Stories from Our Community

Sanaa Vika (Certificate in IS)

Sanaa Vika

Certificate in International Studies

Home Country: Norway

During the course of her career and prior education, Sanaa discovered a passion for international relations, which is fostered in her current role as an Executive Assistant for the Defense Attaché at the Royal Norwegian Embassy. With a desire to further expand upon her knowledge in the field, Sanaa applied to the graduate certificate program at Johns Hopkins SAIS where she believed she would receive a top rate-education based on its world-recognized reputation.

The in-depth knowledge that Sanaa gained through the school so far has been a strong compliment to her professional work. Sanaa has strongly appreciated the opportunity to gain a greater insight into current world affairs from different perspectives.

One aspect Sanaa likes most about the school are the class discussions and the unique contributions her classmates have brought to the table. Sanaa admits that when she first began classes she was a little intimidated by the impressive student body, but because of the school’s friendly learning environment, she was able to quickly make the transition to the classroom and make valuable connections along the way.

Due to the flexibility of the certificate program, Sanaa has been able to easily manage a full-time career and her studies. This past summer, Sanaa took her first two classes towards the certificate, which were conveniently offered in the evening. This allowed her to focus on her schoolwork after the work day. She specifically highlighted a course on theories of international relations, as one where she really felt pushed and positively challenged by the faculty.  She now feels like she’s a better student of international relations theories, which directly compliments her work at the embassy.