International Political Economy Alumni Spotlights
Maham Ali
Class Year: ’19
Majors: International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Job:
Community Schools Manager at United Way of Racine County
“My relationships with my professors was integral in shaping my interests today. They provided me the resources and space to pursue my interests fully.”
Jackson Bailey
Class Year: ’19
Majors: Finance and International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Job:
Research Assistant with the Council of Economic Advisors at the White House
“Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.”
Christina (Wright) Bruff
Class Year: ’04
Majors: Economics, International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Cheverly, MD
Job:
Cooperation and Development Counselor, U.S. Mission to the Organization of American States
“I’ve loved that I’ve had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of issues and become a collector of experiences.”
Sean Conley
Class Year: ’15
Majors: International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Whitestown, Ind.
Job:
Hourly Trader at ACES in Carmel, Ind.
“Carthage was also very good at teaching me to be prepared and flexible. There were many times in my college career where, in the pursuit of a project, I would need to be able to juggle several resources and adapt as the situation changed. The same description can be applied to my career today.”
Timothy Dunnigan
Class Year: ’21
Majors: International Political Economy and Great Ideas
Current Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Job:
Technical Recruiter at TEKsystems
“One of the best Carthage memories I have is reading “Meno” and coming to a solid conclusion on what virtue really is and how I might strive to act virtuously in my own life.”
Jen Fournier Quinn
Class Year: ’06
Majors: International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Winthrop Harbor
Job:
Sales Manager at Uline
“My experience at Carthage with writing and presentations was the best preparation for my transition into corporate management. It helped put me ahead of my peers who attended larger schools and did not have the writing and speaking skills.”
Logan Frank
Class Year: ’17
Majors: International Political Economy, Accounting, and Finance
Current Hometown: Chaska, Minnesota
Job:
Trade Compliance Analyst at Bunzl Retail Services
“Carthage pushed me to always go further than what was required and to find joy in the process of learning. This has carried over and is a central part of my life.”
Jared Fryksdale
Class Year: ’10
Majors: International Political Economy and Economics
Current Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Job:
Vice president at Cresco Labs
“The things I have enjoyed most in my career is the opportunity to learn multiple functions within human resources and how those function impact people and business results.”
Kaitlin Fuller
Class Year: ’12
Majors: International Political Economy and History
Current Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Job:
General Education Teacher at Milwaukee Public Schools
“Carthage gave me an inner strength that has allowed me to face and conquer challenges personally and professionally.”
John Gray
Class Year: ’06
Majors: International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Job:
Associate Director at the Office of Management and Budget
“I always felt that my professors, like Profs. Cyr and Maltsev, provided a platform that was similar to graduate school. That style required more in-depth research and broader writing skills. But it wasn’t just the teaching style, it was the caliber of people who teach at Carthage — remarkable people — some that I still call mentors.”
Amanda Imes
Class Year: ’09
Majors: International Political Economy and Economics
Current Hometown: Duluth, Minnesota
Job:
Economist at Minnesota Management and Budget, Co-owner of Boreal Bliss Yoga Retreats
“There is nothing I love more than working through a vast dataset by creating code with the support of colleagues.”
Ian Johnston
Class Year: ’15
Majors: International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Ft. Bliss, Texas
Job:
Bradley Fighting Vehicle Commander
“Everyone I encountered in my time at Carthage believed in helping those around them.”
Allen Kuzilwa
Class Year: ’03
Majors: International Political Economy
Current Hometown: London, United Kingdom
Job:
Education and Culture Attache for the High Commission of the United Republic of Tanzania
“Part of a diplomat’s daily task is to report to capitals on new developments that affect our nations’ bilateral and international relations. The liberal arts education I received at Carthage equipped me with tools to look deeper into some of these developments, and produce analytical reports that enable government leaders to make informed and better decisions.”
Monica LaFaive
Class Year: ’17
Majors: International Political Economy and Spanish
Job:
Underwriter at Jewelers Mutual
“Since the classes were so hands on with the professors, the quality of my education really prepared me for my career.”
Josh Lamers
Class Year: ’10
Majors: International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Chicago, IL
Job:
Sell-side analyst at William Blair & Company
“Being involved in Carthage organizations such as the Mock Trial Team was instrumental in helping me build my public speaking ability, critical thinking, and teamwork skills.”
Levi Latoz
Class Year: ’20
Majors: International Political Economy, Asian Studies
Current Hometown: Douliu City, Yunlin County, Taiwan
Job:
Fulbright Fellowships English Teaching Assistant
“As a Fulbright Grantee in Taiwan, every day I get to utilize the liberal arts skills I acquired at Carthage.”
Trevor Lipsett
Class Year: ’10
Majors: IPE
Current Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Job:
Director of Client Experience and Reporting at Hightower Advisors
“Carthage gives you a unique ability to get involved and contribute both academically and socially in a non-intimidating way.”
John Lothman
Class Year: ’08
Majors: International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Roeland Park, Kansas
Job:
Senior Manager at Ernst & Young LLP (EY Consulting);
Owner of McLain’s Market/Bakery
“In my collegiate career, I was able to develop leadership traits quickly through active involvement, critical thinking concepts, and teaming.”
Ashley Mikkola
Class Year: ’14
Majors: International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Godalming, Surrey, United Kingdom
Job:
Full-stack Software Developer at Aceleron Energy
“The requirements for a diverse course load at Carthage has given me confidence to try things outside of my comfort zone.”
Megan Miles
Class Year: ’21
Majors: International Political Economy, Japanese
Current Hometown: Deerfield, Illinois
Job:
Sales Coordinator at Nippon Steel Trading Americas, Inc.
“I chose Carthage because I wanted to have a more personal relationship with my my professors.”
Owen Myers
Class Year: ’18
Majors: Political Science, International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Milwaukee, Wis.
Job:
Polaris District Executive at Boy Scouts of America
“Professors are the best and most unique part of Carthage. Their experiences, connections, and stories allow students to engage with materials and careers early in their undergraduate journey.”
Katie Niemeyer
Class Year: ’13
Majors: International Political Economy and Economics
Current Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
Job:
Manager, Program Design and Implementation at Land O’Lakes International Development
“The most enjoyable and challenging aspect of my work is the constant learning and adaptation that needs to take place, whether I’m in the home office or in the field.”
Edwin Javier Ojeda
Class Year: ’05
Majors: International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Madison, Wis.
Job:
Senior Vice President, Industrial Business
“I came to Carthage as a pretty average student. But I left Carthage as a person who understood that being a great student is about wanting to be great.”
Katherine Schlinder
Class Year: ’15
Majors: International Political Economy, Spanish, Economics
Current Hometown: Geneva, Switzerland
Job:
Consultant at International Trade Centre in Geneva, Switzerland
“My combination of international political economy, economics, and Spanish gave me the necessary quantitative and qualitative skills to further grow and expand my experiences through my academic and consulting projects in my current graduate program.
Kaitlin Theobald
Class Year: ’15
Majors: International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Delavan, Wisconsin
Job:
Western Culture Ambassador at Shang Xia – Hermès Group
“Carthage helped with my foreign language skills. Studying abroad helped me learn how to adapt on my own in a foreign land. The wide range of courses and professors were essential in teaching me to deal with different types of people and situations.”
Allison Von Borstel
Class Year: ’15
Majors: Economics, International Political Economy
Current Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Job:
Senior Economic Modeler at Nielsen
“I’ve loved being able to work in different sectors and using the tools I learned at Carthage to solve problems at work.”
Margaret Wixted
Class Year: ’18
Majors: International Political Economy
Current Hometown: St. Charles, IL
Job:
Project Coordinator, SmartSource Technical Solutions
“My greatest memories of Carthage are the results of doing things I never thought I could before.”