Corps propelled Tobin into diplomacy

Ronald Tobin has been a Foreign Service officer in the U.S. State Department for almost a decade. No matter how far into his career Tobin moves, the 2008 University of North Georgia (UNG) graduate said the lessons he learned as a cadet in America's Corps remain his guiding principles.

Things as simple as being required to take the long way when walking around campus still resonate for Tobin as he carries out his duties as a diplomatic courier.

"Sometimes you have to take the long way around in your job," Tobin, who earned a degree in history, said. "Sometimes you need to take alternate routes."

Before his service to his country or his time at UNG, Tobin had hoped to follow in his sister's footsteps by attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. When he ended up at North Georgia instead, Tobin was inspired to enter the Foreign Service after a course in diplomacy with Dr. Christopher Jespersen, professor of history and former dean of UNG's College of Arts & Letters.

Tobin said much of UNG's strength lies in the way it allows cadets to experience both the military and civilian lifestyles.

"That's the successful milieu of the campus of UNG. You have all of these different elements, and they're tied together. They're forced to interact daily," Tobin said. "It's allowing you to see the diversity of your interactions professionally and in society. You have to cultivate an environment of pragmatism. North Georgia is a cornucopia of thought and socialization."

Even the winding process of becoming a Foreign Service officer tied back to lessons from Tobin's UNG experience. He initially failed the Foreign Service Officer Test, but Tobin refused to be denied. About 15-20% of test-takers pass the first time, but only 3-5% of those who begin the hiring process with the test are hired each round. Tobin passed the test his second time and eventually made it through the whole process to be hired as a diplomat on his seventh try.

"I had to learn to be resilient, which was taught to me at North Georgia," Tobin said. "You have to find new resources and study harder."

He still sees America's Corps as the ideal avenue to prepare for civilian and military careers.

"If you want to develop an American who's going to be a great leader, has honorable pragmatism and can operate with resilience, send them to the Boar's Head Brigade," Tobin said.