Joshua D. Boatright

The real "Joshua Boatright" comes from a combination of family, schooling, and experience. Being the third of eleven boys made family life full of competition, sharing, and excitement. The biggest push from my parents was to get a good education and to be respectful of others. My upbringing equipped me with a work ethic that can be seen outside the classroom and in the workforce. 

 

Outside of school, I enjoy playing an active role in my community, participating in various service projects, sports, and community choirs. After completing one semester at ASU, I decided to serve as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Geneva, Switzerland, and the surrounding areas. There, I gained a passion for French and international living. In 2014, I became a grateful recipient of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which led me to intern in Dakar, Senegal. The scholarship provided funding from the U.S. government to experience "non-traditional" study abroad locations This experience solidifies my love of people, especially the peoples and cultures of West Africa. 

 

I most recently worked in Berlin, Germany in an organization under the European Union entitled Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE). My main job was to help establish education exchange programs from Central Asia and the Balkans. I currently serve as an executive member in three school organizations managing over 300 graduate students, a French language instructor for six classes, and avid college sports fan.

 

This love led to my most current title,  "Virtual Student Foreign Service" (VSFS) e-Intern for the USAID/Cote d’Ivoire Mission in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. This role has given me a front row seat at international development from the American perspective. The variety of organizations that propose programs within Cote D'Ivore gave me a better taste of the work I hope to pursue. For the role, I predominately translate the “How to Work with USAID” online training series into French, which will allow local organizations in Cote d’Ivoire, as well as others in Francophone Africa, to be able to apply for funding and manage their programs more easily. The skills and knowledge gained through this and other experiences combined with my passion make me an exceptional candidate in the field of international development.