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International affairs

April 8, 2022

The Cheshire Academy community welcomed Danica Starks on Friday, April 8 to speak as part of a Model UN program on international affairs.

Starks is the senior U.S. commercial liaison and advisor to the U.S. executive director at the World Bank, as well as head of the Department of Commerce’s Multilateral Development Bank Group.

Starks’ remote visit was made possible by alumnus Tom Cavaliere ’15, business associate with AdvanceCT, a nonprofit organization that works to engage, retain, and recruit businesses and advance overall economic competitiveness in Connecticut.

As part of her presentation, Starks provided students insight on how to pursue a career in international affairs, and the importance of acting responsibly in high school and in college. Individuals in international affairs undergo frequent background checks and security clearances, she said, so “how you behave and how you hold yourself can have a real impact later.”

Starks also reflected on her career, which has led her to Afghanistan without a visa and without support from locals, and to landing on the coast of Egypt at 3 a.m. with nowhere to stay.

“When you go into a career in international affairs, you really have to embrace the crazy and the unknown,” she said.

Following her presentation, Starks fielded questions from students specific to her career, negotiating with foreign diplomats, and handling stress in the workplace.