Alumni Spotlight: Ian Hopper

Ian Hopper smiles in a photo in which he's surrounded by other smiling people.

Class of 1996

Degree:

Political Science and Government

Current Role:

Consular Section Chief, Countrywide American Citien Coordinator

David (Ian) Hopper is a Consular Section Chief for the U.S. Consulate General Toronto and a Marymount University Advisory board Member for the College of Sciences and Humanities. Prior to that, he was a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, serving since 2002. He is currently the Deputy Director of the Office of Iraq Affairs. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Marymount in 1996.During his Foreign Service career, Ian previously served as the Consul General in Baghdad, Iraq; the Consul General in Amman, Jordan; and in various positions in Frankfurt, Germany; Chennai, India; Lomé, Togo; and Manila, Philippines. Ian specializes in immigration and citizenship affairs and won the State Department’s 2016 Barbara A. Watson Award as consular officer of the year. He previously worked as a journalist at various news organizations. Ian speaks French and Arabic.During his current domestic tour, Ian resides in Arlington, Virginia. He has been married for the past 24 years to Michele Beaulieu Hopper (B.S. Biology, ’95), and has four adult children, Katherine (B.S. Psychology, ’18), Rebecca, Nicholas, and Jonathon. 

What advice do you have for future graduates? 

I’m sure many current students are worried about how the pandemic and economic depression is going to affect their job prospects. It will, of course, but they should keep in mind that they have the advantage of flexibility. Don’t feel confined by your major; the job market doesn’t care that much what you studied. I spent almost 10 years working in a field outside of my major, but I had skills — like critical thinking and writing ability, enabled by my Marymount education — that made me an attractive candidate. Be flexible in your job search, whether that’s the field, the type of company or organization, or the location. Take advantage of Washington, where there are loads of government agencies, non-profit organizations, and international organizations looking for new talent. Finally, look to public service. While it isn’t likely to make you rich, service in the military, teaching for AmeriCorps, traveling with the Peace Corps, or teaching English abroad can give you an interesting resume and, more importantly, give you the breadth of global experience that will make you stand out.