Seton Hall University Office of Admissions

What Great Minds Can Do: Daria Preston  

Daria Preston

Diplomacy and International Relations, Modern Languages majors; Economics minor

Palmer, Alaska

"I've been able to do so much during my time at Seton Hall. I've had five internships with nonprofit organizations, which will really prepare me for my career in international development. I worked on a statistical research project with Dr. Martin Edwards on IMF transparency and presented our findings with him at a national political science conference in Chicago. I embarked on two study abroad trips, spending a semester in Spain improving my Spanish and a summer in Peru and Mexico doing community service projects. The personal experiences I gained through studying abroad helped me grow in independence, pursue new ideas and develop a new outlook. The opportunities I’ve been afforded at Seton Hall are amazing and have changed my life."

Photo of Daria Preston

For Daria Preston, study abroad was an essential piece of her Seton Hall education. As a freshman, instead of spending her first summer vacation in her hometown of Palmer, Alaska, she embarked on a new adventure traveling first to Cusco, Peru, then to Oaxaca, Mexico. She spent this summer building an irrigation system to help provide clean water for the community and helped renovate a local orphanage. In her junior year, she spent a semester in Barcelona, Spain improving her Spanish. According to Preston, "The study abroad programs I was privileged to participate in are fundamental cornerstones of my education, professional direction and personal development. It informed my motivation to study and work in sustainable development and economic policy. What I've seen and experienced pushes me daily in the direction of this career path. I strive to make a difference, to have a greater impact, and to educate those around me of the utmost importance of universal consciousness."

Daria's passion for helping others flourished at Seton Hall through her participation in multiple service activities sponsored by D.O.V.E. as well as Habitat for Humanity, Amnesty International, Ecology club and Relay for Life. Her venture into the world of diplomacy and international development extended far beyond the classroom to include five internships with non-profit organizations during her time at Seton Hall. During her sophomore year, she also worked closely with Dr. Martin Edwards on an IMF transparency research project and accompanied him to Chicago to present on the topic at a national political science conference. "It was pretty cool to be the only undergraduate research assistant presenting a project while everyone else around me was a doctoral student writing their dissertation."

"Seton Hall has taught me how to go after what I want. Through my coursework, my internships, my work with local government, the campus chapter of Ted.com and my study abroad experiences, I've been inspired more than ever to make a difference in the lives of others. My professors were so kind and helpful, they challenged me and helped me find what ignited my passion. I love Seton Hall because this is where I met my best friends, this is where I overcame my greatest challenges and learned to succeed and this is where I became myself. This is where I became Daria."

Seton Hall Career Highlights

  • U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship Recipient
  • Health Right International Communications Intern 
  • Global Security Institute Middle Powers Initiative Intern 
  • Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture without Borders Fundraising and Communications Intern 
  • Religions for Peace Institutional Support Intern 
  • International Study Abroad Semester in Barcelona, Spain 
  • Volunteer and Studies Program in Cusco, Peru and Oaxaca, Mexico 
  • Seton Hall Habitat for Humanity 
  • Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge Spring Break 
  • Martin Edwards, Ph.D. Research Assistant 
  • Presenter at national Political Science conference 
  • TEDx Seton Hall 
  • Seton Hall Village Liaisons 
  • Seton Hall Allies