Q&A with Charlie Quimby '17

I studied international relations (IR). I knew I wanted to study something political, and St Andrews has one of the best IR programs in the world. I got to work with a lot of great professors who did really incredible work outside the classroom. I think the nature of the course encouraged a diverse student body, so I met very talented people from all over the world. The great thing about IR is that it is a really broad subject. First, you develop a background of the different academic theories about how the international system operates, then you can apply that to anything. I was able to take a wide variety of classes about everything from European state formation, to the Arab-Israeli conflict, to how music and culture influence foreign policy.

I currently serve as the communications assistant and correspondence manager. This means that I work on the communications team, but do a lot of constituent relations work as well. My day-to-day work changes a lot, so it's important to be flexible. I spend much of the day writing, and this includes everything from proclamations and tributes for the Governor to sign, to letters to constituents and community organizations. I also help to plan and staff events throughout the state. Now I'm starting to take on more responsibility with constituent casework, which is some of the most important work we do.

There is always something new happening. You can get pulled in to deal with a new issue at any time, and the fast paced environment means that you get to learn about every aspect of the state. I love that Delaware is a small state, and we have a relatively small office, so you get to be involved with everything. Gov. Carney has a fantastic team, and we all work really well together. In one day I can be connecting with the White House about federal grants and then turn around to help a constituent find affordable housing in Wilmington.

Going to St Andrews was not something I seriously considered at first. It was a little daunting, and there were places that I was interested in closer to home. But my plans changed, and I went to visit. The first time I went to St Andrews was actually the first time I had been to Europe, but I loved the school right away. The international aspect of the school was really interesting to me, but there is a strong American community there as well. This provided the perfect mix of experiences, where it was unique and exciting but offered a comfortable and smooth transition. I would definitely recommend looking abroad to any Tower Hill student. You can find a lot of world class, affordable schools that are eager to have American students and can provide so many different opportunities than what you can find at home.

It's nice to have free time that I can spend with my family, especially since I've spent so much time away over the last four years.

I really enjoyed my time at Tower Hill. I went there for 14 years and never wanted to go anywhere else. I liked the small community and the fact that I always felt connected. The athletic programs always meant a lot to me, and I developed many meaningful relationships with my coaches and teammates. I look forward to returning for Homecoming and cheering on the Hillers again!

Tower Hill prepares you for college in a lot of ways and the ability to write well is chief among them. Even if writing isn't your favorite thing to do, when you have your first college essay, you will be able to approach it more thoughtfully and with less stress than many other students. I also found that Tower Hill can help you build a level of confidence that is really important when transitioning to college.