Christopher Bekavac’s journey to the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs has been anything but conventional. A Pittsburgh native and the son of Croatian immigrants, he first enrolled at Pitt as an undergrad in the 1990s but left before completing his degree. Yet after serving in the Marine Corps and 20 years working in construction management, he knew he wanted something more.
“The main reason I went back to school was because I wanted a career change and the chance to live abroad,” he shared.
While Bekavac only needed five classes to graduate from the College of General Studies (CGS), what started as a simple plan to finish his degree quickly evolved into something bigger. “I rediscovered my passion for history, philosophy, and politics—especially international affairs,” he said.
He applied for and won a David L. Boren Scholarship, spending 10 months immersing himself in the local language and culture of Croatia, and enrolled in Pitt’s Master of Public and International Affairs (MPIA) program upon his return to the States. Today he is in his second semester of graduate school, specializing in security and intelligence studies and serving as a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellow focusing on Central Europe and studying Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian.
Bekavac is also taking full advantage of the School’s D.C. Semester Program, getting firsthand experience in the world of policy while living, studying, and working in the Nation’s capital this spring. Students enrolled in the D.C. Semester Program take evening classes tailored to the fast-paced policy world, covering topics like policymaking, lobbying and security challenges in the Middle East. The program partners with Syracuse University’s Global Security and Development Program in the fall, while spring students like Bekavac learn in conjunction with the Pitt School of Law and Syracuse Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
Students also gain real-world experience interning during the day. Bekavac secured an internship in the office of Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, an experience that gives him a front-row seat to the legislative process and builds connections in preparation for the next step in his career.
“I’m hopeful that my internship will open doors, whether in the private sector as a lobbyist or policy advisor, or with the federal government in a foreign service role,” he explained. “This program isn’t just about what you learn in class, it’s also about who you meet and the connections you build.”
For Bekavac, this semester is a stepping stone to a future that might take him back to D.C.—or even abroad. “Italy or Croatia would be highest on my list, but almost anywhere in Europe would be great. I also love South and Central America. Colombia, Chile, and Panama are all places I’ve been that I really enjoyed,” he said. Wherever comes next, he knows the education and experience he’s getting at Pitt is preparing him to make a difference.
Interested students can learn more about our footprint in Washington, D.C., including our office on Pennsylvania Avenue, D.C. Semester Program, and the Washington Career Trip. Contact Megan Varn, Manager of Washington D.C. Initiatives, at mev70@pitt.edu with any questions or to set up a meeting.