Get Involved – Page 2 – Elliott School Graduate Student Services

Meet the 2014-2015 Graduate Student Ambassadors (GSAs)

GradAdvisorAugust 29, 2014Leave a comment

Elliott School Graduate Student Ambassadors (GSA) are current Elliott School graduate students who have been selected to provide the student perspective and enhance the sense of community within the Elliott School. GSAs will plan and host events throughout the year and are happy to help connect Elliott School graduate students to resources and opportunities.

Rachel MacElhenney

Program: Master of Arts in International Trade and Investment Policy

Hometown: Collegeville, PA

Undergraduate Degree: Hobart and William Smith Colleges; B.A. International Relations and European Studies

Favorite Place You’ve Been: It’s cliché, but I love Paris, France

Favorite Restaurant: El Centro on 14th

Advice: Elliott School has so much to offer its students. Take advantage of your professor’s office hours and the diverse classes available. Step out of your comfort zone and take an elective that you would not normally consider.

Allison Haugen

Program: Master of Arts in Latin American & Hemispheric Studies

Hometown: Vancouver, WA

Undergraduate Degree: Washington State University: B.A. in Political Science; B.A. in Spanish; Minor in History

Favorite Place You’ve Been: Marrakech, Morocco

Favorite Restaurant: Nooshi on 19th and N

Advice: Take advantage of everything that the Elliott School and DC has to offer, two years goes by faster than you know it.

Greg Tourial

Program: Master of Arts in European and Eurasian Studies

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Undergraduate Degree: The University of Georgia; BA in History, BA in International Affairs,

Favorite Place You’ve Been: Rome (Venice and London get honorable mentions)

Favorite Restaurant: This is really lame, but it’s Chipotle.

Advice: Make friends (also known as networking) with students outside of your program. You never know when a common interest or a possible connection with someone can lead you to opportunities you never considered. Having social connections with people from diverse personal and academic backgrounds is also important for gaining new perspectives.

Anne Bergren

Program: Master of Arts in International Affairs

Hometown: Minnetonka, MN

Undergraduate Degree: Hamline University, BA in Economics

Favorite Place You’ve Been: Burma

Favorite Restaurant: Mi Cuba located in Columbia Heights--delicious, family-owned, cheap Cuban food!

Advice: First, make friends with your classmates; they’re hard-working, intelligent, welcoming people who will keep you sane during finals and be your greatest connections in the workplace. Second, keep your life balanced! Take time to relax, exercise, and sleep. I promise, you’ll be both happier and more productive.

Nikhil Gehani

Program: Master of Arts in International Development Studies

Hometown: West Bloomfield, MI

Undergraduate Degree: Michigan State University; BA in Marketing

Favorite Place You’ve Been: The backwaters of Kerala, India

Favorite Restaurant: The Red Hen in Bloomingdale

Advice: Challenge your assumptions and don’t be afraid to push back against professors. Attend events outside your specific field and develop a unique perspective. Ask questions and don’t settle for easy answers. Also, eat your vegetables.

Nicole Catá

Program: Juris Doctor and Master of Arts in International Affairs

Hometown: Flushing, NY and Cortland, NY

Undergraduate Degree: Columbia University; BA in English & Comparative Literature, human rights, and French

Favorite Place You’ve Been: Paris, France and Florence, Italy

Favorite Restaurant: Founding Farmers in Foggy Bottom and Mi Cuba Café in Columbia Heights

Advice: Seek out free events in DC! Some helpful resources include Brightest Young Things, DCist, International Club of DC, Knowledge Commons DC, and Scoutmob DC. Visit the monuments at night, enjoy Jazz in the Sculpture Garden, and explore your neighborhood!

Maxine Wang

Program: Master of Arts in Global Communication

Hometown: Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Undergraduate Degree: BA in Political Science

Favorite Place You’ve Been: Seattle

Favorite Restaurant: Old Ebbitt Grill

Advice: There is no one in the world you cannot reach out. Go talk to the person you want to know more about and ask for career advice.

Mariah Martin

Program: Security Policy Studies

Hometown: Yarmouth, Maine

Undergraduate Degree: International Relations: International Security

Favorite Place You’ve Been: Florence, Italy

Advice: Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to people you don’t know at Elliott. You’ll find some of the friendliest and most accomplished people here, and it’s silly to waste any chance to get to know them. Go to student events (especially the ones with free food!) and visit your professor during office hours- even just to talk and get to know them. You won’t regret it!

phoenix

Phoenix Mourning-Star

Program: International Science and Technology Policy

Undergraduate Degree: Mathematics

Favorite Place You’ve Been: Antarctica/Drake Passage and

Favorite Restaurant: Jay’s Bistro

Advice: Plan the work, then work the plan

#19thandE on August 22!

GradAdvisorAugust 19, 2014Leave a comment

The Office of Academic Advising & Student Services is excited to welcome new students to the Elliott School community and welcome returning students back to campus!

If you're attending Graduate Student Orientation or the Welcome Back Reception on August 22, share your photos on Facebook throughout the day by using the hashtag #19thandE . We'll review the photos and choose one to feature in the first electronic newsletter of the year (set to go out during the first week of September). The student who posted the featured photo will win an Elliott School giveaway.

Deadline Extended: You Could Be the 2014 Elliott School Student Speaker

GradAdvisorMarch 7, 2014Leave a comment

As you count down the days until graduation, you're probably beginning to reflect on your experience as an Elliott School student. If the feelings of nostalgia inspire you to share your story and bestow words of wisdom and hopes for the future onto your fellow classmates, we want to hear from you.

Alyssa 2012

This spring one student will be selected to represent the graduating class as the Elliott School Student Speaker. The selected student will give a 3-4 minute speech in front of fellow graduates, family, friends, faculty and staff at the Elliott School Celebration on May 16, 2014.

Click here for more information and here to submit your speech. Speech submissions are due no later than March 18 24, 2014 at 6:00 PM.

Good Luck!

Spotlight on: Leigh Rowland

GradAdvisorMarch 5, 2014Leave a comment

Leigh Rowland studied Political Science and Military History at the University of Michigan prior to accepting a position in 2010 with the Institute for Social Research (ISR) in Ann Arbor. At ISR, Leigh assisted with the design and implementation of data collection protocols for the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS), the largest study of mental health risk and resilience ever conducted among military personnel. During her time at ISR, Leigh also worked closely with veteran populations in the Ann Arbor area as part of her volunteer activities at both the local VA Hospital and the International Red Cross’ Services to the Armed Forces program. In July 2012, Leigh relocated to Washington to pursue her M.A. in Security Policy Studies at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, where she is focusing on defense analysis and strategic force planning. Leigh is also continuing her work on Army STARRS as an analyst for the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for the Army.

Spotlight on: Florian Decludt 1

GradAdvisorOctober 1, 20131 Comment

1184750_392596900863423_10390742_n

Florian Decludt is a second year student in the International Affairs program, with a concentration in Security Policy and Transnational Security Issues. Prior to attending the Elliott School, Florian graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor in Business Administration from ESSEC Business School located near Paris, France. Throughout his studies, he had the chance to travel to more than 45 countries and live in France, the United Kingdom, the Dominican Republic, Australia and Singapore. He is fluent in French and Spanish and is currently learning Thai.

While at the Elliott School, Florian studied abroad at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (Nanyang Technological University) in Singapore. Florian is currently interning at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. As a current Elliott School Graduate Student Ambassador (GSA), he is happy to answer any questions from incoming students, particularly regarding study abroad opportunities and the International Affairs program.

Share your experience by participating in Graduate, Distance, and Professional Student Focus Groups.

GradAdvisorSeptember 18, 2013Leave a comment

Share your feedback about the Graduate, Distance, & Professional Student Experience at GW! Join us at one of our five Focus Groups next week or sign-up to be a part of our Focus Group Conference Call. To register, RSVP here.

Join us at one of the following dates and times:

Monday, September 23rd | 9-10 PM
Tuesday, September 24th | 12-1 PM
Wednesday, September 25th | 7:30-8:30 AM
Thursday, September 26th | 5:30-6:30 PM
Friday, September 27th | 2-3 PM
Conference Call | Date TBD

The hour long focus group will include the opportunity to discuss and share one's experience as a GW graduate student with GDP staff to help us and our university partners better craft experiences related to your needs. All attendees at the focus groups will receive complimentary food and beverages at each session held on the Foggy Bottom campus sponsored by the Graduate, Distance and Professional Student Experience within the Center for Student Engagement.

Attend the Launch of the 20th Season of The Kalb Report Tomorrow at the National Press Club

GradAdvisorAugust 26, 2013Leave a comment

Civil_Rights_March_on_Washington__D.C.__Leaders_marching.____NARA___542001.tifa7ad79

GW will launch the 20th season of its highly acclaimed public television and radio series The Kalb Report on Tuesday evening, August 27, at the The National Press Club. The event will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and will feature civil rights legends John Lewis, Andrew Young and Julian Bond, as well as PBS NewsHour anchor Gwen Ifill. Moderator Marvin Kalb covered the event for Walter Cronkite and CBS News.

Now, 50 years later, this distinguished group will explore the impact of the day, the role of the press in the Civil Rights Movement, lessons learned, and how they can be applied in the digital age. For more information and free tickets, visit www.kalb.gwu.edu.

Welcome (Back)!

GradAdvisorAugust 26, 2013Leave a comment

The graduate academic advisors would like to welcome all new and returning students to the Elliott School. Whether you’re joining us for the first time this fall or returning as a continuing student, we’re happy to have you on campus! Let’s make this a great year.

We kicked off Fall 2013 by hosting New Graduate Student Orientation for the incoming class. New students spent a full day meeting Elliott School faculty, staff, students, and representatives from various support services office across campus. New Students: If you weren't able to attend orientation, much of the information provided throughout the day is still available through First Class on Blackboard!

Graduate Advisor, Jeff Peden, chats with a new MIPP student at the Welcome Back Reception.

With the backdrop of downtown Washington, DC and clear view of the Washington Monument, the experience became real for new students as they enjoyed an evening of conversation and refreshment in the company of continuing students, alumni, faculty, and staff at the annual Welcome Back Reception hosted by Graduate Student Career Development and the Office of Academic Advising and Student Services.

Exchange Student Ambassador Program, Fall 2013

GradAdvisorApril 22, 2013Leave a comment

The Office of International Programs and Education is pairing all of their exchange students with an Elliott School graduate student for the fall 2013 semester, but Elliott School applicants are needed! Please see the Google Form below for details. The deadline to apply is May 3. Please direct all questions to Katherine Willis at esintl@gwu.edu.

https://docs.google.com/a/email.gwu.edu/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dG91TlBWZFhKb0FZRnEzY0ZzSkcyMGc6MQ

Graduate Student Ambassador, Angela Strader, reflects on her Elliott School experience

GradAdvisorApril 4, 2013Leave a comment

After a year and a half of living and working abroad in Manizales, Colombia I decided I would get my master’s in Latin American Studies. In choosing which graduate school to attend, I talked at length with alumni from the Elliott School’s Latin American and Hemispheric Studies Program (LAHSP). I learned in particular about how the LAHSP capstone project would allow for a significant level of hands-on, real world, client-consultant experience, which would culminate in field research abroad. Such a one-of-a-kind opportunity immediately drew me to the program.

Prior to starting at Elliott, I knew the school had certain characteristics I was looking for: a multidisciplinary approach, an evening class schedule allowing for an internship alongside my studies, and professors who are also currently practitioners. Over the past two years, these characteristics have certainly enhanced my experience—I’ve been able to take courses in a variety of interests, including business, monitoring and evaluation, and econometrics; the schedule has provided space for a different part-time internship each semester; and through their work, my professors have been able to impart their inside perspectives on the development world.

The Office of Graduate Student Career Development (GSCD) has also had a meaningful impact on my experience at the Elliott School. Not only has the Career Connection website been the source of significant job and internship opportunities, but the GSCD staff have been extraordinarily helpful in my one-on-one meetings with them. Without their help, I would not be where I am today.

Finally, being involved with different initiatives and organizations on campus, including the Graduate Student Ambassadors (GSA) has allowed me to help bring students together for both academic and extracurricular activities. While on GSA since 2012, I’ve encouraged Elliott School students to attend the university-wide All Alumni Networking Night; sat on class registration office hours for first year students; and helped plan both an ice-skating outing and an Elliott School study break.

When I think back to why I chose the Elliott School, I know I had solid reasons for doing so. However, it was the experiences I had here, both what I was looking for and what I found, that have given me a sense of fulfillment. Although graduation is right around the corner, I will soon be proud to call myself an Elliott School alumnae.