robinkhan – Elliott360

December 3, 2024December 3, 2024

Can The Humanities Learn To Love AI?

Q&A With Alexa Alice Joubin

By John DiConsiglio

Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t just on its way to humanities classrooms—it’s already there! From students asking philosophy questions to ChatGPT to professors using AI platforms for sharpening writing and research skills, AI is transforming the humanities world every bit as much as computer science labs.

And despite fears that it may encourage cheating or erode basic skills, some humanities scholars are seizing AI’s classroom potential—like self-proclaimed AI ‟early adopter” Alexa Alice Joubin, professor of English, theater, international affairs, East Asian languages and cultures, and women’s, gender and sexuality studies.

Joubin has made AI a centerpiece of her scholarship. She’s an affiliate of the new Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society (TRAILS) at GW, a founding co-director of the Digital Humanities Institute and an inaugural GW Public Interest Technology (PIT) Scholar.

In the classroom, Joubin has embraced AI as a technology tool that can be as instructive to the humanities as an encyclopedia—or the written word itself. In her courses, she uses AI platforms to help students learn how to ask quality questions, conduct in-depth research and refine their critical questioning skills. As a PIT scholar, Joubin is pioneering trustworthy AI projects, including creating an open-access AI tutor based on her own teaching model. And she also champions the technology’s potential to create a more inclusive classroom for international students who may struggle with English and students with varying learning needs. ‟It’s an empowering tool if you deploy it responsibly,” she says.

In a recent conversation, Joubin explained what AI can bring to the humanities landscape—and how humanities can help shape the future of AI.

Q: You describe yourself as an early adopter of AI in the classroom. How did you first become interested?

A: I’m very interested in the relationship between art and technology. Technology relies on art.

When you launch a new technology, you are telling a story, a narrative. There is technicity in art, and artistic imagination brings forth new technologies. And, of course, art needs technology. If you think about it, what is a quill pen? It’s a craft for writing—a technology. Technology is any application of conceptual knowledge for practical goals. As early as ancient Greece, people were dreaming of machines that could do things autonomously. And even in the 20th century, [mathematician] Alan Turing famously gave us the Turing Test on whether there is consciousness in the computer—and consciousness is a humanities question. So this didn’t start with ChatGPT. It’s one famous iteration over a long history.

When generative AI came along in late 2022, I was thrilled. I jumped on it right away. I was disappointed in the early days. But I’ve been steadily teaching with AI and urging my students to look at it realistically and critically. It’s not a devil and it’s not an angel. But AI is in our mix and it’s not going away.

Q: Where are we in the relationship between AI and the humanities?

A: AI really is a humanistic issue, and it has ignited broad interest in questions about free will, mind and body and moral agency. When people talk about ChatGPT, they talk about these questions. That’s why the humanities are front and center in this [debate]. Humanities provides a range of tools for people to think critically about our relationship to technology and about the so-called eternal questions. What makes us human? How do you define consciousness? These classic philosophical questions have gone mainstream thanks to all the debate about ChatGPT. Free will has suddenly become an important topic.

Q: How do you think the humanities world is adapting to AI? It seems that most people are either pro-AI or anti-AI—and the humanities largely fall into the anti-camp. Am I wrong?

A: Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of fear and uncertainty. Even worse, there’s an indifference—a thinking that this has nothing to do with humanists. But it actually has everything to do with everyone in fields ranging from humanities to social sciences and theory. It is forcing us to pause and rethink some fundamental assumptions.

But technophobia, fear and indifference can lead to a shunning of AI. And that translates into an unhealthy classroom. We know students are using it. When they graduate, they are expected to have literacy in it. And writing, critical thinking and meta-cognition are becoming all the more central because of AI’s challenges. The bar is being raised.

Q: Can you give me an example of what AI technology can bring to the humanities classroom?

A: It can bring a level of self-awareness, because AI is a social simulation machine. It cannot create new knowledge, but it’s a repository of social attitudes. I teach my students to treat it like a shadow image of society. It allows you to think at a meta level about your role in a society and how society reacts to certain things. For example, when I teach ‟Romeo and Juliet” in my drama class, students invariably have ideas about performing the play in a modern setting. AI can generate visuals for the scenes they describe in their heads. But students often come back to me and say: Why are Romeo and Juliet always white? Why aren’t they Black or Latinx or a queer couple? It forces them to rethink how they phrase their questions and their default assumption. It’s an extremely fun and eye-opening exercise, but it also helps us examine our unspoken, unconscious racism or sexism.

Q: As a new PIT Scholar, one of your priorities has been to explore issues around trustworthy AI. How do you see humanities contributing to that conversation?

A: How do you build trust? That’s fundamentally a humanistic question. And there are many ways to define it—transparency, ethics, accountability, interpretability. Humanities is particularly good at exploring these critical theories in complex domains that deal with open-endedness. They require agile thinking. You have to be dynamic and always assessing and reassessing the context. Humanities scholars know that there’s no single universal morality. It depends on perspective. And a key humanities contribution is the ability to entertain ambiguity and multiple perspectives at once.

“AI really is a humanistic issue, and it has ignited broad interest in questions about free will, mind and body and moral agency … That’s why the humanities are front and center in this [debate].”
Alexa Alice Joubin

December 3, 2024December 3, 2024

Alumnus Veteran Continues his Service to the Country Within the Military and Beyond

In honor of Veterans Day, we caught up with Dan Fuhrman, MIPP ’15, an Army veteran and Command Chief Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.

GW: Tell us about what you are doing now and why it matters to you?

DF: I have gone into business for myself, starting an executive coaching firm, Enotis Coaching, that provides coaching on business, leadership, and performance for leaders of companies developing technology for U.S. National Security. This has been a huge passion of mine since retiring from federal service as an Intelligence Officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency, where I supported advancing emerging and critical technology at the Pentagon.

Also, earlier this year, I assumed responsibility as the Command Chief Warrant Officer of a 2-star U.S. Army Reserve division, serving part-time, like many in the Reserves and National Guard. With 32 years of military service, I’m proud to be part of a team supporting the Army Reserve’s readiness to deploy in response to crises and contingencies worldwide.

GW: What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of personally or professionally, and why?

DF: I can’t single out any one accomplishment I am most proud of, but I’m probably most proud to serve our country as a soldier. Serving reinforced my values of duty, honor, integrity, and selfless service to something greater than myself. My experiences while serving shaped my worldview and commitment to making a positive impact in everything I do. Whether supporting my community, coaching leaders, or advocating for equity and inclusion, I carry forward these lessons of service, always striving to contribute meaningfully and help others reach their full potential.

GW: Do particular GW classes and professors stand out in your mind? Who helped you on your current career trajectory?

DF: One of my most challenging yet rewarding classes at GW was Writing for International Policymakers with Ambassador Ross L. Wilson. I felt I wrote well for policymakers then, but after receiving my first graded paper, I realized how much more work I needed to do. Clear and concise written and oral communications are crucial, and I am grateful the Elliott School emphasizes that during our studies.

GW: Why do you give back to the Elliott School as a volunteer and donor?

DF: Attending GW significantly impacted my life and career after I moved to DC. Giving back is the least I can do to repay that support. I am thankful to have remained engaged with students, faculty, and staff over the years through volunteering with the Elliott School’s Leadership, Ethics, and Practice Initiative, talking with prospective, current, and former students, providing perspectives during classroom interactions, and giving to the Elliott Equity Fund. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are very important to me. Giving to the Elliott Equity Fund is one way I support this value.

What would you say to current Elliott School students who want to make a positive difference in the world?

DF: Take advantage of every opportunity you have at GW and in the DC area. Expand beyond International Affairs and learn about big data analysis and business. Maintain the personal relationships you have developed in school and start to develop your professional network. These relationships will carry you forward in your career. Seek mentors who challenge you. Keep an open mind, as your path may evolve unexpectedly. Remember, progress in this field often comes through small, patient steps. Approach every challenge with humility and resilience, knowing that even small actions can contribute to a more just and equitable world. Your education is a foundation—build on it!

December 3, 2024December 3, 2024

Interview With Dr. Renata Avelar Giannini

We recently interviewed Dr. Renata Avelar Giannini, the Elliott School’s new Assistant Dean of Executive Education and Special Initiatives. With 15 years of experience in the think tank and international organizations sector, Giannini has been at the forefront of international affairs, providing technical expertise and supporting national governments in developing innovative policy solutions.

Dr. Giannini has extensive experience in data visualization and consulting with national governments and international organizations and has designed and delivered numerous executive education programs specifically tailored to the security and diplomacy sectors, addressing critical societal challenges such as conflict resolution, civil-military relations, and the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, as well as gender mainstreaming in climate change strategies.

Q. What are your plans for enhancing Elliott’s online learning and executive education portfolio?

Over the past decade, higher education enrollment has declined, yet the demand for quality credentials beyond a high school diploma remains strong, highlighting what individuals and employers prioritize in professional development during economic uncertainty.

To meet this challenge, we are expanding our online learning and executive education portfolios in a complementary manner. The pandemic underscored the feasibility and desirability of remote learning and working. However, as remote fatigue sets in, we must rethink how we deliver online education. The Office of Online Education is actively expanding its offerings beyond the current two master’s programs, providing students with the opportunity to pursue both degree and non-degree programs through a hybrid model that integrates in-person and online learning experiences.

Hybrid formats strike a crucial balance: they combine the scalability and convenience of online platforms with the interpersonal connections of in-person education. This approach allows students to customize their schedules while benefiting from our prime location in the nation’s capital.

In executive education, interest in credentialing and micro-credentialing has surged. At the Elliott School, we are leveraging an unbundling approach to offer short, skills-focused courses and stackable credentials aligned with various career paths. With ten master’s programs, five undergraduate programs, and numerous initiatives, we can create modular programs that address specific regions, themes, or competencies.

By integrating and complementing online learning with executive education, the Elliott School remains at the forefront of higher education innovation and meets evolving societal and workforce demands.

Q. How do you see emerging technologies (i.e. AI or VR) enhancing and/or harming higher education and remote learning in particular?

Emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) have the potential to transform higher education and remote learning by enhancing accessibility, personalization, and engagement. However, their integration must be approached thoughtfully to address ethical and practical challenges.

Two key enhancements are personalization and accessibility. AI can tailor educational content to individual students’ needs and learning styles, improving outcomes. Meanwhile, AI-driven translation tools and VR can broaden access to education by breaking down language barriers and providing immersive experiences that enrich learning environments.

Despite these advantages, challenges remain. Inequality is a critical issue, as these technologies may exacerbate disparities for students lacking adequate infrastructure or technical skills. Additionally, over-reliance on technology could undermine foundational educational practices, potentially eroding critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This raises an important question: how can we integrate emerging technologies to enhance learning without compromising equity or educational rigor?

November 6, 2024November 6, 2024

Elliott Graduate Reflects on Prestigious Leadership Fellowship

Daria Howard, M.A. ‘23, is in her second year of the Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF), a highly selective leadership development program where fellows work for a federal agency. Students can apply during their graduate school program in the Early Fall Semester but cannot begin the fellowship until post-graduation. Following her graduation from GW with a masters in global communication with a concentration in public diplomacy, she is currently a digital outreach specialist for the International Trade Administration (ITA) through PMF.

In this position, she manages the ITA’s social media, video, and photography. She works with different offices and teams to promote conferences, events, and trips that highlight the work that is being done.

Howard said the courses she took at Elliott helped prepare her for her current position. “My coursework was very helpful and relevant to my work now,” she said. “Particularly the Public Diplomacy class I took with Professor Kabra. A lot of the assignments and topics that we learned in that class are very relevant to the work I do.”

Since the PMF is a two-year program, fellows are able to explore what interests them in the field and what does not. Howard said that she is still exploring what her niche might be.

Howard worked at the United Nations in the Department of Global Communication as Public Information Assistant prior to her time at Elliott, which sparked her interest in pursuing public affairs as a career.

“I still feel quite strongly about communications and public affairs, but I’m definitely learning that that kind of work can look quite different based on the position you hold. You can do anything from multimedia work to press relations to writing and editing. As a PMF, I just focus on learning and exploring and seeing what I like more or less,” she said.

The fellowship is intensive, requiring 80 hours of training a year and the successful completion of their “performance plan,” which must receive a good rating according to their website page. Some PMF’s are able to maintain their positions permanently following completion of the program.

Howard emphasized what a big commitment the program is and recommended that applicants take the time to ensure that they are choosing the office and position that would be the best fit and provide the support needed to help them reach their professional goals.

“PMF is a great program, and you will definitely get a lot out of it,” she concluded.

November 6, 2024November 6, 2024

Alumna Advocates for Women in International Business and at GW

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we caught up with Ana M. Guevara, BA ’85, co-chair of GW’s International Women of Elliott.

GW: Tell us about what you are doing now and why it matters to you?

AG: I am passionate about executing strategies that lead to more efficient, prosperous enterprises by integrating business, public policy, and socially responsible initiatives that create shared value for all stakeholders. In 2009, I started a global management consulting business where I could leverage my global network and use my experience in government policy, international business, global supply chains, economic development, and good governance. I love this work because it gives me flexibility and opportunity to get involved in very diverse projects that all have one thing in common: helping communities that need it most. It lets me be a creative collaborator, connecting dots, people and talents. I get to build strategic alliances to catalyze change and drive organizational goals, fostering prosperity in communities across the globe. Some examples where I’ve made an impact:

A project in Asia to bring advanced technologies to airports, enabling better economic connections between small islands and isolated towns.
A project in the Caribbean to help airports be more resilient to natural disasters, speeding up aid and trade in the islands.
A project to connect women-owned enterprises in Latin America to qualified corporate buyers and their supply chains, empowering women to create inclusive prosperity.

GW: Why is the International Women of Elliott (I/WE) important to you?

AG: I was thrilled when the Elliott School reached out to me to become a founding member of the I/WE network. As a former board member of The World Bank Group, vice president of two Fortune 50 companies, and a senior U.S. government official, I have been in many strategy meetings and international negotiations. One thing that has stood out is how few women were in the room with me. Women make up 50 percent of the world’s population, but we are not where decisions are being made. Women need to participate fully in society and global affairs. I/WE raises that awareness and champions Elliott students to ensure those who choose to lead have the resources and tools to do so. This is a very important initiative to get women toward greater participation in careers that can positively affect the world and local communities. Being involved in I/WE has also given me an opportunity to network with amazing women who are alumni and friends of the Elliott School.

GW: What drew you to GW and the Elliott School for college?

AG: When my mother was a teenager in Colombia, her mother sent her to study in Virginia and New York. My mother wanted me to have a similar experience and sent me to “finishing school” in Switzerland and then to study at La Sorbonne in Paris. While in Europe, I gained a real curiosity for international affairs and how culture and geography affected the state of the world. I would read a lot of the political magazines and kept seeing professors from the George Washington University being quoted. I did some research on the school and loved the idea of living in the center of Washington, D.C., close to all the organizations that I was reading about. Another thing that attracted me was that the school had such a large international student community. In those days, the Elliott School was called the School for Public and International Affairs, and I knew that would be the next chapter in my life.

GW: Are there particular classes and professors who stand out in your mind? Who helped you on your career path?

AG: My academic concentration at the Elliott School was economics. It was not an easy subject for me, and I had to work hard to fully understand the concepts. Yet, it gave me a strong and essential base for the negotiations I became involved with, including free trade agreements, international aviation rights, global economic development initiatives, and with the World Trade Organization (WTO).

“East Asia Past and Present” was amazing and opened my curiosity with the region and ancient cultures. Armed with just enough knowledge “to be dangerous,” I have been able to grow my expertise and work on projects in Japan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, South Korea, Indonesia, and with the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

I am grateful to Professor Cynthia McClintock who helped me understand the cultural and political intricacies in my native country of Colombia and throughout Latin America. It was a great help when I was charged by an employer with setting up aviation rights and domestic operations across the continent. An impactful lesson that I learned from her was that “subsidizing farmers growing potatoes” was not an effective or lasting solution to poverty. As such, my work in economic development has always focused on the private sector and providing lasting self-reliant solutions.

GW: What would you say to current GW and Elliott School students who want to make a positive difference in the world?

AG: Don’t be an independent hero. Build teams and strategic alliances to catalyze change and drive goals. Acquire strong knowledge and technical skills as a base. Cultivate your leadership, negotiation and networking skills. Start building your networks now, by reaching out to organizations that you would want to work with, to participate in internships, and get information for your research papers. You may feel like you are an expert, but as one of my mentors said, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” Be open to learning, proving yourself, and working your way up.

A lesson learned from my days as a coxswain on GW’s crew team is to lead by example, always doing your best and encouraging and coaching others to do the same. In your endeavors, empower your team to unlock creative solutions and challenge the status quo to drive ideas and goals. Be the leader with a solution, not just the person identifying the problems. As my mentor would tell us, “Don’t think what it is, think what you could make it be.” Create a vision and make it reality through executing innovative strategies and impactful implementation with goals and measurements. Remember that what gets measured gets done. Focus on integrity and inclusivity, and strive for excellence.

Most importantly, enjoy your time at GW and the Elliott School, make wonderful memories, and build lifelong friendships. Now go Catch the Vision!

November 6, 2024November 6, 2024

Not Just a Number: GW Students Amplify Voices of Ukrainian Refugees and NGOs

Undergraduates Nataliya Layer, Lydia Miller, Liana Moldovanu and Anja Ree spent six weeks in Eastern Europe documenting the human toll of war through personal narratives.

Authored by: Nick Erickson

he emotions compounded with every story they heard—each delivered in gripping and emotional detail from a person whose livelihood war ripped away.

And in the heart of Eastern Europe, there was no screen to turn off and distance themselves from the harsh realities of the devastation and human toll paid in the two-plus years since Russia invaded Ukraine.

But hearing those stories and amplifying them are exactly why four George Washington University undergraduate students—second years Nataliya Layer, Liana Moldovanu, Anja Ree and senior Lydia Miller—traveled to the region for six weeks this summer.

“Our generation has grown up seeing different conflicts happen on world television every day, and we’ve essentially grown numb to it because it’s exhausting to have an emotional reaction to everything,” said Ree, a political science and government double major. “But just because we feel detached from it doesn’t mean we should react that way.”

Funded through Projects for Peace, of which GW is eligible as an institution since the university is a partner in the United World Colleges scholarship program, the quartet traveled to Poland, Moldova, Estonia and Romania from June 2 to July 14 to conduct interviews with over 40 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) supporting Ukrainian refugees, and with it documented more than 40 refugee stories.

The Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service administers Projects for Peace, which provides $10,000 for undergraduate summer projects that promote conflict resolution (applications for 2025 are due Nov 3).

The project, called Not Just a Number, chronicles refugee experiences and raises awareness about the critical work of organizations supporting these refugees on the ground.

The four GW students, all of whom have some sort of personal connection to Ukraine or the region, noted that some of the conversation and coverage surrounding the war has shifted to discussing how much aid, or if any at all, should be given to those affected. As the title of their project suggests, they believe it’s imperative to remember the human side of this conflict.

“It’s crucial that we don’t succumb to empathy fatigue,” said Miller, a double major in international affairs and political science. “The ongoing struggle deserves our continued attention and support.”

Personal stories, as tough as they may be to hear, form a connectivity between two strangers and creates compassion for someone living on the other side of the world.

Moldovanu specifically remembers speaking to a displaced 6-year-old Ukrainian at an NGO in Estonia, where the young boy expressed a desire to go home. But it was still too dangerous, especially since some of his friends there had been killed. This story made Moldovanu particularly emotional because she herself has a younger brother about the boy’s age.

“In the moment, it definitely impacts you to learn what it’s like to live in that reality,” said Moldovanu, a double major in international affairs and math.

Refocusing public attention to the conflict through personal stories and human connection is only part of the project. The other is teaching people to turn that emotion they feel into appropriate action as they hope the project will inspire shifts in global philanthropy.

While initially focused on interviewing refugees and documenting their stories, they soon began collaborating extensively with local NGOs because they found it easier to meet refugees through NGOs and that these organizations that received significant attention and funding at the beginning of the war needed increased support.

“We realized that NGOs, especially grassroot ones, are critical in providing refugee support and that community aspect,” said Layer, also an international affairs major. “We really wanted to showcase that NGOs are so important for a lot of refugees in the way they support them.”

They noticed that many of the people running these NGOs supporting Ukrainian refugees were Ukrainian refugees themselves who felt a need to provide for others. But because some of these NGOs started from the bottom up, they are not as connected to networking communities where they can get access to grants and funding. The GW students hope that they can bridge some of that gap by highlighting their work in a website they are creating to feature the different grassroots organizations they met. They encourage those looking to help financially to find local NGOs as targeted donations can have more impact.

For the project’s next steps, the quartet is using the interviews to write an academic paper exploring how the decline in funding affects grassroots organizations’ ability to adapt. They also plan to create a podcast where each episode will focus on a different organization and translated refugee story, as well as a website directing users to local NGOs and first-person narratives.

The resilience shown by those they met affected by the war is what most motivates the quartet to continue the task ahead. They hope their project inspires others to carefully listen to refugee stories and consider the needs of local NGOs. As they suggest in the title, these refugees are not just numbers to be feel numbed by. They possess ambitions, hobbies, cultures, traditions and loved ones who not only have stories of loss during war, but also ones of strength and hope. The quartet’s project is showing that they need to be heard to be helped.

GW students Mariam Muradyan, Andrew Raynus, Lindsey Spain, Anna Vasyukevich and Aydan Ibadova did not travel but are also involved in the project and helping with interview notes and other tasks.

October 1, 2024October 1, 2024

Richardson Brothers Foundation Establishes New Scholarship at Elliott

Landmark gift provides need-based undergraduate scholarships for UK students

Dean Alyssa Ayres and Carl Richardson standing in front of the London Eye and House of Parliament.

Alumnus Carl Richardson, MA ’99, and his family have generously created an endowed scholarship at GW through the Richardson Brothers Foundation. The Richardson Family Scholarship, established in perpetuity, will offer scholarships to UK citizens—or citizens of countries in the British Commonwealth—seeking to study in America at the Elliott School. The scholarship is a charitable milestone for the Foundation, marking its first major gift to a U.S. university.

Reflecting on his time at the Elliott School, Richardson said, “My graduate studies at the Elliott School provided me with an important perspective on international business and global geopolitics. As our business continues to expand our investment activity in America, this is a perspective that my family and I would now like to share with future generations of UK students seeking to study in the U.S.”

Dean Alyssa Ayres added, “We deeply appreciate the outstanding generosity of Carl Richardson and his brothers in establishing the new Richardson Family Scholarship at our school. Education is one of the most powerful ways to change the world for the better, and scholarships are so important in our times.”

In addition to his philanthropic efforts, Carl Richardson is actively involved at the Elliott School as co-chair of the Executive Circle of the University’s Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP). This alumni leadership group—which includes senior global executives, including co-chair Lisa Schroeter, BA ‘92, the Global Director of Trade & Investment Policy at Dow—advises the Dean and academic leaders on current trends in international economic policy, supports students, and helps advance the IIEP’s mission.

Since 2022, the Richardson business has also hosted the Elliott School’s global thought leadership event for alumni living in the London area as part of the school’s Dean’s Global Perspectives Series. This year’s event, held on September 11, took place at the House of Lords in the Palace of Westminster, further showcasing the Richardson family’s commitment to fostering international dialogue and understanding.

September 27, 2024October 3, 2024

FLAS Fellows Value Their Summer Experience

This summer, seven GW students took part in the summer Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowship program to study regional languages in the Middle East. Whether in Rabat, Tunis, Cairo or Amman, fellows put their Arabic and Hebrew skills to work exploring new countries and interacting with local communities, their peers and teachers.

Fellow Abigail Strait described the FLAS opportunity as a “life changing experience that cannot be described easily…but highlights included exploring the ancient ruins of Jerash and Ajloun, volunteering at a food pantry while speaking in Arabic, sand boarding in Wadi Rum, and the time spent living with my host family, who I still message today.”

Fellow Zakee Hamawi talked about how well he appreciated his time in Tunisia, especially the eight weeks spent with his host family, where weekend food shopping and social trips complemented the rigorous study program.

Fellow Daiyan Khan assessed his language learning journey as “a very enjoyable experience. Academically, the rigorous curriculum improved my language skills greatly. The opportunity to employ the skills I learned in class with the Jordanian people was something that only studying abroad could give me. Outside of academics, I met people who shared my passion for the Arabic language, and I was able to form lasting friendships.”

All GW students interested in studying a Middle East language are encouraged to apply for this well-funded opportunity, which covers airfare, program costs, and an additional living stipend. For additional details on eligibility and application requirements, please visit GW’s Summer FLAS website. Applications open in October and are due by February 15, 2025.

September 27, 2024September 27, 2024

Elliott Student Wins Prestigious Japanese Studies Scholarship

Nicholas Bird, a junior majoring in Japanese Language and Literature and International Affairs with a minor in Economics was selected as the 2024 recipient of the MEXT scholarship. The Japanese government awards this highly competitive reward and provides airfare to Japan, tuition for the university, and a stipend for the cost of living for one school year to study in Japan.

“I have only gotten this far due to the amazing support of all of my professors at GW,” said Bird. The applicant screening process consists of a written examination, an interview, and a final screening in Tokyo. Bird spent his sophomore year at Waseda University in Shinjuku, Japan, which is considered a “Japanese Ivy”. Bird also spent time in Japan over the summer for an internship through Elliott’s Freeman Foundation Scholarship.

“My dream is to be in a role where I can work to build bridges between Japan and the U.S., as well as be a bridge myself. I hope to be another piece in helping to create a continued good relationship in our vital international partnership,” Bird said.

Bird plans to apply to the Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) position through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program following his anticipated Fall 2025 graduation. This position requires fluency and is based on translation and interpersonal communication.

“Receiving thoughts and ideas from people with completely different upbringings will help me see things from different perspectives and think more imaginatively. I think this is important in our increasingly globalized world,” said Bird.

Dr. Takae Tsujioka, a Japanese language associate professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, expressed her excitement and how impressed she is by Bird’s accomplishment. “It was an incredible accomplishment after just two years of Japanese study. The MEXT scholarship is a further testament to his hard work and dedication to Japanese study.”

The MEXT scholarship is highly competitive, with hours-long exams and a particularly selective process for U.S. undergraduate students. The Embassy of Japan congratulated Bird via Instagram.

September 10, 2024September 11, 2024

Preparing Humanitarian Leaders: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Addressing Global Crises

as seen in the September/October 2024 issue of Foreign Affairs

Author: Maryam Z. Deloffre, Associate Professor of International Affairs and Director of the Humanitarian Action Initiative at The Elliott School of International Affairs

How do the Elliott School’s programs prepare students to address humanitarian crises and provide effective assistance in complex global contexts?

At the Elliott School, courses on humanitarian action take a multidisciplinary and intellectually rigorous approach, paying particular attention to cultural context, ethics, field-based applied research, and innovative practices. A foundational course in humanitarian governance and policy introduces students to the global humanitarian system, key humanitarian agencies and donors, international humanitarian law and ethics, dilemmas in humanitarian assistance, and key challenges to delivering humanitarian aid. Specialized courses help students develop expertise in locally led humanitarian assistance; climate change and humanitarian assistance; refugees, migration, and displaced people; gender and security; humanitarian communication; education in humanitarian emergencies; ethics; and emergency management.

Students may pursue a concentration in humanitarian assistance in a number of our degree programs. It is a specific area of concentration or specialization, available under the following Elliott School master’s degree programs, including the security policy studies program conflict resolution concentration, the Master of International Affairs, and the Master of International Development Studies.

Are there fieldwork and research opportunities available to students looking to gain practical skills in humanitarian operations?

Most graduate courses provide project-based learning where students work on policy problems in consultation with humanitarian nongovernmental organizations or agencies. The humanitarian assistance section of the global capstone, as well as the capstone in international development studies, provide an in-depth and extensive opportunity for student teams to work on a year-long project for a humanitarian client. Undergraduate students may work on independent research projects on the topic of humanitarian assistance in Dean’s Scholars and other undergraduate research opportunities. Students can also reach out about available research assistantships to work on research projects directed by a faculty member.

How does the Elliott School approach teaching the ethical considerations and challenges involved in delivering humanitarian aid to vulnerable populations around the world?

The Elliott School approaches teaching ethical considerations and humanitarian challenges through initiatives like the Humanitarian Action Initiative, an academic and research hub that convenes and cultivates the school’s curriculum, scholarly research, and policy expertise on topics related to humanitarian assistance, and the Leadership, Ethics, and Practice Initiative, which integrates the exploration and analysis of ethics topics throughout undergraduate and graduate education.

The school aims to identify ethical issues in every subject and course, exploring them through case studies or other instructional means, through courses such as humanitarian governance and policy, global justice, and accountability and ethics in humanitarian and disaster settings that address questions and issues related to the ethics of humanitarian action. The school regularly hosts speakers on ethics topics and assists students interested in doing research on humanitarian issues.