Melanie Sutphin ‘20
Degree: National Security and Foreign Affairs with minors in Arabic and Middle East studies.
Hometown: Warrenton, Virginia
Melanie Sutphin chose Virginia Tech because of the diverse academic options. In high school, she took some Arabic classes that sparked her interest in language, culture, and politics of the Middle East. Sutphin chose to major in national security and foreign affairs and had the opportunity to participate in Arabic study abroad programs in Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
She found out about the Hume Center after attending a guest lecture focused on the role of technology in international politics. Sutphin was initially concerned about not being an engineering student but realized her unique skills were valuable.
“I was kind of the odd man out, not being an engineering student, but that meant I brought skills to the table that the engineering students didn’t have,” Sutphin said. “The Hume Center allowed me to get involved in a lot of different ways, and I developed skills in communication and teamwork that I use now in my career every day.”
During her time at the Hume Center, the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences alumna wrote reports and summaries for tech-heavy projects and offered cultural and geographical insights for GIS-related projects.
Skills gained: Enhanced teamwork, communication, and the ability to simplify and articulate complex technical information.
Favorite Hume Center activities: Participating in speaker sessions, career fairs, and working with students from various backgrounds and skill sets.
Career impact: Has been employed by the FBI since graduating in 2020 and is now a full-time recruiter at the agency, where she utilizes skills from her Hume Center experience.