professional skills off-campus. Our program has arranged trips to important centers of decision making, such as Washington DC and Brussels. These trips give our students a better understanding of how EU agencies actually work, and how governments and non-governmental organizations address transatlantic relations. These trips grant important professional development opportunities for our students. Our students have visited important institutions such as:
- The EU Delegation to the United States
- The European Union External Action Service
- The European Parliament Liaison Office with U.S. Congress
- The U.S. State Department
- The U.S. Mission to the European Union
- US AID – Bureau for Europe and Eurasia
- The Atlantic Council
- The European Parliament
Students have the opportunity to write for the EUC Blog on topics of academic and professional interest, as well about their experiences as students and FLAS fellows. Recent student contributions to the EUC Blog include a series on COVID-19 developments in Europe, analyses of current events, and research on study abroad. Extensive professional development opportunities makes the MAEUS program at the University of Illinois not only a great place to get an education, but also to kick-start a career in an energetic, fast-paced field of study.
Careers
MAEUS alumni land jobs in business, government, higher education, and non-profits.
The European Union is increasingly recognized in various sectors as a significant influence on developments in the international and transatlantic arenas. Government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international businesses, law firms, trade groups, not-for-profit associations, institutions of higher education, media organizations, and think tanks all hire experts in the EU. As the modern world continues to globalize, the importance of the EU is expected to continue to grow.
The MAEUS program regularly provides career development opportunities through engagements with professionals in a variety of sectors. MAEUS graduates are highly employable and well prepared through EU Center and affiliated faculty mentoring. EU Center staff and faculty devote individualized attention to MAEUS students conducting internship and job searches, for example by providing advice on writing cover letters and developing resumes. Students in the MAEUS program also have access to resources through the University of Illinois Career Center and Graduate College Career Services Office. MAEUS students also have access to an extensive alumni relations network, connecting them to program graduates and other University of Illinois professionals. This include our expanding network of MAEUS alumni.
Click here to view a list of MAEUS alumni.
Some examples of specific placements includes:
Business:
- Hewlett Packard
- Chicago Board of Trade
- The Baker Group
- McMaster-Carr
- Illinois Business Consulting
Government:
- Defense Intelligence Agency
Higher Education:
- Texas A&M Study Abroad Office
- University of Illinois Study Abroad Office
- Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library
- Austin Peay State University International Student Services
Media:
- Chicago News Bureau
- Manifest Digital
Doctoral Studies/Further Studies:
- Ph.D. in Social Work at the University of Illinois
- M.S. in International and Comparative Education at Stockholm University, Sweden
- J.D. in Law at the John Marshall Law School
- M.A. in Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh