Graduate School Boosts Career Options for Diplomacy Student

Del Sanders is combining his professional experience with a graduate degree in International Affairs to boost his career options.

Delfronce Sanders is a second year student in the Online Executive Master’s program in International Affairs at the School of Diplomacy. As an skilled intelligence analyst and career professional, he chose to advance his career by pursuing a globally-focused graduate degree and taking a non-traditional path to complete his master’s studies at Seton Hall.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from Texas Tech, where he played soccer, Sanders spent the next decade gaining real-world experience working with government agencies, embassies and non-governmental organizations, in addition to learning multiple languages. He has a military and government contracting background and spent the last 16 years as a Special Forces analyst, a robust experience he drew on during his first year of graduate school.

During his time in the master's program, Sanders participated in the National Security Fellowship (NSF) graduate student research team. Part of the team’s project involved an operational paper and informational presentation to a first-time client, Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT). His relationship with the group’s J2 Commander, who requested the research, along with his prior experience working on specific projects focusing on Russian and Chinese influence in Central Asia for SOCCENT were vital. Sanders helped support the team’s deliverables by changing the language to reflect the Department of Defense (DoD)’s sensibilities and making recommendations tailored to SOCCENT’s interests. The NSF team successfully presented their materials to SOCCENT and the DoD’s Director of Intelligence and Security Operations’ Chairman of Joint chief of Staff. The team received an Official Commendation from Major General Kevin Leahy following their presentation.

Sanders currently works as the Operations Manager of the National Security Solutions sector of FNA Inc, a FINTECH company creating AI and machine learning solutions for central banks worldwide and for multiple Department of Defense organizations. Sanders attributes his interest in foreign policy, and international security in the Middle East to the years he spent working and living in 10 countries, engaging with think tanks, embassies, NGOs, and other entities such as the military. Looking ahead, Sanders hopes to use his professional experience and his graduate degree in International Affairs, to help him reach his next career goal: a position as a fellow at a think tank in the Middle East.

Seton Hall’s Online Executive Master of Science in International Affairs program is designed for professionals who seek to develop additional skills or credentials to move ahead in their careers. Learn more about the program here.

Categories: Alumni