Julieta Valls Noyes ’84 was confirmed as Ambassador to Croatia late last month. She joins a long list of alumnae in Foreign Service—including Pamela L. Spratlen ’76, who is Ambassador to Uzbekistan, and Carolyn Patricia Alsup ‘72 who was nominated as Ambassador to Gambia earlier this year.

Noyes attended Wellesley at a time when an international relations major did not exist, so she created an independent major—half history and half political science—to pursue her interests. "One of my advisors, Nina Tumarkin, helped imbue a real passion for foreign policy in me," she said in an email.

Noyes also took the opportunity to study abroad in Geneva her junior year. She said, "Years later, I was a member of the U.S. delegation presenting reports about U.S. implementation of UN treaties in the same buildings where I studied, so I came full circle."

Noyes, according to her nomination, is "highly regarded for fostering strong morale and performance on her teams, and forging positive relations with host country contacts." The nomination continued, "In previous senior assignments at home and overseas, she has demonstrated the broad range of leadership, management, and policy skills that are needed to lead [the country’s] mission in Croatia, a key ally in the Balkan region."

Today, Wellesley offers students the opportunity to pursue studies in global affairs through an interdisciplinary international relations major. Students have the choice of pursing three different tracks within the major: economics, history or political science.