Commit to your passion
Ashley Bartlett
Ashley Bartlett (AB ’11, AB ’11) has had no shortage of adventure, and it all started here at the University of Georgia. From India to China, Italy to Taiwan, she has experienced life across the globe.
a commitment to foreign affairs
Early in life
Ashley decided she wanted to work in foreign affairs early on in life and quickly realized how important studying abroad would be to reaching her goals. During her sophomore year at UGA, she received a scholarship from the Honors Program to study in Hangzhou, China. Now, Ashley serves as a foreign service officer at the U.S. Department of State and is currently located in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Even though her career has taken her many miles from Athens, Ashley is still finding ways to enrich the student experience at her alma mater. Hoping to give other Bulldogs the same opportunities that she had to see the world, Ashley has made a generous pledge to the Langston Honors Travel Fund.
“I just hope my gift allows someone to have this wonderful, eye-opening, heart-pounding, exciting adventure that they wouldn’t have had otherwise,” Ashley said. “I hope that they come back with some really good stories to tell!”
Ashley had her fair share of eye-opening adventures while at UGA. Originally from Florida, Ashley’s parents wanted her to stay in her home state for college; however, she knew that the incredible study abroad experiences, research opportunities and language courses offered at UGA were what she needed to succeed. Ultimately, her parents agreed and Ashley went on to double major in international affairs and history. While at UGA, she challenged herself academically in the hallowed halls of Oxford University in England, traveled to China for an immersive six-week Mandarin Chinese language course, and coordinated disaster assistance for Haiti and Chile as an intern with the Department of State in Washington, D.C.
Ashley Bartlett
In her own words
“I just hope my gift allows someone to have this wonderful, eye-opening, heart-pounding, exciting adventure that they wouldn’t have had otherwise. I hope that they come back with some really good stories to tell!”
-Ashley Bartlett
her experiences
reinforced her ambition
These experiences reinforced Ashley’s ambition to work in international affairs, and at the core of this unwavering dedication was her desire to change the world for the better. The more she studied, the more she enjoyed learning about the interactions between nations and began to wonder how she not only could improve her country but also relations abroad.
As a foreign service officer, Ashley sees the world through numerous lenses. Being able to interact with people from various backgrounds grants her the unique ability to take on new perspectives and cultivate relationships between nations. Whether she is helping American citizens who are in trouble or giving people a visa to study or work in the U.S., she makes a profound impact.
Ashley was fortunate to have identified her passion at a young age but her commitment to working towards it, along with the support she received as a student, are what allowed her dreams to become reality. Her time at UGA laid the groundwork for her future success. She now wants to be a resource for current students interested in international affairs to encourage them to consider careers in the Foreign Service.
“I want anyone who really wants to go abroad, especially those that don’t have the funding, to be able to have the same experiences I did—not only to gain new experiences, but to prepare for future careers.”
Written by Nellie Pavluscenco ’18
Do you have a cause about which you’re passionate? Undesignated gifts to the Georgia Fund go entirely to fund scholarships, allowing talented students in your field to pursue their education and discover how they can change the world.
