A New Path

I had an epiphany this weekend. I figured out how I want to combine my two degrees in communication and international relations after graduation. I knew when I entered the program that I wanted to pursue a career in public relations in a way that I could help address pressing world problems. I just didn’t quite know how…until now. Although this is only a rough idea, which is still idealistic and unfinished, I am excited to explore the possibilities.

I want to start my own communications consultancy that will use public relations to initiate public advocacy, corporate responsibility, and government accountability.

Of course, this is not a new idea, nor is it revolutionary. However, there remains a overwhelming need for such efforts, as can quickly be seen in any issue concerning third world development, a topic I continue to learn more about while simultaneously growing more and more frustrated. Despite the fact that the U.S. remains one of the largest (if not the largest) aid giver in the world, it gives shockingly little, especially compared to other countries with much smaller GDPs. Europe, for example, gives almost three times what we do, with GDPs factored in. Despite the fact that the Bush Administration promised to give 0.7 percent of GDP to development initiatives annually, the U.S. continues to give a measly 1.5 percent. While the Bush Administration gave only a few billion to third world development this decade, it managed to spend over $900 billion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Such a statistic is unacceptable. Hopefully, the Obama Administration will address development issues and U.N. promises more than Bush did, although they with so much else the administration is focusing on, issues of poverty in far-off places can be easily pushed aside. Public awareness is the key ingredient needed to push this issue, encourage corporate philanthropy, and remind the government what they promised. Statistics show that most Americans remain in the dark when it comes to developing issues and state promises, and I am determined to help change this. We must raise awareness and bring an end to poverty. The developing world has already suffered enough. After all, the only reason there are still developing countries is because we underdeveloped them in the first place.