Chanelle McKenzie ’25

“The CDC played a crucial role by providing résumé and cover letter guidance, internship advising, and professional encouragement.

Their support made the process feel accessible rather than intimidating, and I credit them with helping me recognize the value of my experiences and present them confidently.”

It’s hard to keep up with 2025 graduate Chanelle McKenzie’s itinerary these days.

She’s teaching college-level English to ethnic minorities in China’s Guizhou province through June. Before that, she taught English for two months in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, and last summer, spent two months in Poland as an ESL Mentor.

This May, she’ll also be heading to the City of Annam in Jordan for a week-long conference as part of her participation in a Stevens Initiative Fellowship program to design and implement community action plan projects that will impact the U.S. and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) regions.

Coupled with her natural tendency toward leadership and education, Chanelle’s world travel and internships helped her carve a unique path, one that she hopes will lead to a career in international affairs, with the “ultimate aspirations” to become a United States Foreign Service Officer and eventually a U.S. Ambassador.

Open to Experience

During her time on campus, Chanelle amassed an impressive list of applied learning experiences, including serving as a Global Scholars Teaching Assistant, a Peer Career Liaison with the Career Development Center, a Student Senator for Liberal Arts and Sciences, and a member of the Student Appeal Board.

To further strengthen her professional and diplomatic skill set, she participated in the Virtual Federal Student Service program through the U.S. Department of State, where she interned for seven months with the New York Diplomat in Residence, and then with New York State Senator Shelley B. Mayer.

Transformative Travel

Chanelle entered Purchase with a global mindset—her split American and Caribbean heritage inspired her to better understand how she could impact and change the world. She joined the Global Scholars program and pursued study abroad experiences, which proved to be transformative.

Chanelle spent the spring 2023 semester as a Gilman Scholar at Antonio Nebrija University in Madrid, Spain, and represented Purchase during the 2024 Technos International Week at Technos College in Tokyo, Japan.

In retrospect, she sees international travel as so much more than exploration.

“Being placed in unfamiliar cultural, academic, and professional environments challenged me to listen more carefully, adapt more thoughtfully, and lead with empathy. Over time, international travel became a pathway to cultural diplomacy, education, and inclusion.”

It laid the groundwork for her long-term goals.

“I’m particularly interested in public diplomacy, education, and cultural exchange, and I hope to continue working at the intersection of global engagement, policy, and equity.”

Majors: Language and Culture: Spanish / Mathematics and Computer Science
Minors: Asian Studies / Linguistics
Early Childhood Education Certificate