From Breck Languages to the U.S. Foreign Service: A Conversation with Renelle Mensah '17

Alumni Office (AO): Can you introduce yourself, your graduation year, and where you are now?

Renelle Mensah (RM): I'm Renelle Mensah. I graduated in 2017, and I'm currently on my first tour. I am presently in Lagos, Nigeria, working with the State Department on a range of economic and political issues.

AO: After Breck, you attended Cornell and then Georgetown for the Foreign Service School. How did you get interested in international affairs and diplomacy?

RM: My interest in international affairs and diplomacy started from my love of learning languages. I've always been interested in studying foreign languages. I started Spanish in kindergarten, took it throughout my time at Breck, and then picked up French in my junior year. At Cornell, I continued with French and picked up Arabic. I resumed both languages at Georgetown. I always found languages fascinating. I guess I was a "language kid."

During a May Program, I interned with a nonprofit, which solidified my decision to do something focused on impact. I started looking for ways to combine my language skills with a job overseas that actively impacted people. I was fortunate to intern at the State Department after my first year of graduate school, working on Middle Eastern affairs. I realized, "Yes, this is for me." I passed all of the entrance tests, and after graduate school, I started my Foreign Service career.

AO: Can you tell me about a time at Breck that you learned a lesson you still use today?

RM: One lesson that Breck teaches is how to be well-versed in a variety of subjects. The arts, for example, are a mandatory part of the curriculum. You might be in AP Calculus, but then you also have choir afterward.

In the Foreign Service, I’m what we call a Generalist. You work with politics, economics, visas, and much more. You have to be able to switch between these different subject matters every day. The ability to be comfortable in things that I don't necessarily foresee as my expertise—or maybe something I even want to do—has been really valuable here.

AO: How do you approach relationship building, especially when working across different cultures?

RM: People-to-people diplomacy is something the Department really focuses on. I approach relationship building—both internally and externally—from a place of humility. There can be a level of highbrowism when working on behalf of the grand idea of diplomacy, but when you are working with other cultures, you have to be humble about how you and your objectives best fit into that culture. The way we do things in the U.S. won't be the same as how you do things in another country. You have to accept that sometimes you’re not comfortable or familiar with certain customs, and you must adjust and be respectful to achieve your goals.

AO: What have been the highlights of your first tour with the U.S. Foreign Service?

RM: One highlight that comes to mind is the Marine Ball, which celebrates the anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps. This November will be the 250-year celebration. Last November, I attended. Being overseas, it is a beautiful infusion of American and Nigerian culture—the dresses, the food, the makeup, and the uniforms.

A particularly touching moment was the traditional cake cutting, where the eldest Marine at post hands a slice to the youngest. The eldest Marine, who was retired, was born overseas, naturalized in the U.S., joined the military, and then entered the Foreign Service. He gave a slice to a 19-year-old, following in his same footsteps 40 years later. It was touching to see that tradition and how someone can become an American and then give back to the United States.

AO: You want a long career in the Foreign Service. What are some roles you'd love to see yourself in in the future?

RM: I came in with a focus on the Arab world, so I'm keen on getting there by my third tour—I'm going to Brazil next. I am also really interested in working with youth. I see young people as the future. I’m seeking roles that hopefully allow me to use my language skills and facilitate knowledge transfers on state-building, democracy movements, and expression. We have American spaces that bring those types of opportunities, like art and dance, to people. If I'm able to empower people through self-determination at whatever level, I think that would be incredibly satisfying.

AO: Breck is a tight-knit community. What advice would you give current students to broaden their horizons and think globally?

RM: Look internally first. Appreciate and learn from students and teachers who have different backgrounds, and don't see that as something that needs to conform. As a junior, I remember not having yet traveled to France, but I learned so much about French culture from my teacher, Mr. Saunoi, just from the classroom. Now, having visited four times, I realize how much I learned from my desk.

Externally, utilize the Community Partnership days—or what we called Community Service days. Don't treat it as a chore or a requirement, but actually engage. I remember being in a planting group that went to a vertical standing garden—a very different culture and way of life for me, but it was cool to see how people make a whole living and feed communities off of that. You don't have to look far to find different cultures; just relax and enjoy what's around you.