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“I keep my mind open to a number of possibilities when solving problems, and look in all directions for new ideas and consider the wisdom of multiple disciplines.”When Joyce Barr ’76 selected PLU because it offered the best financial aid package, she probably never figured it would lead to a career as a foreign service officer in the U.S. Department of State, let alone a post as U.S. ambassador to Namibia. Currently, she is the executive director of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in the U.S. Department of State. She credits her time at PLU as cultivating an ability to see multiple sides of an issue and to thoughtfully consider them before taking action. That mindset has served her well – for more than 30 years she’s worked in Sweden, Hungary, Kenya, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Namibia and Malaysia.