Pauline Courteille is the Assistant Director of the Mortara Center for International Studies at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in Washington, DC. Born and raised in Normandy, France, she is a first-generation university graduate and an international management professional focused on overcoming complex organizational challenges. She spent the 2017-2018 academic year at Glendon as part of the Dual Master's in Public and International Affairs (MPIA) degree program with Sciences Po Strasbourg.
What do you do in your current job?
Since February 2024, I've served as the Mortara Center's only full-time administrator, one woman wearing many hats: lead strategist, event planner, student team leader, financial officer, office manager, procurement officer, and occasional crisis solver. Working closely with the Director, I develop the center's strategy, programs, and activities while ensuring its smooth day-to-day operation.
No day is ever really the same in our small part of campus. Recently, my center celebrated its 20th anniversary. For the anniversary, I curated an exhibition at the university library, helped put together a commemorative video, organized a high-level event with conversations about international affairs, and hosted a sit-down dinner with Speaker Emerita of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. I also had the privilege to support the Academic Council on the United Nations System (an organization housed at my center) during their annual meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. It was a unique opportunity to experience an international conference from behind the scenes.
One of the highlights of my role is managing our team of nine exceptional student workers and seeing them grow. I love being part of their university experience and success as a “campus boss.” Chatting with these students also makes me reflect on my own university experience.
What from your time at Glendon has a lasting impact?
Professor Francis Garon's Policy Process class left an indelible mark on my professional approach. The briefing notes we prepared in duos, I was paired with a Canadian student who taught me how to conduct research collaboratively and propose actionable solutions to decision-makers. This skill has proven invaluable throughout my career. I went back to my class material recently to advise Georgetown students on how to pitch their club proposals to University leadership.
I also cherished the combination of rigorous academic classes with Professors Elaine Coburn, Nicholas-Guillaume Martineau, Miloud Chennoufi, Joanna Robinson, Ian Roberge, and others, alongside the “Weekly Colloquium: Canada and its Place in the World”. That round wooden room where practitioners shared their real-life experiences with us bridged theory and practice beautifully.
I did not take the elective class that the late, great Director Annie Demirjian taught, but she was an inspiring and warm head of the program, even to those who were not directly her students. I cannot write a piece about my time at Glendon without mentioning this incredible woman and role model.
Understanding the Canadian system has been particularly valuable as a European now established in the USA. Glendon provided both an introduction to North America (yes, there are many common points when coming from Europe!) and insight into where Canadian and American systems differ, particularly regarding national identity and political structures. Even though I haven't been back to Canada since 2018, my experience at Glendon anchors my life in Washington, DC.
What was your path before Glendon and after?
My path from Normandy to Washington has taken me across five countries and seven cities, each stop building on the last. Before Glendon, I was an undergraduate student at Sciences Po Strasbourg and studied abroad at Vilnius University in Lithuania.
After Glendon, I returned to graduate studies in Strasbourg, first, and then Paris. While studying, I worked for local governments, focusing on international projects and human resources policies. After graduation, in 2020, I moved to Brussels, Belgium, to intern at the European Parliament. I was subsequently hired as an assistant implementing HR processes, then promoted to administrator in 2022, leading interdepartmental teams on external communication and outreach practices, before moving to the USA and my current role at Georgetown.
Your advice for current/prospective students?
Dare to apply, enjoy the ride, and connect with the program’s educators.
Navigating education and career paths is stressful. As a first-generation university graduate, I know how daunting international programs can feel, but the Glendon School of Public and International Affairs is a welcoming community that will encourage your growth.
My advice is quite elementary: take advantage of the unique opportunities that come with being a student! Read, write, speak, get feedback, grow! Go to office hours, email with questions. Very few bosses will ever care as much about your growth as your professors do. Unlike in the professional environment, where you’re promoting a broader mission, at school, your personal success is the core mission. So, connect with the educators, your peers, and the broader Glendon community.
Also, have fun! I lived on campus at Wood Residence and loved: the drumming circle and Tim Hortons sweets, studying by those large windows in the Centre of Excellence building, watching snow fall, walking through the Glendon forest, and long bilingual conversations with friends from all over the world.