Alumni Profile: International Studies Alumnus Uses Curiosity to Build Successful Consulting Career

Fall Winter 2021 Issue

Bijan Nekoie '12 Bijan Nekoie ’12Bijan Nekoie ’12 is certain that growing up in a multicultural household was one of the central forces in his pursuit of international studies.

“As the son of Persian and Irish parents, my siblings and I were fortunate enough to experience the many sides of our shared identity,” Nekoie says. “With that experience and discovery came a sense of curiosity and desire to both connect with others and understand the context in which they perceive and navigate the world.”

Nekoie’s curiosity led him to Susquehanna, where he earned a degree in international relations and affairs with an emphasis in diplomacy and a minor in public relations. He studied at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, through the GO program and later earned a master’s degree in international business at the Hult International Business School in Shanghai, China.

Following his master’s degree, Nekoie briefly stayed in Shanghai and worked as both an innovation and strategy management consultant and fund manager. He then returned to the U.S. and became a management consultant for Liberty Mutual Insurance and eventually started his own wine importing business.

Though he was excelling in the business world, public service had always been Nekoie’s true passion. He was a legislative aide before he transitioned to a consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he worked with senior Air Force officials, and then Deloitte, where he advised clients in the defense, nonprofit, energy and consumer product sectors.

Today, Nekoie is an advisor for the United States Department of Defense.

“Consulting broadens the focus of your work,” Nekoie says, “to be less about a job description and specific responsibilities, but rather to service and support the needs of your customer or person of interest.”

Nekoie credits Susquehanna for fostering his ability to embrace challenges, build relationships, find commonalities amongst opposing ideas and provide excellent support to his clients and constituents.

“Had it not been for the environment of discovery and challenge created on SU’s campus, my passion might have been left unexplored,” Nekoie says. “I came to SU knowing that I wanted to learn about the world and myself, and what I left with was a greater sense of understanding and the ability to see two sides of an issue with good faith.”

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