Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College | The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs

Career Counseling

Alumni Profile — Amy Fairchild Haer

Amy Fairchild Haer, IAML '03 is currently a third-year law student at George Washington University, working in civil rights law with regards to immigrants. Doing well with technical and liberal arts, Amy views law as a good hybrid of the two. She finds it to be a career path where she has the opportunity to make a difference in many lives. After law school, she plans to do political asylum work in an immigration nonprofit.

How did Tech and INTA help you get where you are?

Well, for one thing, it gave me the analytical skills necessary to succeed in law. My focus on the Spanish language gave me an edge when trying to get into immigration law. The Spanish LBAT was key in taking my language ability to a practical working level. INTA also helped me focus on the big picture when dealing with issues. INTA taught me that other countries use the law based upon their different cultures and systems. In immigration law, it's also important to understand the underlying societal, cultural, and political issues, and then apply the law to specific situations. I think my Comparative Politics class helped me to understand the need for practical application of the law based upon the needs of the society.

What advice you would give current students at Tech?

Take advantage of everything. Tech has so many opportunities to gain new insight. Clubs are a great way to meet people. I also encourage students to sign up for classes that are outside of the INTA department. The technical strength of Tech will help distinguish you from the field. If you're interested in law, make sure that you choose your school carefully based upon the school's focus—whether it be public interest, corporate, criminal, etc.

What is something that you got from studying INTA at Tech?

The will to work hard and succeed. INTA gave me a strong work ethic that made the adjustment to law school easy. Tech and INTA were also great places to build teacher relationships. The personal attention that I had from professors helped steer me in the right direction. I remember when I was thinking about law school, Professor Long sat me down for about an hour and we talked about different options. I don't think that I would have gotten that sort of personal attention at many other schools. And it's great going to a football school!