Jamie Waskey

• School of International Affairs

• B.S. IAML 2004

Jamie Waskey is co-founder and director at Wellspring Research. Her previous experiences include qualitative senior research director at YouGov MENA and market research analyst with Delta Air Lines.

How did Tech and Nunn School help you get where you are?

First, studying at Tech and in the Nunn School program taught me how to think critically, analytically and creatively. These are skills I use every day and that have clearly given me a competitive edge in my professional career. Second, and perhaps more importantly, the ideas I was exposed to through coursework, professors, classmates and study abroad whet my appetite for travel and for wanting to do something a bit more adventurous with my life. I learned to see the world as one interconnected system and I wanted to be a part of that bigger picture. Study abroad experiences in particular helped me to define where I wanted to take my career, and also gave me a sense of comfort and confidence navigating the world at large, without which I might not have had the courage to seek out the life I have today.

What advice you would give current students at Tech as well as the Sam Nunn School specifically?

Expose yourself to as many experiences as possible while you are a student. Study abroad! Get an internship or two! Take a wide variety of classes. Mingle with diverse people and groups. Get out of your comfort zone. There is not likely to be another time in your life where you have the freedom and the “ticket” as a student to do so. Being a part of Tech and the Sam Nunn School will ensure you have many opportunities to take advantage of.

What is something that you got from studying International Affairs and Modern Languages at Tech?

The Nunn School at Tech has clearly shaped my story in a positive way. I took a wide variety of fantastic classes with passionate professors who helped me to better define my interests. I remember a couple semesters where professors actually created new courses in line with student interests. One semester I took an international marketing course taught in Spanish and loved it. This led me to pursue a Master’s in International Business and later complete a 7-month marketing internship in Buenos Aires, Argentina (where I was thrilled to return after studying abroad there with the Nunn School). Tech’s reputation and my Nunn School network also helped me in obtaining my first two jobs after graduation.