An Interview with Margaret Meiman, ESIA BA ’20
We caught up with Elliott School junior Maggie Meiman at the start of the semester to chat about her summer internship at the Atlantic Council, a major think tank focused on strengthening the transatlantic alliance. A New Jersey native, Maggie honed her critical-thinking skills debating global issues as a member of her high-school debate team. At the Elliott School, she is a double major in international affairs and economics. When not in class or writing papers, she is often engaged in service work with members of her professional foreign-service sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon. A stipend from GW’s Knowledge in Action Career Internship Fund made it possible for Maggie to accept this prestigious internship.
Tell us a bit about your work as a summer intern at the Atlantic Council.
I worked in the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, which focuses on democratization, economic development, and disinformation within the post-Soviet space.
What issues did you work on?
My research focused heavily on Kremlin-led disinformation and misinformation in various countries, as well as the legal remedies countries use to combat them. For example, I explored how Estonia’s situation differs from scenarios in Germany and Moldova.
Why was the Atlantic Council internship a good fit for you?
The internship combined my regional interest in Europe and Eurasia with my focus on economics.
A highlight from your experience?
An off-the-record roundtable we held with the former Russian Prime Minister, Mikhail Kasyanov. This event was a chance for top Russia experts in D.C. to gather for a frank conversation about the current state of affairs in Russia, with an emphasis on predictions for the future.
A key takeaway?
I expanded my horizons, literally! I learned so much about Europe and Eurasia – especially about Russia, Moldova, and Georgia – that I just declared an additional concentration in this region. And I plan to use my enhanced regional knowledge and research skills when it comes time to write a thesis next year.
A point of pride from your internship?
My piece on the long term effects of the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia was published on the Atlantic Council’s blog, the New Atlanticist.
As a Soviet foreign policy major, I applaud Margaret’s fabulous internship and her research into the current Russian government.
Keep up the great work!