From Pharmacy Technician to International Development: A Setonian’s Journey to Global Impact

For Pranali Jain ’23, who earned a degree in Diplomacy and International Relations, the path to a career in international development wasn’t linear but it was intentional. 

“I got my professional footing through a rather unconventional mix of work and internship experiences,” she says.

Early in her college career, Pranali worked in the healthcare industry as a licensed pharmacy technician a role that became especially demanding during the height of COVID-19. After nearly two years in that field, Jain pivoted toward her long-term goal: law and international relations. A legal internship during her junior year deepened her interest in the intersection of international law and policy, but it was her internship with the United Nations Foundation’s Universal Access Project (UAP) that ultimately set her course. “My background in healthcare helped me secure the UAP internship, which focused on global access to sexual and reproductive health,” she explains. “That experience made me realize that international development was where I truly wanted to be.”

Beyond her internships, Jain immersed herself in campus life. She was active in the Buccino Leadership Institute, the Women of Diplomacy Leadership Program, Greek Life, GirlUp SHU, served as a School of Diplomacy Ambassador, and contributed to The Diplomatic Envoy. “Being involved in so many organizations helped me build my network and strengthen my leadership skills,” she says. “Those experiences were just as important as any internship.”

Today, Jain serves as the Associate for the Asia Program at the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), an international development nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. RRI partners with Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities and Afro-Descendant Peoples to advance land and resource rights, climate justice, and gender equity across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Her team focuses on India, Indonesia, Nepal and Thailand and her mornings often start early to accommodate the time difference.

“My day-to-day changes depending on the quarter,” she explains. “I work on sub-grant agreements, review budgets and project proposals, liaise with local partners for updates and help organize international conferences.” She also prepares communication materials and occasionally travels abroad to support major regional initiatives. “It’s a global role in every sense,” she adds.

When it comes to advice for current and future Diplos, she’s refreshingly candid. “Keep an open mind, especially early on,” she says. “No opportunity is too small. I used to think my pharmacy job wouldn’t ‘count’ toward a diplomacy career but it ended up opening doors to international health and development work.”

Her message is simple but powerful: every experience has value. “The skills you gain from unconventional paths often set you apart,” she says. “You just have to recognize how to connect them to where you want to go.”

Categories: Health and Medicine