The Foreign Service Journal, January 2006

F O C U S 46 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6 Conventional wisdom says that it’s vir- tually impossible for retired Foreign Service officers without Ph.D. degrees to be hired as faculty on U.S. college cam- puses. Don’t believe it. The barriers can be overcome and the lifestyle is attractive. Here are “Eight Inside Tips” on how to break in. 1. Learn the culture. Academia is a culture; work it as you would foreign con- tacts. The highest-status cult is composed of Ph.D.-holding “scholars.” In general, they disdain real-worlders, who are usually regarded as vocational “practitioners.” The divide between the two is similar to Foreign Service vs. Civil Service stereotypes. Accept it. 2. Speak the jargon. “On the tenure track” applies to schol- ars, while those on a “non-tenure track” are presumed less qual- ified. “Adjuncts” are non-tenured persons teaching occasional classes or engaged in other academic activities on a part-time basis. They may or may not have a Ph.D. degree. A “senior fel- low” (my title) means “non-tenure, non-threat.” 3. Study the organization. Traditional academic departments are the most difficult for practitioners to crack; e.g., international relations, economics, political science, etc. Instead, look for orga- nizations with “center,” “program,” “institute” or the like in their titles. They are usually more open to interdisciplinary expertise and “practitioner” skills. 4. Start small. If you don’t have a mentor, get the college catalog, scan it for areas of your competence, make the faculty rounds and chat about common expertise (just as you used to do on courtesy calls abroad). Ask to see the course syllabus. Think how you might fit in. If you’re deemed credible, it might lead to a guest lecture, which might lead to something more. Business schools are open to “how-to” presentations on specif- ic countries and regions. For example, you might offer a provocative lecture on “How American Business Defeats Itself in Country/Region X.” Attend campus events such as public lectures and confer- ences. Be tastefully visible with public questions and post-event chit-chat. Volunteer to recruit foreign officials and active or retired colleagues as relevant speakers. Assist with conference man- agement — many colleges are under- staffed administratively for special events. (The Foreign Service knows all about that!) 5. Be realistic. There are few full-time non-Ph.D. positions in academia at FSO salary levels, and such plums go to our star colleagues. Those with specific exper- tise on a current hot spot — e.g., Iraq — can sometimes get a useful jump-start. But beware: adjuncts at the College of William & Mary who teach a basic three-credit course on international relations earn about $4,000 per semester for preparing 30 lecture hours from scratch. It’s only cost-effective if you do a course more than once — as I can attest. 6. Be opportunistic. An expanding field well-suited to Foreign Service skills is “development” — raising money. Every universi- ty does it and needs staff who are good at it. Development folk use skills that FSOs mastered early on: how to plan conceptually, identify contacts, use talking points, write memcons (“contact reports” is the fundraising term) and schmooze skillfully. Your maturity will be a major asset in this area as prospective donors, usually older, are more comfortable discussing sensitive financial matters with presumed peers. Thus, ageism is less of an issue. However, you’ll need to overcome the FSO’s Achilles’ heel: a reluc- tance to ask “The Question” and solicit the gift. 7. Know your consular district. FSOs, including retired ambassadors, are a dime a dozen in the Washington area. But farther from the Beltway, they are rarer. There are thus more opportunities to gain visibility through op-eds in local newspa- pers, regional National Public Radio outlets, appearances in front of senior learning groups, and talks to local organizations and ser- vice clubs. Visibility leads to more public engagements that, in turn, lead to more contacts. Revert to the premise of your first Foreign Service post: Get around. 8. Cast a broad net. Community colleges are a major part of our American system of higher education. Many of their teachers and professors don’t have a Ph.D. However, the number and vari- ety of courses related to foreign affairs are often sparse and the pay is lower than in colleges and universities. Nevertheless, teaching at community colleges can be fun and rewarding. Good luck! Eight Tips to Break into Academia By Bob Fritts Bob Fritts retired from the Foreign Service in 1991. He was ambassador to Ghana and Rwanda, among other postings. Since leaving State, he’s been the senior fellow in foreign pol- icy for the Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. He doesn’t have a Ph.D. In seeking a teaching position, revert to the premise of your first Foreign Service post: Get around.