Seton Hall University Office of Admissions

What Great Minds Can Do: Francesca Regalado  

Francesca Regalado

Diplomacy and International Relations, Modern Languages majors; Asian Studies, Economics minors

Manila, Philippines

"Seton Hall has opened so many doors for me; the faculty are always trying to connect you with opportunities. And being so close to New York has been amazing. I have been to the U.N. many times for meetings and have heard speeches on campus from important figures in foreign policy like Susan Rice and Samantha Powers. I even got to sing at Carnegie Hall as a member of Seton Hall's Chamber Choir."

Female student in blue dressFrancesca Regalado had the perfect set of skills to land a job as an economics reporter in the Washington bureau of Japan's largest newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, after graduation. She had already interned at The New York Times and spent four years writing for The Diplomatic Envoy, Seton Hall's foreign affairs newspaper. Francesca was also mentored by one of her professors, a former New York Times foreign correspondent. "I am so grateful to the Seton Hall faculty for making sure I had a strong foundation in economic theory and trade policy," she says. "That knowledge helps me immensely, now that I am reporting on these issues for a major publication."

While at Seton Hall, Francesca served as treasurer of student government, participated in a study abroad program in Cuba, and added three internships (besides the one at The New York Times) to her resume. First, she interned at the Philippine Consulate General's office in Manhattan at the end of her freshman year. She got the position after meeting the ambassador of the Philippines to the U.S. while he was speaking on campus. A Seton Hall faculty connection led to two other important internships at the Council on Foreign Relations. "Seton Hall has opened so many doors for me; the faculty are always trying to connect you with opportunities. And being so close to New York has been amazing. I have been to the U.N. many times for meetings and have heard speeches on campus from important figures in foreign policy like Susan Rice and Samantha Powers. I even got to sing at Carnegie Hall as a member of Seton Hall's Chamber Choir."

Francesca deepened her faith while studying at Seton Hall. "I loved going to the chapel for peaceful reflection and for the support and comfort I got from the priests on campus. But I also love that not everyone here is Catholic. It is such a diverse environment; we all learn from one another and respect each other."

Francesca says she found her Seton Hall experience to be both challenging and rewarding. "Faculty here really push you to do your best. I am so inspired by them because they are active practitioners in the field of diplomacy. But I am equally inspired by my classmates. When I was a freshman, juniors and seniors took me under their wings and supported me. They were my role models and gave me something to strive for."

Seton Hall Career Highlights

  • Study Abroad in Cuba
  • Four internships, including one at The New York Times and two at the Council on Foreign Relations
  • Member, Chamber Choir
  • Writer, The Diplomatic Envoy
  • Member, Multicultural Advisory Committee
  • Treasurer, Student Government Association