Jace Gilmore had no idea he would end up getting a Master of Global Studies degree (now named International Affairs) at Missouri State University.
He first arrived on campus in 2008 from Kansas City. Gilmore has since lived and worked in China because of his passion for learning about other cultures.
While he studied political science in undergrad, he grew interested in what faculty researched outside the classroom. Professors made such a good impression on Gilmore, it just felt right for him to seek a master’s degree, he said.
“I had already worked with the professors, and I was interested in what they were researching,” Gilmore said. “I liked a lot of the (master’s) classes that they offered.”
Finding accessible professors
During his senior year, Gilmore started taking courses in the master’s program. He studied the Middle East, learned to speak Arabic and gained a deeper understanding of international relations and how it intersects with business.
As a graduate student, he was able to build true connections with his professors, which was the best part, he said. Professors were accessible and always ready to help.
“In a lot of seminar discussion topics, I enjoyed being able to sit down in a circle and chew over a lot of those meatier topics,” Gilmore said.
There were also unexpected opportunities along the way. He joined the Political Science Graduate Association and became a graduate assistant.
He’s glad he took advantage of opportunities, including getting a homeland security certificate from Naval Post Graduate School. Those experiences were valuable parts of his time in the MGS program.
Global experiences
After graduating in 2015, Gilmore traveled to the Middle East and Beijing, China.
“I wasn’t a China specialist,” Gilmore said. “I didn’t focus on east Asia outside of the general trends and the Asia pivot under the Obama administration. I felt prepared to start developing that expertise and trying to learn more about China and the larger systemic changes that were happening at that time. I think the graduate program helped with that.”
He spent nearly 4 years in China and worked in numerous positions, including Bejing Content Manager for the European Union Chamber of Commerce. For eight months, he taught geography at the LNU-MSU Dalian campus after learning about the opportunity from his MSU debate partner.
In 2019, Gilmore moved to Brooklyn, New York, where he currently works as a strategy consultant at a global communications consultancy company, Brunswick Group. His expertise in businesses in society garnered during his time at Missouri State helps him daily.
“A lot of the work that I garnered in the graduate program, I definitely put to use now,” Gilmore said.
In his current job, Gilmore is able to see the connection between global issues and business. Specifically, the classes he took on international political economics prepared him for cross border work.
For example, understanding how financial policy in countries outside the U.S. can affect business domestically.
“Understanding how these things come together and the interconnection between them is invaluable,” Gilmore said. “Receiving a degree like this is key to preparing people for understanding the world more holistically.”
Enjoying the journey
Although it’s been years since he left Missouri State, he attributes a lot to his experiences during the MGS program.
“A lot of the content and knowledge I received from my professors, and what I studied, helped ground me,” Gilmore said.
He recommends the program to anyone interested in political science or international studies.
“Don’t always focus on what the career outcome will be,” Gilmore said. “The program has ties to so many things in life…Take the opportunities to get involved and go to new places. It’s not always easy to see what you can get out of it. But the truth is, the more you do, the more doors open and the more pathways you can take.”