Lutheran North News

Meet a Crusader: Sydney A. Cross

Sydney Cross, LHSN ’07 After taking an aptitude test her sophomore year at Lutheran North, Sydney decided to pursue a career in politics, more specifically with the U.S. State Department. Now just 12 years after her graduation, she has traveled to 17 different countries including extended stays in Tanzania and Mexico and can speak Swahili and Spanish fluently. She has worked on the campaigns of Claire McCaskill, Jay Nixon and for the Democratic National Committee. She credits her teachers at North for pushing her to achieve her dreams.

Sydney becomes the youngest member of the Crusader Hall of Honor after being nominated only twelve years after graduation. However, the past twelve years have been packed with intense academic work, five years of life experiences and the political culture of Washington, D.C., along with travel experiences in 17 countries. 
 
During her high school career, in addition to her excellent academic work, Sydney was involved in numerous leadership experiences. She plays the flute and previously held the school pole vault record for the girls’ track team. Her high school academic program allowed her to take a number of college credit courses, which in turn allowed her to graduate from college in three years.
 
Among her many passions is a lifetime membership in the Girl Scouts of America, beginning in kindergarten. She became a member of the Board of Directors for the Girl Scout Council of St. Louis as a teenager. She was on a Girl Scout sponsored trip in London when one of her traveling companions talked about Trinity Washington University. 
 
Sydney graduated from Trinity Washington University with a B.A. Degree in International Affairs (Cum Laude) in 2010. She proceeded to Howard University to earn a M.A. in Political Science (International Relations). While at Trinity she was Vice President of her freshman class. She also served as President of the Student Government Association and President of Trinity College Democrats. 
 
Upon graduating from Trinity, Sydney received the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellow. This award provided an education at Howard University and obligated her to three years of service in the State Department. She spent the first year in preparation for an overseas assignment for two years at the U.S. Embassy in Dar es  Salaam, Tanzania. In Tanzania, she served as a political officer. Her next assignment was at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico, where she served as a Consular Officer. She is presently in Washington, D.C., working for the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. 
 
Sydney’s many political experiences include: U.S. State Department in the Bureau of Administration, internships with Claire McCaskill for U.S. Senate and Jay Nixon for Governor, and the Democratic National Committee.
 
One year ago, Sydney spoke to the student body at Lutheran North about her role as a diplomat with the U.S. State Department. She credited Lutheran North for pushing her to achieve her dreams and thanked friends for supporting her along the way.
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