My name is Nicole Halseth. I graduated from the International Studies program at UNBC in 2014, and my time spent there allowed me to pursue my passion for international affairs, while engaging with an incredible community of people.

After graduation, I spent a year teaching English in Japan through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme. I was placed in the rural town of Niimi, Okayama, a short (bullet train) ride away from Osaka. As I studied Japanese at UNBC, doing the JET program in such a small community really allowed me to build on my language skills and engage with the local culture. It also gave me the chance to explore Japan, and learn more about such a beautiful and diverse country.

In 2015, I moved to Ottawa, our nations’ capital, to complete a Masters’ degree in International Affairs with the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, where I specialized in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. My Masters allowed me to build on the skills and knowledge I had gained at UNBC, and learn how to apply them in policy and practice. It also allowed me to pursue in-depth research on the participation of non-Arctic states within the Arctic Council and participate in the Model Arctic Council (yes, it’s a real thing), at Dartmouth College. Finally, through Carleton, I completed two great coop terms with the federal government; working in the International Affairs teams at both Environment and Climate Change Canada and Natural Resources Canada.

Both coop positions provided hands-on learning opportunities and let me pursue my personal interests in international affairs and environmental policy. At Environment and Climate Change Canada, I helped prepare Canada’s delegation to the 22^nd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Marrakech, Morocco. I also took a leading role in managing Canada’s international climate finance in developing countries; overseeing programs in Mexico and Chile to reduce air pollution in communities through waste management and cleaner oil and gas facilities.

At Natural Resources Canada, where I now work as a permanent Policy Analyst, I plan international events and engagements that support Canada’s natural resource sectors. Notably, I have helped plan two major trips for the Minister of Natural Resources, Jim Carr; to India in September 2016, and to China in June 2017. Both trips strengthened the relationships between our companies, and expanded opportunities for trade and investment with these rapidly growing economies. It is a fast-paced, ever changing position that constantly challenges me to think of the bigger picture while never downplaying the details.

My time at UNBC gave me an understanding of the key dynamics underplaying international relations, and I have taken this with me in the years following my graduation. It showed me the importance of understanding how the environment interacts with people and politics. Most importantly, it showed me that nothing is more important than building strong people-to-people relationships, which are at the heart of all things international. UNBC gave me the opportunities I needed to pursue my passion, and make it a career.