DC Career Trek

This two-day trek explores a variety of career paths in CIR's second-largest destination market, Washington, D.C. Participants visit a number of CIR alums at their respective office locations and have the opportunity to explore organizations where their academic skills can be leveraged to solve problems and influence policy on local, national, and global scales. 

Day 1:
Sightseeing - National Mall
Dinner with CIR alumna Wenchi Yu and representatives from Global Women Asia

Day 2:
CATO with CIR alumnus Justin Logan
Young Professionals Panel

  • Moderator: Alex Wagner
  • Alexander Kirss (CIR’ 14), Director of Research, Gartner
  • Nicholas Graves (CIR’ 24), Research Assistant, Committee on Foreign Affairs, US House of Representatives
  • Zander Arnao (CIR’ 23), Policy Analyst at Knight-Georgetown Institute
  • Audrey Weckwerth (CIR’ 25), Associate, Beacon Global Strategies
  • Kristen Taylor (MA in International Relations, American University), Associate Director with the Transatlantic Security Initiative, Atlantic Council 

Fireside chat with Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi
Capitol tour
Alumni Networking Reception

Day 3:
US Department of State
US Department of Commerce
Hudson Institute
Capstone dinner with CIR alumna Margaret Hawthorne

Participants of the 2024 trek visited several CIR alums at their offices, including the Asian Development Bank, Center for Strategic and Int’l Studies, National Press Club, and more. The trip was capped off with a celebratory reception at Founding Farmers. 

2024 Itinerary - At a Glance

Day 1:
Asian Development Bank
Host: Yoojung Jung; Marina Best

Center for Strategic and Inernational Studies
Host: Reja Younis

National Press Club - Faculty Lecture and Alumni Reception
Host: Professor Rochelle Terman, UChicago Political Science

Day 2:
Nuveen
Host: Jennifer Grzech

UChicago Federal Relations Office - Government Panel and Lunch
Hosts: Trudy Vincent; Gabriel Sehr

Reporters Without Borders
Host: Clayton Weimers

Celebratory Reception 

A group of students and faculty standing with an alumnus on a staircase.
CIR students with Reja Younis (CIR ’18) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies during the 2024 DC Career Trek.
A group of students and alumni standing in front of the logo of the University of Chicago.
CIR students with Jesse Baker (CIR ’07), Danielle Fulfs (CIR ’13), Elizabeth Granger (CIR ’16), Gabriel Sehr (CIR ’13), and Kerri Sikich (CIR ’03) after a panel on government careers during the 2024 DC Career Trek.
A group of students standing with an alumnus in a conference room.
CIR students with Jennifer Grzech (CIR ’14) in the DC offices of Nuveen during the 2024 DC Career Trek.
A group of students and faculty standing with an alumnus in an office lobby.
CIR students with Clayton Weimers (CIR ’14) in the DC offices of Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders) during the 2024 DC Career Trek.
A group of students stand in front of a large black fence with the north face of the US White House in the background.
CIR students standing in front of the White House in Lafayette Square during the 2024 DC Career Trek.
A group of students and faculty standing with an alumnus on a staircase.
A group of students and alumni standing in front of the logo of the University of Chicago.
A group of students standing with an alumnus in a conference room.
A group of students and faculty standing with an alumnus in an office lobby.
A group of students stand in front of a large black fence with the north face of the US White House in the background.