Michael Strickland

Currently, Michael is pursuing his Ph.D. at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA in which his primary focus area is in International Relations and secondary, in Comparative Politics. Aside from his academic and research experience, Michael has also held positions in tech and the public sector. Within tech, he had the opportunity to work on and help manage the Employee Experience teams for Airbnb and Chorus.ai - both of which are headquartered in San Francisco. Prior to entering the tech industry, he also served as a Strategic Policy and Partnership Assistant for the City and County of San Francisco.

Why did you choose to study International Relations at SF State?

Out of all the MA programs I was admitted to I chose SF State for the amazing location in San Francisco, a global city, and the number of faculty that shared my research interests.

What is your current position and how did the IR program prepare you for your career?

I am a current Ph.D. candidate at Temple University. SF State helped prepare me in three ways: First, it provided me with the opportunity to take classes at the graduate level - so I knew what was expected of me when entering my current Ph.D. program. Second, SF State gave me the opportunity to conduct research with a faculty member that shared my research interest - which has helped me when I conduct research on my own. Third, I was able to present at conferences while at SF State which helped make me a more competitive applicant when applying to Ph.D. programs.

What advice can you offer to incoming and current IR students?

I would advise students to apply to present at conferences if they are able to and ask faculty members who share their interests for guidance when doing so. They will not only be able to give advice but also help provide students with feedback to make their argument as strong as it can be when presenting.