Tajah McCray

Tajah McCray, School of Diplomacy M.A. candidate 2022, specializing in Foreign Policy Analysis with a regional focus on Asia, is completing her final semester with Seton Hall University through the School’s Washington, D.C., program. The classes are led by Dr. Walser, a policy analyst and former foreign service officer with over four decades of teaching and career experience in the field of international relations. McCray said of the experience, "the classes are truly interesting and overall, a great learning experience. We have had guest speakers from the Department of Defense, the State Department as well as ambassadors, who have shared their career insight. I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to delve into the field of international relations."

McCray has always sought to better understand the world outside of the United States. Originally from Long Island, NY, she attended the York College of Pennsylvania and completed her bachelor's degree program in international relations in 2020. Her areas of focus during undergrad were globalization and peace and conflict management. After graduation, she was prepared to depart for Benin, Africa to teach in the Peace Corps, however, the COVID-19 Pandemic would prevent members from serving abroad, and this led her to apply for the School of Diplomacy and International Relations.

She studied abroad in both India and Cuba while completing her B.A. While studying in India, she assisted in engaging with children at a local orphanage known as Homes of the Indian Nation (HOINA). The experience was eye-opening and further increased her desire to learn more about both India and Asia in general, and to one day make an impact on the community while being a resource for others.

McCray indicates that she has treasured her experience attending Seton Hall University. She credits the School of Diplomacy's exceptional faculty, recalling lessons that she learned from Professors Alam and Murphy. She also praises the opportunities and experiences that the School offers, like the Semester in Washington, D.C., and cites the opportunities available among the most valuable resources to utilize during her graduate studies. Another opportunity McCray took advantage of was an internship with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, delving into research on how COVID-19 affected India, as well as U.S.-India partnership opportunities. She is currently interning with the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee where she completes research on a variety of issues related to foreign policy. She's also had the opportunity to polish her writing skills as an associate editor with the student-run Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations. McCray advises students not to be afraid of reaching out to career professionals in asking for advice or potential internship/job opportunities.

On campus, she currently serves as the treasurer of the Black Diplomacy Student Organization (BDSO). This position has been invaluable, as it's allowed her to be engaged and surrounded by people with the same field of interests and similar experiences. She's been grateful to assist the Black community as a resource and has also made numerous friends and connections through the student-run organization.

One hope of McCray's is to be a resource to others and to share her experiences with others. To that end she hopes to one day become a professor in the field of international relations and help others discover more about the world.