Setu van Lare-Hodges, senior associate director of Global Careers at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), has worked for a USAID international education project and the African Development Bank. But nothing is more fulfilling than what she gets to do for SAIS students today: channelling all her experience to help students identify and pursue meaningful careers.
“I lead the Industry Learning team, which designs and delivers career coaching and industry-specific programming within the larger Global Careers team that supports the professional growth of our students in all three campuses: Washington, D,C,, Bologna, Italy, and Nanjing, China,” says van Lare-Hodges.
Her team’s approach is straightforward but comprehensive. Each coach specialises in a particular industry, allowing them to offer targeted guidance and build connections that enrich the coaching experience. Their services include strategic résumé and cover letter development, networking guidance, alumni engagement, interview preparation, and personal branding. “I also maintain employer relationships and monitor market trends to ensure our students are well-prepared for opportunities in a dynamic global landscape,” says van Lare-Hodges.
Setu van Lare-Hodges and her team deliver industry-focused career coaching, maintain employer relationships, and monitor market trends. Source: Johns Hopkins University
Amid a competitive global job market, SAIS graduates distinguish themselves through the support of advisors like van Lare-Hodges. Guidance by the Global Careers team reflects a strategic and fully integrated approach that connects academic coursework, interests, strengths, and skills with real-world opportunities and professional networks from day one. This begins with a dedicated professional development course that helps students clarify their goals, explore potential industry sectors, and align ambitions with a clear, actionable career trajectory.
At the same time, students can access a wide range of experiential learning opportunities.
“Over the past decade, my role has been dedicated to incorporating experiential learning activities into the SAIS curriculum and co-curriculum,” says Rebecca Aman, the senior associate director for Johns Hopkins SAIS’ Global Careers. “These experiences include international capstones, where students partner with clients to research real global issues, as well as residencies and co-curricular activities like military staff rides and crisis simulations, where students role-play military campaigns or crisis scenarios.”
Aman runs large-scale competitions with employer partners as well. “Each year we run the Walmart Global Policy Challenge, which pairs dozens of student teams with Walmart staff to tackle global challenges affecting the company,” she says.
Whether partnering with Walmart or other organisations, the aim remains consistent: give students structured opportunities to practise research, quantitative analysis, presentation, communication, and teamwork in real-world settings – the very skills that top employers in the private, public, non-profit, and multilateral sectors prioritise.
Since graduating and joining SAIS staff, Rebecca Aman channels her expertise into incorporating experiential learning activities into the SAIS curriculum and co-curriculum. Source: Johns Hopkins University
Like Lare-Hodges, Aman is also a SAIS alum, bringing decades of multidisciplinary, global experience to her role. Before joining the team, she had worked and interned at a local embassy, a D.C.-based Latino newspaper, elementary schools in D.C. and Santiago, Chile, a public health non-profit, and even a circus in Nairobi, Kenya. It’s a varied and global CV – just what she hopes to replicate for the SAIS students she works with today.
This work is supported by a wider network. “We work closely with faculty, academic centres, and alumni relations to plan these initiatives and provide financial support to students to ensure equitable access,” says Julie Nussdorfer, associate director for Employer Development, who leads employer development initiatives across SAIS’ three campuses by building strategic relationships with organisations and creating programmes that connect students with career opportunities.
Leveraging over a decade of experience in employer relations and career coaching, she now specialises in international relations careers across public, private, and multilateral sectors — expertise that informs every programme her team rolls out. Each semester, Nussdorfer’s team hosts recruiting events and career fairs and organises global career treks to major cities in Asia, Europe, and North America. These treks allow students to visit employers, explore career paths, and network with alumni and professionals. “Our approach also includes virtual events and new internship recruiting programmes across all three campuses, connecting students with employers worldwide.”
Julie Nussdorfer builds strategic relationships with organisations and creates programmes that connect students with career opportunities. Source: Johns Hopkins University
To give students an additional edge, SAIS runs Job Search Groups: small cohorts that share strategy, swap intelligence, and hold one another accountable through a proven curriculum. These groups help students build confidence by increasing both clarity and consistency in their search process.
Access to employers is strengthened even further through partnerships with the Hire Hopkins Office, peer institutions, and professional associations to deepen recruiting pipelines. Data guides the outreach, identifying organisations most likely to hire SAIS talent so students see the right opportunities at the right time. “By fostering partnerships and creating innovative opportunities, we help students and employers connect in ways that shape the future of global leadership,” says Nussdorfer.
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