EmGem856

I am in the midst of applying to MPP programs in the U.S. but have hit quite a snag: I am an American (late 20s) who graduated from a U.S. state school in 2009 with an Economics/International Business Dual Major and a ~3.5 GPA. I have spent the last 3 and a half years working in an East Asian country, and have been working at a national research funding agency (similar to NSF in the U.S.) for the past year. I focused especially on cooperation between the EU and this country, and helped to coordinate a multi-million euro cooperation project with partners in Asia and Europe. I would like to continue my administrative career in research funding in the U.S., preferably at a similar agency (i.e. NSF or NIH). Unfortunately, I have not noticed many alumni from MPP programs taking this route (using their MPP to work on the administrative side of federal research funding in the U.S.). I would like to focus my Statements of Purpose on this career path, but am not sure if this is a wise move giving the lack of alumni. Additionally, I have not seen many American MPP applicants who have worked at a national research funding agency in another country. Is this type of international policy experience generally well regarded by admissions committees?