Table Of ContentAlex Babaris
416-888-5987
Work History
Account/Media/Event Manager GDC Media (Toronto) Jan 2011–current
GDC Media is a boutique publishing company that specializes in high end magazines and events.
Accomplishments include;
• Led the Volvo Drive program to its successful implementation and completion
• Sold advertising and media projects to clients
Volunteer Intern Canadian, Eurasian, Jan 2011-current
Russian Business Association (CERBA) (Toronto)
CERBA is an international business networking association dedicated to building ties and
business relations between Canada, Russia and other countries of the former USSR.
Accomplishments include;
• Developed an internship program for the Toronto chapter of CERBA
• Personally recommended by the head of the Toronto chapter of CERBA
English Teacher Lingua.Ru (Moscow, Russia) Sep 2008-June 2010
Lingua.Ru is a respected school located in Moscow that caters to professionals and business
leaders. Accomplishments include;
• Created, promoted and led information sessions to recruit new students
Age-Group Swim Coach GO Kingfish (Ottawa) Sep 2006-Aug 2008
GO Kingfish is a swim club that swims out of the University of Ottawa that had approximately
120 swimmers. Accomplishments include;
• Coached several athletes to provincial levels, managed different groups effectively
• Created and implemented a very successful video imagery program
Extra-Curricular Activities
• Former national level swimmer. Olympic Trials finalist and two-time participant.
• Volunteers extensively. Examples include the Canadian Institute of International Affairs,
Canadian Eurasian Russian Business Association, Geoff Dubrow Governance Consulting
and the human rights organization Memorial.
• Enjoys sports, traveling, reading, playing guitar. Passionate about human rights and anti-
corruption work. Toured the former Soviet Union extensively.
Languages
English – native speaker
nd
Russian – high level of proficiency (2 Certificate of Russian as a Foreign Language)
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to apply for the STRATFOR Research Internship Position as posted on your website.
My knowledge of STRATFOR and its corporate culture lead me to believe that I would be a very good fit
within your company. The Research Internship Program will be an ideal way to start a career in
intelligence and, more specifically, at STRATFOR.
Helping people obtain the correct information to make informed decisions is a very appealing
career to me. My attraction to intelligence is two-fold; first, I have a love of international relations and
politics and second, I am constantly seeking new challenges. Living in Russia for two years allowed me
to view and challenge my conceptions of Russia and the CIS from an entirely different angle. Living
there forced me to ask myself why people and politics existed in the forms that they were practiced
there. As an energetic individual, I would not be satisfied working in one static industry for my whole
life; intelligence allows for constantly changing projects and a never ending line of individuals with
specific needs. Our world has gone through massive changes in the last year and working to understand
our rapidly shifting situation and the challenges presented by this would be an ideal career for me.
The current trends and sources of global security are of great interest to me. My main area of
expertise, the CIS countries, provides a lot of insight into nearly all the major security issues facing the
world today; drug smuggling, rampant corruption and revolution in Central Asia, jihadist terrorism,
breakaway states and ethnic conflict in Caucasus, and organized crime, human trafficking and energy
issues in the Slavic states. In addition to studying these issues, I took the time to independently visit all
of these areas to gain a better personal understanding of the actual ‘on-the-ground’ challenges present
in these regions. I visited Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia,
Armenia, Ukraine, Moldova, Estonia and the conflict zones of Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh and Osh.
Speaking Russian proficiently, I obtained a unique viewpoint that has supplemented my understanding
of the difficulties that are present in the former Soviet Union. As a result, I have a strong understanding
of very significant security issues that governments, NGOs and consultancy groups face.
My academic background has very effectively prepared me for an internship with
STRATFOR. I received my MA in Central/East European and Russian Studies from Carleton University
with an emphasis in history. In this program, our professors emphasized critical thinking as well as
independent research. Not only did I receive good grades, but I also became very comfortable writing
and presenting papers and ideas to groups of my peers and professors. In addition to term papers, our
tasks often included writing reports with quick turnarounds and giving succinct, accurate updates on
current events in class. This training has both drawn me closer to the CIS countries and inspired a desire
to constantly research and learn more about the region specifically and in global affairs generally. I have
also been attending lectures put on by universities in both Toronto and Ottawa to ensure that my
knowledge stays current.
My personal history suggests that I am ideal for the Research Internship Position. As a former
national level athlete, I exemplify many of the qualities that you desire in your employees; an obsession
with quality, self-improvement, time management skills and maximum efficiency. The passion and
dedication that I demonstrated for 7 years is exactly what STRATFOR would like within its organization.
While training, I learned the importance of working as a team to achieve our goals collectively. My
history as a coach has honed my ability to focus on the most important topic that needs to be
addressed; ideally, we would follow the plans we had created but often we had to quickly modify our
targets to account for more immediate needs. Additionally, working as a sales representative has forced
me to approach problems from a business perspective, always asking what the client, or manager,
would like from me. Finally, my decision to move to Moscow for two years shows that I both eagerly
seize opportunities when they are presented to me and also can adapt to new and challenging
situations. I view relocation as an opportunity to explore a new part of the world and a challenge to
adapt to exciting new surroundings. While in Moscow, I not only took advantage of the opportunity to
learn Russian, but also to volunteer with human-rights NGOs and to extensively tour the former Soviet
Union. Although I had always had a strong interest in politics and international relations, living abroad
gave me a unique opportunity to expand my knowledge on these topics as they both are viewed in a
very different light in Russia by both the press and the average citizen.
I believe it is this combination of life-experience, education and passion that will make me an
ideal intern and potential employee with STRATFOR. I am available at anytime to start and enthusiastic
about the 40-hour a week opportunity advertised on your site.
Sincerely,
Alex Babaris
Alex Pugh
2316 Westrock Dr.
Austin, TX 78704
Alex Pugh
512.905.6990
Amy L. vanGoethem
6621 Aden Ln., Austin, TX 78739
Statement of Interest
Amy vanGoethem
1 December 2011
I am writing to express my interest in the Research Internship Program at STRATFOR in
Austin, Texas for the spring of 2012. I am a recent graduate of DePaul University where I completed
my studies in Political Science in November of this year. I am passionate about global affairs and have
experience helping organizations such as yours meet their goals through excellence in policy analysis,
prepared communications and in-depth research. I believe there could be a strong fit between my
skills and the needs of STRATFOR.
My academic background has provided me with a solid understanding of the theories of
international relations and research methodology. I am keenly interested in both international and
domestic affairs. My internship experience has focused on European affairs to date. I am a
knowledgeable researcher and a great writer and as an intern with the European Parliament I
researched topics ranging from the completion of the European Single Market to tourism policy and
prepared thorough, concise and persuasive reports for MEP Louis Grech of Malta. I was responsible
for a range of activities including policy research and speech writing. While abroad I studied European
affairs at the University of Leuven in Leuven, Belgium providing me with a comprehensive
understanding of the inner workings of the European Union. While studying the European Union, I
gained the ability to analyze complex issues and synthesize a succinct and thorough report. This
experience has energized me to continue my focus on the intersection of global and local affairs. I am
well versed in the use of technology in conducting research including experience working with
databases and the Microsoft Office suite. STRATFOR is somewhere I believe could both benefit from
my skills and abilities and help me continue to develop as a professional.
I am available to work full time starting 2 January 2012. I very much look forward to working
with you this spring. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Ben Abraham
2 Pleasant Place, Dunedin, 9010 New Zealand +6434739448
Humanitarian Affairs University Scholars Leadership Symposium 2011
Delegate – Pattaya, Thailand
• Discussing and problematizing international humanitarian issues around
with 300 other delegates from 35 countries
• Shared ideas and inspirations relating to youth engagement and
leadership in humanitarian affairs
AIESEC Otago
Projects Coordinator 2011
• Liaising and developing partnerships with community organizations in
the Dunedin area for potential collaboration with AIESEC
Activate Team member 2011
• Designing and implementing a workshop for a local primary school
providing education about child poverty worldwide and installing a sense
of appreciation for our lives in New Zealand
University of Otago Student Leadership Program
Peer Mentor 2011
• Academic and university adjustment mentoring for first year students
• Completed student leader training program 2011
English Language Partners
Home ESOL Tutor 2011
• Home English tutoring for adult refugees and immigrants
• Providing settlement and integration support for learners
• Completing 5 week tutoring and cultural awareness training
