GWU – 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

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: Ben Nelson

GradAdvisorDecember 3, 2013Leave a comment

Ben Nelson Photo Ben Nelson is a second year Elliott School graduate student in the International Affairs program, focusing on U.S. national security policy in the Middle East. His areas of interest include U.S.-Egypt relations, democratization, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

A Richmond native, Ben attended Virginia Commonwealth University where he studied international relations, Middle East politics, and Arabic. During his first year at GW, Ben completed internships at Search for Common Ground, a conflict-resolution organization, and at the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, where he hopes to work after graduation. He recently concluded an internship on Capitol Hill in the office of Senator Tim Kaine.

Ben also serves as a managing editor of the International Affairs Review, where GW graduate students publish policy-oriented essays on current international issues. Always an advocate for graduate students who want to publish, he is happy to talk to students about submitting their work to the Review's website.

Spotlight on: Marjorie Wass

GradAdvisorOctober 30, 2013Leave a comment

Marjorie Wass is a first-year student in the Master of International Affairs program; she is focusing on Gender and Development. As an undergraduate at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, she studied theatre and linguistics and graduated with high honors. While in school, she travelled to England, Scotland and Italy and spent a summer in France. Pursuing her love of foreign destinations, Marjorie lived in Rabat, Morocco for two years after graduation, teaching English at the American Language Center and running the school’s drama club. She vastly expanded her knowledge of French and gathered a small command of Arabic, both Modern Standard and Darija.

Marjorie returned to her native California and began working in Public Relations and Communications. She had the privilege of working with many NGOs including Direct Relief International, Seeing Eye Expeditions (SEE) International and the American Red Cross. In 2010, she was chosen by Rotary International to participate in a professional exchange in Bangladesh. She spent one month there, travelling around the country and meeting with professionals from UNICEF, BRAC and other organizations. She is currently a tutor with the International Dialogue program at the Elliott School.

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.

Winter Study Abroad Program

GradAdvisorSeptember 26, 2013Leave a comment

Interested in studying abroad this winter? The School of Business offers select short term abroad programs to qualified graduate students. The deadline for the following programs is October 4.

GW School of Business candidates as well as qualified graduate applicants from the Elliott School will enjoy a unique learning experience through a faculty-led study abroad program to Dubai, UAE. [6 credits]

Russia : Behind the Scenes at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games Over the course of the program students meet with various 2014 Winter Olympic stakeholders from International Olympic Committee Members, sponsor executives, local organizing staff to media, volunteers, and athletes. In addition, students gain access to some of the Olympic Game's sport, media, and hospitality venues. [3 credits]

GWSB GEE Winter Deadline Flier_GW (2)

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.

Brand new courses added to the Fall 2013 Schedule! Register now before seats fill up!

GradAdvisorAugust 8, 2013Leave a comment

Security Challenges in Africa

CRN: 57309 Course Number: IAFF 6186.28 Instructor: Dr. Herbert Howe

Instructor Bio: Dr. Herbert Howe served in the Peace Corps in Nigeria during the country's civil war which sparked his interest in African militaries. He has covered the southern African wars as a freelancer for the Philadelphia Inquirer and has taught African studies at Georgetown between 1984 and 2005. He has also worked for DOD's Africa Center For Strategic Studies. Dr. Howe's special interests are in civil-military relations, private security and foreign intervention. He has authored Ambiguous Order: Military Forces In African States (as well as Do Not Go Gentle). Dr. Howe received his Ph.D from Harvard University, his M.A. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and his B.S. from University of Wisconsin.

Description: African development needs greater security, but how to achieve it? The course begins by asking what "security" is and how the political nature of the state--imperialism and personal rule, especially-has affected it. Case studies of several post-1960 conflicts, e.g. in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, illustrate likely causes, methods, and results of fighting. Security challenges have evolved since 1990, as have regional and international responses to them; the course will focus upon regional military forces and international assistance as possible solutions. Responses pose ethical dilemmas, including aspects of "just war" and the efficacy of humanitarian aid. The course concludes with post-conflict challenges, e.g. restorative vs. retributive justice and what might be the appropriate roles of security forces in helping African development.

*New Day & Time: Monday's 7:10 - 9:00pm

Course will count towards following concentrations:

MAIA- Conflict Resolution, International Security Studies, Africa (Regional Focus)

SPS -Conflict Resolution, Regional Security, Security and Development

Other Programs- course will count as elective

US Foreign Policy and International Organizations

CRN: 57307 Course Number: IAFF 6118.17

Description: The United States is a leading actor in global and regional international organizations. How does action in international organizations help the U.S. address major foreign policy issues from national security to economic globalization to human rights? Students will consider how changing conditions from the emergence of new powers to technological change affect U.S. foreign policy in international organizations. What are the long term trends in U.S. foreign policy in these organizations and do these trends help illuminate current policy issues? Students will examine the role of international organizations as mechanisms to address international issues, to set standards and enable states to meet them, to establish norms, and to rally support to address crises and the relevance of these capabilities to U.S. foreign policy.

Instructor Bio: Dr. Esther Brimmer was nominated by President Obama to the position of Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations on March 11, 2009. In her role as Assistant Secretary, Dr. Brimmer leads the Bureau of International Organization Affairs, which strives to advance U.S. interests through international organizations in areas including human rights, peacekeeping, food security, humanitarian relief, and climate change.

Prior to her appointment, Dr. Brimmer was Deputy Director and Director of Research at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at The Johns Hopkins University. There she specialized in transatlantic political and security affairs. Dr. Brimmer received her D.Phil. (Ph.D.) and master's degrees in international relations from the University of Oxford and her B.A. in international relations from Pomona College in Claremont, California.

Day & Time: Tuesday's 5:10 - 7:00pm

Course will count towards following concentrations:

MAIA -Conflict Resolution, International Security Studies, US Foreign Policy, International Law & Organizations

SPS - US National Security Policy & Process

Other Programs - course will count as elective

International Perspectives on Public Administration

Course Number: IAFF 6118.16 CRN: 57259

Description: This course will address diverse philosophies of public administration and public policy-making that inform governments and international organizations around the world. Using specific policy issues, the course will compare and contrast systems that have evolved from the British, French, German and American traditions. The course will address, inter alia, such matters as the role of elected and appointed officials versus the permanent civil service; the impact of limited versus expansive government on public welfare; international coordination of fiscal policies; the interface between international organizations and national governments; government versus private authority over land use and responsibilities for disaster mitigation and response. Interactive problem-solving sessions will be a central feature of the course.

Instructor Bio: Miguel González Marcos is trained in law. He holds degrees from Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität (Ph.D.); Montpellier 1 University, France (Diplôme d'Université in International Nuclear Law); New York University (LL.M.); State University of New York at Buffalo (J.D.); and Universidad de Panamá (LL.B.). Prof. González has been a legal and policy consultant for the Heinrich Böell Foundation; the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization Preparatory Commission; and a research fellow at the Human Rights Center at the University of Minnesota Law School. He was previously Professor at the University of Panama School of Law; Director of the Institute of National Studies, Panama; and attorney in the international group at the law firm Faegre & Benson. His publications cover constitutional analysis, international law and policy, and legal reform and governance issues. Current research interests include ethics and compliance, comparative and constitutional law, and international law and policy.

Day & Time: Tuesday's 5:10 - 7:00pm

Course will count as an elective for all programs

Political and Ethnic Conflict in South Asia

Course Number: IAFF 6318.10 CRN: 57390

Description: This course examines the political, social, and economic dynamics of civil conflict in South Asia. The course consists for four sections. The first section compares the mobilization of ethno-nationalist separatist movements in Kashmir, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The second section of the course focuses on communal violence and Hindu-Muslim riots in India. The third section assesses a variety of causal explanations for rural insurgency in Nepal, and India's Maoist red corridor and Northeastern states. In the final section, the course explores the origins and determinants of local support for the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This course draws upon the broader theoretical literature on intrastate violence to analyze the structural causes of conflict, group organization of insurgency, and individual motivations to engage in violence.

Instructor Bio: Jennifer Lynn Oetken is a Visiting Faculty member with the Asian Studies Program at the Elliott School of International Affairs. Her research focuses on the mobilization and organization of insurgent groups, political and ethnic conflict in South Asia, and regional security in Asia. She was a 2007-08 David L. Boren Fellow in India where she conducted her dissertation research on Maoist insurgent organizations and studied advanced Bengali. Ms. Oetken has also worked on Asian security within the U.S. policy community as a Fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research and Deputy Director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She is a Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science at Indiana University.

Her publications include "Tribal Participation in India's Maoist Insurgency: Examining the Role of Economic Development Policy," in Development Strategies, Identities, and Averting Violent Conflict in Asia (2013); "Transformation of Kashmir's Insurgency: Azaadi to Global Salafi" in Terrorism: Patterns of Internationalization (2009); "Counterinsurgency Against Naxalites in India" in India and Counterinsurgency: Lessons Learned (2009); and, "Secularism, Democracy, and Hindu Nationalism in India" in Asian Security (2008).

Day & Time:Thursday's 5:10 - 7:00pm

Course will count towards following concentrations:

MAIA - Conflict Resolution, International Security Studies, Asia (Regional Focus)

SPS - Security and Development

Other Programs - course will count as elective

Climate Change & Community Development

Course Number: IAFF 6138.10 CRN: 53983

Description: Vulnerability and adaptation are key concepts in the social science literature on climate change. The development of systematic ideas about adaptation to climate change occurs in a variety of fields - in both the ecological and the social sciences, and in a variety of settings - in academia, development agencies, and communities. This course will investigate the theoretical foundations of decentralized approaches to mitigating climate change, and analyze project documents that translate macro-level climate change policies into community-level practical projects. The course readings and discussions will also explore the local-level effects of environmental interventions and the environmental implications of local-level democratic decision making, using social science theoretical literature and natural resource case studies. Cases studies of global environmental policy will also be used for theoretical and empirical analysis.

Instructor: David Fleischer

Day & Time: Tuesday's 5:10pm - 7:00pm

Science, Technology, & Development

Course Number: IAFF 6158.12 CRN: 57288

Description: In this course, we will review a selection of the most influential theories of international development that grew out of the latter half of the twentieth century. These include theories ranging from modernization and dependency theories to world systems theory. In parallel, we will explore the role of technology in development, juxtaposing theories of international development with the challenges facing policy makers, development practitioners and other stakeholders.

Day & Time: Tuesday's 5:10pm - 7:00pm