The Foreign Service Journal, January 2006

assignments, resolving difficulties related to visas and work permits for visiting students and scholars has become a major part of the workload on our side of the “window.” Such functions are handled by international student/scholar advisers (ideal jobs for retired consular officers). Our staff also includes a management officer, a general services officer, an information systems officer and several office management specialists. In addition, I teach at least one course on Africa each year, because I feel the need to stir up interest about the continent among our students, and to promote overseas U.S. government careers. Academia 101: Understanding the Campus Those interested in transitioning to academia can pur- sue several strategies. I maintained contact with TTU (my undergraduate institution) throughout my Foreign Service career. It was close to our U.S. home, so I did class presentations and guest lectures while on leave. This history of involvement was a major factor in being selected for my current job. Serving a tour as a “Diplomat-in-Residence” is also tremendously useful, as it gives an excellent introduction to academia and allows the DIR to get to know (and become known) at all of the institutions of higher learning in the region. However you get there, you will have to master the basics of campus life. Interestingly, there are a number of parallels with the Foreign Service world. Academia is just as hierarchical and rank-conscious as diplomacy, and there is a professional chasm between “faculty” (teaching and research) and “staff” (support) akin to that between FS generalists and specialists. On larger campuses, many classes are led by graduate-student teaching assistants F O C U S J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 45 T HE R EMINGTON Tibor P. Nagy Jr. was a Foreign Service officer from 1979 to 2003, serving as ambassador to Guinea and Ethiopia, among many other postings. Since retiring from the Service, he has served as associate vice provost for inter- national affairs at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.