Clare's love of travel, language, and service to others naturally led her to the Peace Corps. But it was her Peace Corps experience in the former Soviet State of Moldova, where she saw first-hand the horrors of human trafficking, that led her to social work.

"Ultimately I want to affect social policy at the macro level, but what I like about the MSW degree is that it also pushes me to learn what is going on locally.

"There is so much opportunity at the Brown School. Students can actually choose where to complete their practica. With the ability to create an individualized course of study, you can tailor the program to meet your needs.

"I've been amazed at the resources that are available at Washington University. The library, the summer stipends, and the grants you can receive. There are numerous opportunities to engage in research."

Clare completed her field work in Cambodia with the International Organization for Migration’s program on human trafficking. She went on to complete a Fulbright research grant in Chile on the same topic.  She now serves as a Foreign Service officer with USAID.  Clare is headed to Kazakhstan where she will be a program and project development officer.  Her job allows her to make decisions about how US humanitarian aid is spent in Central Asia and how policy and development can best support one another.

To read more about Clare's life and work, visit Clare's blog. If you go back to Jan-July 2007, you will find her posts about her field work in Cambodia.