Evelyn Paris, Class of 2020

Can you describe your academic and professional career? 

Having grown up in Romania, a decisive moment in the development of my academic and professional path was my country's accession to the European Union. I knew very early that I wanted to study, understand and commit myself to promoting the european project and common european values. I began to take an interest in the workings of the European Union during my secondary school years, and took up the post of departmental coordinator for the European Youth Parliament (EYP) to help inform and raise awareness among young people in Romania. 

After passing my A-levels in Romania, I joined the dual bachelor's degree programme between Sciences Po and University College London (UCL). 

My studies in Paris and London gave me a complex view of the European and national political landscape, and I was able to meet many inspiring professors who reinforced my choice to pursue my commitment to European public policy. I then continued my academic career by enrolling in the ‘Management and Public Affairs’ stream of the Master in European Affairs at Sciences Po's School of Public Affairs and, at the same time, I also obtained a law degree from the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas. The Master in European Affairs gave me the keys to understanding the complexity of European policies and to analysing the various issues from a multidisciplinary angle. 

What were the major steps in building your career plan?

It has been very important for me to consolidate and complement my theoretical knowledge with a rich field experience. As a result, my career path has been marked by a large amount of experience, in both the private and public sectors. I spent my first-year internship in the lively atmosphere of Engie Global Markets' trading floor, where I was able to understand the workings of the European electricity market and the challenges of commodities trading. After my second year at Sciences Po, I flew to New York to join the Romanian Permanent Mission to the United Nations as a policy advisor intern. It was an experience that lasted a few months, plunged into dense international current affairs, and was worth the equivalent of a year's master's degree in international relations. Then in London, I did an internship at the Romanian Embassy in the UK, where I was able to follow the development of bilateral relations in a political context marked by the vote in favour of Brexit. Before starting my master's degree, I also did internships at the United Nations Office in Geneva and at the Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). 

This latter experience enabled me to be selected to accompany the Secretary General of the OIF to a high-level dialogue with youth, organised by the President of the United Nations General Assembly in 2018, where I presented my proposals on topics such as the prevention of youth radicalisation and youth empowerment policies. As part of my Master's degree, I did an internship in the Directorate General of the European Commission Representation in France and, for my final internship, I returned to the private sector as a business analyst for Amazon France.

What are the main aspects of your current job at the European Commission Representation in France?  

​​I have been working as a consultant specialising in the fight against disinformation for the Representation of the European Commission in France for nearly three years. The Representation acts as the voice of the European Commission in France and facilitates links with citizens, national, regional and local authorities, and the media. As soon as I took up my post, I was immersed in intense political affairs, with the french Presidency of the Council of the EU, the start of the war in Ukraine, the french presidential election and, more recently, the european elections.

My role is to coordinate and develop the work of the Representation's main anti-disinformation initiative, ‘Les Décodeurs de l'Europe’, while keeping a close eye on political and media developments in France. In this major election year, when half the world's population is called to vote, it is vital to ensure access to reliable information, combat foreign digital interference and work to safeguard the integrity of the elections. However, according to the latest Standard Eurobarometer of autumn 2023, 81% of european citizens believe that disinformation is a problem for democracies and 68% of european citizens believe that they are often confronted with inaccurate information or disinformation. In this context, my role is to identify misinformation targeting European policies in France and to develop communication tools and partnerships to ensure the integrity of information so that citizens can make informed choices. 

Could you tell us about the association you founded, the Cercle Alma?

Convinced by the idea that ‘the network is the strength’ in building each person's career path and driven by a spirit of sharing, I founded the Cercle Alma with a friend to promote the values of sharing, ambition and audacity. The Cercle Alma is above all a network and a meeting place for leaders from all fields: from diplomacy to culture, from luxury to the civil service, from business to research. Our aim is both simple and ambitious : we want to promote inter-generational sharing and, above all, break down the barriers between different professional backgrounds to generate new and innovative ideas and contribute, at our level, to shaping tomorrow's society. We organise conferences and events around three themes: public policy, business and culture. The Cercle Alma is only entering its second year of existence, but I am proud to have been able to mobilise, in such a short space of time, a large number of committed young people and experts recognised in their fields.

How has your training at the School of Public Affairs, and more specifically the Master in European affairs, Management and Public Affairs stream, contributed to the position you hold today?  

My training at Sciences Po allowed me above all to develop my critical mind and my versatility. I really appreciated the high quality of the teaching, and the opportunity to learn from the best academics as well as from professionals in the elective courses. The professionalisation aspect of the courses enabled me to acquire skills that are essential for the professional world, particularly through the various courses dedicated to negotiation, reforms, lobbying and crisis communication. The Master in European affairs also enabled me to understand the workings of the European institutions, which was a real advantage when I took up my new post. During the various group work sessions, we were able to look at a large number of topical issues and make a significant contribution to the reflection on current societal challenges. The environment at Sciences Po has instilled in me the conviction that everyone can play a role as a vector of change and contribute, in their own way, to creating value and promoting the common good.

And exactly ten years after walking through the doors of 27 rue Saint-Guillaume for the first time, I am very proud to be returning to Sciences Po from autumn 2024 - this time as a teacher, as I will be teaching a course on combating misinformation at the School of Public Affairs. My years at Sciences Po have played a decisive role in my career path and have enabled me to always aim higher. So I'm very happy to be able to give back to the School that has so shaped my career and I hope - by sharing my experience through this course - to be able to contribute, at my level, to the training of tomorrow's leaders and decision-makers. 

Would you have some advice for a student or future graduate?

The years of study are years of exploration, of discovering yourself and your passions and interests, of learning... My advice is to remain curious, cultivate your passions and never try to fit into a predefined ‘box’. You shouldn't be afraid to pursue your interests and have an ‘atypical’ career path. Diversity and originality are your greatest assets and will set you apart in the professional world. And as long as you stay true to yourself, there will be plenty of opportunities for you!

Learn more

• The Master in European Affairs at the School of Public Affairs
• The Management and Public Affairs stream at the School of Public Affairs