Student Profiles
Setting Sights on Career in Public Sector
Jonathan Johanntoberns-Tabb after
a recent skydiving exercise
“My dream is to be an agent of change for my generation,” says Jonathan Johanntoberns-Tabb ’11 (political science/history), who received both an SBS Opportunity Scholarship and an Ansin Study Abroad Fellowship this spring. “Foreign service, intelligence work, or working on public policy in D.C. are my goals for the near term after graduate school for government and international relations.”
Tabb is well on his way to achieving those goals. His academic career has focused heavily on American government, politics and policy, and his GPA reflects hard work and persistence. “I’ve tried to garner as much practical knowledge as possible too. Professor Hannahan (political science), director of the UMass Civic Initiative, has given me a tremendous amount of international exposure,” he says. “The numerous State Department grants and programs I worked on under him for two years as a Civic Fellow let me interact with students and educators from all around the globe.”
Tabb has had terrific internship experiences too: as a campaign consultant for a City Councilor in Springfield; as a Congressional intern with Representative Richard Neal; as a policy analyst with TechAmerica, the leading lobby for the technology industry; and now with Senator Scott Brown. “Thanks to Derek Khanna '10 (political science/ history/middle eastern studies), who is Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff, I began interning, nights and weekends, in April until my internship with TechAmerica ended. Since then I’ve been there full time.” Later this summer, Tabb will be on his way to Ireland, chosen as a summer intern by the highly selective U.S. State Department’s Bureau of European Affairs. Having passed the security clearance, he’ll be handling the same duties as an entry level Foreign Service officer.
“My internships,” Tabb says, “have been the defining points of my undergraduate career and almost all of them were facilitated via UMass or a UMass alumnus. The professional skills and knowledge I have acquired while completing these internships continually reinforce my desire to work in the public sector of policy formation.”
Tabb’s stay in Ireland will be extended through the next academic year, thanks in part to the Ansin Study Abroad Fellowship. At Trinity College in Dublin, he will study Irish history, politics, and language. “This experience will allow me to expand my understanding of the human element of public policy,” he says. “Living side by side with people of another culture will help me compare and contrast how Ireland’s and America’s policies affect their respective citizens. I think I’ll get a completely different perspective of Ireland, and I look forward to combining what I learn and experience in a professional diplomatic environment with a campus atmosphere.”
Tabb relies heavily on scholarships like the Ansin and the SBS Opportunity, funded by generous alumni, to finance his education. There have been many others as well, including two College of Humanities and Fine Arts Achievement Scholarships, a CFHA Perlman Scholarship, and a UMass IPO Travel Award. “I come from a lower middle-class family and we simply can’t afford to pay for all the costs associated with my internships ($5,000 just for this summer’s unpaid Dublin internship), study abroad and college tuition and fees in general. Without these scholarships I’d have thousands of dollars in loans to worry about—if I could even have gotten the loans.”
One of the greatest honors that has come to Tabb was his nomination as a Truman Scholar. While he didn’t receive an award, he was thrilled to be considered. “To be the UMass nominee meant that I have proven myself to excel in public service, academics, and leadership. Since the award identifies future leaders who can be agents of change domestically and/or internationally, being a nominee is special recognition in itself. I also want to point out the tireless help Professor Susan Whitbourne and the Office of National Scholarship Advisement provided me in navigating through the complicated Truman process.”
Choosing to attend UMass was not a difficult decision for Tabb. From nearby Hamden, Mass., he was active in debate at Minnechaug Regional High School; the team won the regional tournament two years in a row. Engaged in student government, he also was managing editor of the student-run visual and literary arts magazine, ranked in the top five nationally. “My sister graduated from UMass in 2007 and encouraged me to come,” says Tabb. “In truth, I wanted to join the Marines instead of going to college, but was disqualified for medical reasons. But I knew political science was the obvious choice for my interests—and the UMass polisci department is one of the best. I decided UMass would give me opportunities to achieve great things. My experience here has only solidified and confirmed that initial decision.”
Life at UMass has been more for Tabb than academics, internships and study abroad. “I’ve gotten the full UMass experience,” he says. “You have to make time to enjoy yourself and give back to the community. I’ve been treasurer and publicity director of the UMass Republican Club, treasurer of the UMass Policy Debate Team, and lead fundraiser, three years running, for the UMass Veterans Week Fundraiser for Disabled American Veterans. And there have been ample opportunities to participate in social and cultural activities with friends. The people, the atmosphere, the culture are second to none. So, to anyone thinking about attending UMass, I can say from firsthand experience that it’ll be the best decision you ever made!”
May 27, 2010
