What does your dream career look like to you? Do you envision yourself traveling the world, working for a greater cause, or changing the world one step at a time? 

Through UNLV’s new Diplomat in Residence program, students will be connected to job, fellowship, and internship opportunities with the U.S. Department of State that will help launch them into a rewarding public service career.

UNLV will be one of the few universities in the nation with such an affiliation with the State Department. It will provide resources to students interested in working for the government and traveling abroad. Among the reasons UNLV was chosen to host this program is its great range of majors and programs; its Las Vegas location, which makes it a hub for Nevada; and the university's strong commitment to diversity. UNLV is designated as a Minority-Serving Institution, a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution.

The State Department is the foreign affairs arm of the U.S. federal government and has a mission to work with other nations in advancing U.S. foreign interests. Through this Diplomat in Residence program affiliation, the State Department will advise Rebels on possible career options by providing a direct resource on campus to share information with students and alumni.

Diplomats in Residence are foreign service officers and specialists throughout the country who serve as regional recruiters looking for talented, diverse candidates to apply for careers, internships, fellowships, and study abroad scholarships with the State Department.

Antoinette Hurtado, a seasoned diplomat with nearly 19 years of service, and her successor will act as a guide and resource for interested UNLV students and alumni starting in the upcoming fall semester. She will be available to answer questions and share advice with those who would like to explore their options within the foreign service field.

“In my career, I've worked on a number of different issues. I've served in Australia, Brazil, Afghanistan, Italy, and now currently as a Diplomat in Residence,” Hurtado said. “My biggest role as a public diplomacy officer in the foreign service is to engage foreign public audiences to help explain America, our culture, our values, and our policies.”

Recruiting for a Diverse Workforce

Based out of Las Vegas, Hurtado serves the Southwest region, including Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. UNLV will have a resident affiliation with Hurtado that will provide greater communication channels between her and the Rebel community.

Hurtado will work to build program awareness through classroom visits, career fairs, one-on-one office hours, and information sessions. Students can expect to see her around campus and are encouraged to explore the opportunities she can provide.

“UNLV has that designation, [has] a significant amount of its student body being from diverse backgrounds, and is focused on trying to serve those from those backgrounds,” Hurtado said. “Las Vegas, of course, is booming. There's just a lot going on here. So UNLV just seemed like a really wonderful fit for our recruitment priorities.”

The Department of State’s second recruitment priority involves filling specialist careers, including IT professionals, engineers, English language teachers, doctors, and law enforcement personnel. This means that interested students don’t need to have a specific major to be the right fit for the program.

“I always tell students, whatever major you might have, there is a career for you at the State Department. It just depends on what you want to spend your day-to-day doing,” Hurtado said. “We have different kinds of careers for basically every major that's out there.”

Students who are interested in pursuing State Department programs that offer scholarships, fellowships, or internships can use Hurtado as a resource to explore future possibilities that they may not have considered before.

“I definitely encourage students to reach out to me with any questions, to set up an office hour session with me so we can go over, let's say, starting with an internship or study abroad scholarship,” Hurtado said. “I also do career advising, helping them find which career is right for them and talking them through the application process.” 

Hurtado — when she was a student — said the opportunities offered to her by the State Department positively changed her own life’s trajectory, and hopes to offer that same change to the UNLV community.

“Faculty and staff and myself feel really passionately about helping students see themselves in these different opportunities, helping them to just broaden their horizons about what's possible for the future.”

Contacting the Diplomat in Residence

Hurtado will be available beginning in the fall semester to offer personal guidance and ensure that students, faculty, staff, and alumni from all backgrounds can take advantage of having this resource on campus. 

You can learn more about U.S. Department of State career opportunities and student programs such as internships and fellowships on their website.

If you are interested in any of the opportunities offered, email the Diplomat in Residence at dirsouthwest@state.gov.