Archer Fellowship Program Alumni Profiles
Marlee Burns
Spring 2015 Archer Fellow
Internship: The White House
Education
The University of Texas at Austin
B.A. Plan II Honors, B.A. Middle Eastern Studies, B.A. International Relations and Global Studies; May 2015
Career
Head of Upper School at Abaarso School of Science and Technology
Fulbright Program English Teaching Assistant - previous
Spring 2015 Archer Fellow
Internship: The White House
Education
The University of Texas at Austin
B.A. Plan II Honors, B.A. Middle Eastern Studies, B.A. International Relations and Global Studies; May 2015
Career
Head of Upper School at Abaarso School of Science and Technology
Fulbright Program English Teaching Assistant - previous
“As an Archer Fellow alumna, I am connected to a growing network of young professionals from around the country and even the world. Our diverse interests mean that whenever I have a question, there is an Archer alum to answer it.
Q & A with Marlee
Please tell us more about your current position.
Abaarso is a boarding school in Somaliland, an unrecognized country that declared independence from Somalia in 1991. We educate Somali youth from all levels of society, with the intent of sending them abroad to continue their education before returning to rebuild their country. Currently, we have alumni at schools all over the world, including Harvard, Yale and MIT. As Head of Upper School, I manage the 9th-Post Graduate classes, leading a team of approximately 15 teachers and 150 students. On any given day, I could be doing anything from developing the school's curriculum, creating a new academic program for the students or even chasing baboons out of the school cafeteria.
Please tell us more about your internship.
I interned with the White House Fellowship Program, which brings the top 12-18 young leaders from all parts of the country to work with the highest organizations in the federal government. I got to work with the current class of Fellows by doing event planning and working some with accounting. In addition, I assisted with the application cycle for the incoming class of Fellows. This process included everything from organizing data to traveling around the country to help run application events.
What has been your general career path?
Since graduating, I have been working in education development in rural settings. Right after graduation, I moved to rural Azerbaijan as an English Teaching Assistant with the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Working 10 miles from the Iranian border, I taught English at a school of approximately 220 students. Afterward, I moved to Abaarso in Somaliland, where I began as a 10th and 12th grade math teacher before being promoted to Head of Upper School. I intend to continue working in education development and helping to create surprising success in challenging places.
How has your experience as an Archer Fellow influenced your career path and goals?
The Archer Fellowship Program pushed me to look for challenges beyond what I thought I could do. I was accepted to Fulbright while an Archer Fellow, and had expected to be placed in a city. When I heard that I was in a small village, my roommates convinced me that I could handle the difficulties. The mentors that I met at my internship gave me advice on overcoming the obstacles that I would face. Their support pushed me to take on these additional challenges, which in turn led me to seek out my current position at Abaarso. Over the past couple of years, I’ve not only used the skills I learned as an Archer Fellow, but also continually relied on the people I met in D.C. for advice and guidance. It’s a great community, and we even have an Archer Fellow alumnus joining the teaching staff at Abaarso next year!
What did you value the most about your Archer Fellowship Program experience?
Living in a house with forty other young, brilliant people who are all committed to making the world a better place was hands down the best part of my Archer Fellowship experience. We grew really close as a cohort, and my favorite memories of D.C. were from times spent hanging out with my roommates, playing ridiculous board games, or traveling to nearby cities. More than that, the differences in opinions pushed me to think critically about my own beliefs and to really develop my views on topics from personal to political in a way that is useful to this day.
What do you value the most about being an alumna?
As an Archer Fellow alumna, I am connected to a growing network of young professionals from around the country and even the world. Our diverse interests mean that whenever I have a question, there is an Archer Fellow alum to answer it. I’ve reached out to old professors for resources when shaping classes at my current school, and I routinely reach out to my class to get their opinion on policy and events taking place throughout the world.
What is your favorite memory as an Archer Fellow?
One day in February, all federal government agencies called a “snow day” for the following day. All of us ran outside in our measly winter gear to celebrate as the snow continued to fall. Not long afterwards, we ended up on Capitol Hill, having a gigantic snowball fight between the forty of us. While we all had a blast, the Capitol Police sure didn’t appreciate it!
Please tell us more about your current position.
Abaarso is a boarding school in Somaliland, an unrecognized country that declared independence from Somalia in 1991. We educate Somali youth from all levels of society, with the intent of sending them abroad to continue their education before returning to rebuild their country. Currently, we have alumni at schools all over the world, including Harvard, Yale and MIT. As Head of Upper School, I manage the 9th-Post Graduate classes, leading a team of approximately 15 teachers and 150 students. On any given day, I could be doing anything from developing the school's curriculum, creating a new academic program for the students or even chasing baboons out of the school cafeteria.
Please tell us more about your internship.
I interned with the White House Fellowship Program, which brings the top 12-18 young leaders from all parts of the country to work with the highest organizations in the federal government. I got to work with the current class of Fellows by doing event planning and working some with accounting. In addition, I assisted with the application cycle for the incoming class of Fellows. This process included everything from organizing data to traveling around the country to help run application events.
What has been your general career path?
Since graduating, I have been working in education development in rural settings. Right after graduation, I moved to rural Azerbaijan as an English Teaching Assistant with the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Working 10 miles from the Iranian border, I taught English at a school of approximately 220 students. Afterward, I moved to Abaarso in Somaliland, where I began as a 10th and 12th grade math teacher before being promoted to Head of Upper School. I intend to continue working in education development and helping to create surprising success in challenging places.
How has your experience as an Archer Fellow influenced your career path and goals?
The Archer Fellowship Program pushed me to look for challenges beyond what I thought I could do. I was accepted to Fulbright while an Archer Fellow, and had expected to be placed in a city. When I heard that I was in a small village, my roommates convinced me that I could handle the difficulties. The mentors that I met at my internship gave me advice on overcoming the obstacles that I would face. Their support pushed me to take on these additional challenges, which in turn led me to seek out my current position at Abaarso. Over the past couple of years, I’ve not only used the skills I learned as an Archer Fellow, but also continually relied on the people I met in D.C. for advice and guidance. It’s a great community, and we even have an Archer Fellow alumnus joining the teaching staff at Abaarso next year!
What did you value the most about your Archer Fellowship Program experience?
Living in a house with forty other young, brilliant people who are all committed to making the world a better place was hands down the best part of my Archer Fellowship experience. We grew really close as a cohort, and my favorite memories of D.C. were from times spent hanging out with my roommates, playing ridiculous board games, or traveling to nearby cities. More than that, the differences in opinions pushed me to think critically about my own beliefs and to really develop my views on topics from personal to political in a way that is useful to this day.
What do you value the most about being an alumna?
As an Archer Fellow alumna, I am connected to a growing network of young professionals from around the country and even the world. Our diverse interests mean that whenever I have a question, there is an Archer Fellow alum to answer it. I’ve reached out to old professors for resources when shaping classes at my current school, and I routinely reach out to my class to get their opinion on policy and events taking place throughout the world.
What is your favorite memory as an Archer Fellow?
One day in February, all federal government agencies called a “snow day” for the following day. All of us ran outside in our measly winter gear to celebrate as the snow continued to fall. Not long afterwards, we ended up on Capitol Hill, having a gigantic snowball fight between the forty of us. While we all had a blast, the Capitol Police sure didn’t appreciate it!
