Two Elliott School programs received prestigious awards from the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA), a global network comprising 40 leading schools of international affairs. The Generations Dialogue Project (GDP) won the 2024 APSIA Inclusion Award for Community Building, while the Data Literacy Initiative (DAPP) received the Innovation Award for Professional Development Programming.
Notably, the Elliott School was the only school to win multiple accolades.
The Generations Dialogue Project aims to increase diversity in the foreign policy field by connecting young people with giants who blazed a trail in international affairs. Peer-led intergenerational dialogues address anxieties that may prevent younger generations from pursuing these careers, with candid sharing of experiences and life lessons beyond career achievements.
Jennifer Brinkerhoff, professor of public administration and international affairs at George Washington University who leads the Generations Dialogue Project, reflected, “It has been such an honor to engage with so many amazing students and giants of international affairs who shared so generously and personally to support the next generation. I am deeply gratified that APSIA recognizes the importance of this type of engagement.”
GW’s Data Literacy Initiative also earned top honors from APSIA for equipping current and future policymakers with cutting-edge data analytics skills. The innovative program bridges the gap between data science and traditional policy analysis to revolutionize policymaking in today’s information-rich world. Data Analytics for Policy Professionals (DAPP) is a program for professionals of all ages and career stages. Its curriculum was developed in consultation with federal agencies including the U.S. Department of State, the Department of Labor, the Foreign Service Institute, and the National Security Council, as well as think tanks and industry leaders such as fp21 and GDIT. The ability to bridge data skills with job-specific knowledge is increasingly in demand across the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Laila Sorurbakhsh, assistant dean of academic programs, assistant professor of international affairs and director of online education who co-directed the initiative, said, ”I am thrilled that the Data Analytics for Policy Professionals program has been honored with APSIA’s 2024 Innovation Award! I am immensely proud of the collaborative efforts of my co-director, Emmanuel Teitelbaum, Chris Markiewicz, assistant director of academic programs, our exceptional students, and our dedicated instructors. Together, they embody a spirit of innovation and excellence here at GW.”
Alumni and students of the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University gathered on Thursday evening to celebrate the school’s 125th anniversary and its commitment to teaching and researching international affairs while preparing countless students for impactful careers in diplomacy and related global fields.
Celebrators gathered Thursday in the City View Room on the top floor of the school with its panoramic view of the city’s monuments. The room was decorated with buff and blue balloons and poster boards that told the history of the school.
GW President Ellen M. Granberg kicked off the event, thanking attendees for gathering to commemorate the milestone in the school’s history.
“As the world has changed over the last 125 years, the study of international affairs at GW has kept pace, evolving into an expansive, multidisciplinary organization that draws from a wide range of disciplines,” Granberg said. “Today, we are adapting to new challenges in the international arena, pushing boundaries in emerging disciplines and preparing the next generation of leaders and change-makers for an increasingly complex global stage.”
Alyssa Ayres, dean of the Elliott School, said the school has continued to be a strong force in teaching global issues firmly rooted in engaging with policy and striving for impact.
“For 125 years we have continuously adapted to new challenges, all while preparing our students for an increasingly diverse set of careers,” Ayres said. “The majority of our students, undergraduate as well as graduate, now go on to careers in the private sector and nongovernmental organizations, even as the call of public service remains an important pathway for many. As the world becomes more complex, the emphasis we place on practice, fostering international dialogue and shaping policy solutions, prepares our graduates for whatever they will encounter.”
The Elliott School was established in 1898 as the School of Comparative Jurisprudence with an enrollment number of 90 students. The school’s focus on international law attracted prominent faculty such as Associate Supreme Court Justices John M. Harlan and David J. Brewer. After enrollment began to drop, in 1905, the institution was renamed the School of Politics and Diplomacy (SPD) for two years. In 1907, SPD was replaced by the College of the Political Sciences which held its last commencement in June of 1913. For the next 15 years, international affairs programs were transferred to the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, where a focus was still placed on preparing students for foreign and public service.
Through the years, the school underwent several more name changes, then in 1987, the institution was renamed to School of International Affairs and worked to become a prominent leader in international affairs education. In 1988, the school was named the Elliott School to honor former GW President Lloyd H. Elliott and his wife Evelyn E. Elliott. Over the past 125 years, the school has served as a hub for discussions on significant international developments and continues its commitment to teaching and researching international affairs.
Marshall Parke, B.A. ’76, and Jenna Segal, B.A. ’98, the co-chairs of the Elliott School Board of Advisors, took to the podium to share how being alumni of the school prepared them for fulfilling careers.
“I came to GW in 1974,” Parke said. That was 50 years ago. And I came because I wanted a life involved in world affairs.”
He shared some of his favorite memories from his time at GW, including interning on Capitol Hill and experiencing historic moments including President Richard Nixon’s impeachment just steps from the White House. Parke said even after leaving GW, being an alumnus of the school continued to open many doors for him well into his career.
“It’s been a great road for an amazing 50 years of being a GW alumnus,” Parke said.
Segal said she credits the Elliott School for exposing her to the interconnectedness of international relations and the art world and equipping her with the skills to become a global cultural ambassador and advocate for positive change through art.
“I’m proud to call myself an Elliott School alumna and on behalf of the Elliott School Board of Advisors, cheers to 125 years of international affairs education at GW, may our legacy continue for many generations to come,” Segal said.
Rose Gottemoeller, M.A. ’81, the first woman and second American to serve as deputy secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), spoke about why she’s proud to be a graduate of GW.
Gottemoeller said she’s dedicated her career to working in policy, primarily focused on arms control and nuclear nonproliferation.
“I am grateful for the way that GW prepared me for life as a practitioner,” Gottemoeller said. “If it hadn’t been for the education that I received in my master’s program at George Washington University, I would not have the skill sets that I needed to succeed in the way I’ve been able to succeed. So I’ve been very grateful to the university over the years and very happy to have these relationships in latter years and the opportunity to meet so many talented young students.”
Elliott School’s Susan Ariel Aaronson, CCAS’s Alexa Alice Joubin and SMPA’s David Karpf comprise the university’s inaugural PIT Scholars cohort.
Authored by: Ruth Steinhardt
The George Washington University introduced its Public Interest Technology (PIT) Scholars program this week, supported by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to the study and application of technology that advances the public good by recognizing and empowering scholars contributing to that work. Three GW faculty members were named to the inaugural PIT Scholars cohort:
David Karpf, associate professor of media and public affairs in the School of Media and Public Affairs.
As PIT Scholars, Aaronson, Joubin and Karpf will facilitate cross-disciplinary research and teaching, seek new collaborations at GW and beyond and deliver a university-wide lecture. Their work also will raise awareness of the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN), of which GW has been a member since 2020.
“GW faculty can play an important role in facilitating technology in the public interest through research, education and service,” Vice Provost for Research Pamela Norris said. “In fact, there are many opportunities for GW to combine our historical strengths in fields like law, policy and international affairs with technology innovation to grow a new generation of civic-minded technologists and digitally fluent policymakers.”
At the PIT Scholars launch event in Science and Engineering Hall Wednesday afternoon, faculty from a range of disciplines gathered to discuss the definition of PIT, the opportunities and challenges its development presents and how to stimulate the collaboration necessary to promote it. Each of the three scholars gave a brief presentation on their ongoing PIT-related projects, as did Zoe Szajnfarber, director of strategic initiatives for the School of Engineering and Applied Science and professor of engineering management and systems engineering, and of space policy. Jack Goodman, a senior associate at government relations firm Lewis-Burke Associates, also presented on the range of federal funding available for PIT-related initiatives.
PIT is almost inherently interdisciplinary, speakers suggested, depending as it does on a variety of perspectives regarding both what the “public interest” or “civic good” actually is and also how a given product or initiative could affect that interest. Technology developed from a single disciplinary viewpoint, even with the best of intentions, may have unintended but major consequences in another arena.
Aaronson encouraged attendees to be “Johnny Appleseeds,” spreading the word about PIT and its potential in their own departments, and reminded the audience that TRAILS—the stated mission of which is to ensure the participation of diverse stakeholders in AI development so that future AI systems enhance human capacity, respect human dignity and protect human rights—opens its 2024 application season in April. “We are really eager to see proposals from people in departments that are traditionally underrepresented,” she said.
Karpf, currently on sabbatical, is working on a book based on his reading of the entire back catalogue of “Wired” magazine. Digital boosterism can have a distorting effect, he said, leading public enthusiasm—and research, in its wake—from one big idea to the next without evaluating the impact of previous zeitgeists. “I want to capture some sense of the stories that we tell ourselves about how our technologies change the world, and what we can learn from looking at contemporaneous predictions,” he said.
And, Karpf joked, “as somebody who spent the past six years sitting around reading old tech magazines and designing a class around old tech magazines,” he also appreciates the way the PIT Scholars program gives him a “deeply appealing” opportunity to “help build a community where that [work] is of some strange use.”
Joubin, who is working on multiple projects examining the interplay of technology, language, culture and the public interest, spoke passionately about the importance of involving humanities and arts scholars in conversations about tech, and vice versa. The written word, she pointed out, is itself a form of technology that no current scholarship has bettered. Where technology and the humanities intersect—which, increasingly, is everywhere—these intersections “force us to ask and rethink longstanding questions about moral agency, trustworthiness, the mind and body and the relationship between humans and machines.”
Such questions may seem esoteric, and projects on the borders of PIT may currently seem fringe. But, as Joubin pointed out, knowledge can only advance at the borders of what’s currently known. As PIT Scholars, she and her colleagues can “showcase the value of being atypical.”
“Atypical work is where breakthroughs are possible,” she said. “There is value in being a little bit of a weirdo.”
The prestigious Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program is opening doors for Elliott School graduates to turn their academic experience into impactful careers in the federal government.
Administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the PMF program is designed to recruit and develop the next generation of leaders for the federal workforce. The application process evaluates candidates’ leadership potential, with top candidates selected as finalists. Those finalists then have the opportunity to be appointed as two-year paid fellows at federal agencies.
In addition to the hands-on experience at federal agencies, Presidential Management Fellows receive mentorship from senior government leaders and the chance to drive innovation in public policy spheres.
The Elliott School prepares each new cohort of potential PMFs to master each part of the application process with great detail and prowess. Each year, the Elliott School celebrates having a large group of alumni and second-year students who have earned distinction as PMF Finalists.
Two Presidential Management Fellows, Daria Howard and John T. Lovinggood, shared their experiences working at agencies like the International Trade Administration, Transportation Security Administration, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services through the PMF program.
Howard currently serves as a Digital Outreach Specialist at the International Trade Administration. She was motivated to apply to the PMF program by her desire to pursue a career in public service.
“For me, this meant using my skill set and interests to make others’ lives better,” Howard said. “Another motivation for me and also how I would characterize the program, is community. It’s amazing to be part of such a passionate and talented community, which you’ll continue to be a part of even after the program ends.”
Howard encourages current Elliott students interested in the PMF program to maintain an unwavering focus on public service.
“Throughout the whole process and beyond, keep public service at the forefront of your mind and at the core of what you do,” Howard said. “It will guide you in the right direction and lead to a meaningful career.”
Lovinggood, who graduated from the Elliott School in 2022, was drawn to the PMF program as a means of continuing his career in public service. As a Presidential Management Fellow, he has held roles at the TSA and USCIS related to critical national security matters.
Lovinggood reflected on his experience as a PMF and urged eligible Elliott students to apply to the program.
“It has been a great experience for me that has opened many doors to a fruitful career,” Lovinggood said. “I would recommend to any motivated Elliott Student that there are many opportunities that you may not be aware of, so go ahead and apply!”
GW students won the 2024 Model G20 Summit, beating delegations from universities across the country and earning the “Best Delegation” distinction.
The three-day Model G20 Summit simulates the annual forum where leaders of the world’s largest economies convene. Student delegations represent different countries and negotiate to draft a joint “Communique” detailing policies across major global themes.
“I am incredibly proud of everyone in the GW delegation,” said Hannah Spiegeler, who served as President and led the team to victory. “I knew our skills, cooperation, and talent would lead to success. I wanted to make sure that we won as a delegation – and we did!”
The GW delegation began preparing two weeks before the summit. The delegation researched China’s foreign and domestic policies and prepared talking points, speeches, and policy memos.
In addition to the team’s overall first-place finish, the members of the GW delegation earned multiple individual awards:
– Nicholas Tappe earned “Outstanding Delegate” (2nd place) in the Sherpa Track
– Jonathan Kay received the “Outstanding Delegate” honor in the Finance Track
– Hannah Spiegeler was named “Best Delegate” in the Leaders’ Track
Elliott Senior Jonathan Kay reflected on the professional opportunities stemming from the summit.
“The additional networking opportunities that have come to fruition because of this summit have primarily been networking with other promising young international affairs practitioners who will no doubt wield influence in the future,” Kay said. “I look forward to meeting with some of them again, and I am keeping in touch with some of them.”
Spiegeler echoed the long-term impact of the Model G20 summit.
“I have strengthened my skills in negotiation, research, as well as leadership,” Spiegeler said, “all of which would be very useful in future internships, research positions, or jobs in the field of international affairs.”
Formed nearly four years ago, GW’s International Women of Elliott (I/WE) is committed to women’s advancement in international affairs. I/WE Executive Circle members champion Elliott students focused on women’s leadership to ensure those who choose to lead have the resources and tools to do so.
In addition to connecting Elliott alumni and students, I/WE raises funds to provide grants for Elliott students, supporting tuition, research projects, unpaid internships, conference presentations, and other activities. In the last two academic years, I/WE has awarded an impressive $183,000 to 48 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
On this International Women’s Day, we spoke with several I/WE Executive Circle members about their participation, what the network means to them, and why women’s leadership matters.
Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, BA ’80; President, Middle East Policy Council, Washington, D.C.
I’m currently running a non-profit that focuses on policy education and bridge-building between Americans and Middle Easterners – crucial in today’s world. As a former Ambassador, I know that ensuring women participate fully in society and in international affairs is essential to a more peaceful world.
Representation is so important. It made a difference to me in forming my goals and my sense of where l belong. Sometimes seeing a woman in leadership was a spur. Sometimes seeing us missing was an even greater one!
Alexandra Garcia, MIPP ’14; Non-Profit Consultant, Washington, D.C.
Helping to create a welcoming, safe, and connected space for younger professional women is very important to me because I don’t think it really existed when I was going through my own educational journey.
I hope and expect that more and more women will come into the decision-making roles that are pivotal in advancing a more just and fair societal order around the world. Women are just as strategic and goal-driven as men, but I believe we are more attuned to and mindful of the impact of our collective actions as a human species on the citizens of the world. “Winning at all costs” has proven over and over to be a failing strategy for world affairs.
Julie Monaco, BA ’85; Managing Director and Global Head, Public Sector Banking, Citi, New York; I/WE Executive Circle Co-Chair
My Elliott School education is why I have succeeded in a career in global banking. My international affairs degree gave me the foundation of understanding and instilled a passion to continue explore and learn about all the political and economic challenges my clients in 150+ countries face every day. Throughout my career, I had fantastic mentors and teachers, both men and women, who helped me grow and contribute in a way that would not be possible without them. I participate in I/WE to provide more young people who share the I/WE mission with the vast opportunities that an Elliott School education will offer them.
Brooke Pearson, MIPP ’16; Lead Program Manager, Google Chrome Trust & Safety, Google, United Kingdom
I used to think that international policy work could only be done from a thinktank, NGO, or in government. However, I learned that there are increasingly more policy-focused roles in the private sector too. I advise young women and students to keep your horizon broad: approach your career with an open mind about where you can make an impact, and where your skills will shine.
Laura Wais, BA ’71; Underwater and Travel Photographer, San Francisco
I/WE is to me a way to connect with former and current students and faculty at the Elliott School. Being invited to join the Executive Circle is a great honor. I owe so much to my education at GW. I feel that I/WE donations help shape the future of Elliott School graduates, who will go into the world as a future generation of leaders.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and travel several times a year to take images of Africa and the Indo-Pacific regions. I share my images with different environmental nonprofits and companies to highlight what I have seen in foreign countries. This is important to me from a perspective of increasing a world view to those who may not be able to travel as I do.
GW’s Institute for African Studies inaugurates the Bridges Institute Africa Series in conversation with the Nobel Peace Laureate and former president of Liberia.
Authored by: B.L. Wilson
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was introduced as “an extraordinary leader, the former president of the Republic of Liberia, a Nobel Peace Laureate and recipient of the Mo Ibrahim award for achievement in African leadership,” by the Dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs Alyssa Ayres.
These honors were bestowed upon Johnson Sirleaf, the first democratically elected woman of an African country, for restoring democratic rule and bringing economic stability and peace to Liberia after a decade of civil war. “She is now known as a tireless activist, an advocate and champion for peace and for women’s inclusion and participation in peace building,” said Ayres.
With this brief introduction, Ayres inaugurated the George Washington University Bridges Institute Africa lecture series in the Jack Morton Auditorium that was filled to capacity Tuesday evening. The lecture series was endowed by the Bridges Institute, which was founded by the Hon. Vivian Lowery Derryck, a member of the Elliott School’s Board of Advisors, to help strengthen African governments and democracy through advocacy and dialogue by building a platform for civil society to engage with senior U.S. and African leadership on the challenges of peace building, democracy and empowerment.
Derryck provided a broad description of Johnson Sirleaf’s worldwide standing as “Africa’s Iron Lady,” praising her as a “defiant” leader who survived abuse and imprisonment and dared challenge the corrupt leadership of previous Liberian presidents before winning election against a popular soccer star in 2005.
“She invested in agriculture, she emphasized education, she emphasized the importance of democratic institutions and the rule of law,” said Derryck. “She installed competent women in cabinet positions, and she underscored the centrality of market women not only to the economy but to the social fabric of the country.”
Johnson Sirleaf is also noted for stepping down after two terms in office and continuing her activism as a worldwide citizen.
The 85-year-old Johnson Sirleaf stepped gingerly to the podium to speak to the audience before sitting for a conversation with the Director of the GW Institute for African Studies Jennifer G. Cooke. In a measured but spirited voice, she observed that there were many in the audience whom she could name one by one whom she hoped to engage in a dialogue about what they now face.
“The Bridges Lecture takes place at a time of global disarray, a crisis imposed by the crisis of COVID-19 that disrupted the path of sustainable development in the developing world and revealed so starkly the imbalances in our global architecture, politically and economically,” she said. “Today we face the existential threat of climate change, the uncertainties of artificial intelligence and the resurgence of conflicts around the world fueled by the malign actors who see democracy as a threat to their ambitions. These forces are impacting Africa, which has seen a decline in partner support for democracy for the first time in decades.
“The multilateralism that has been the bedrock of global peace and security has been compromised,” Johnson Sirleaf continued. “Social media platforms have fueled shallow understandings of history and the drivers that build society, consensus and cohesion. Our world is crying out for leadership that meets the moment.”
Cooke asked Johnson Sirleaf what she saw as the way forward in this deeply polarized era when people no longer listen to one another, and negotiation and compromise seem almost impossible.
Johnson Sirleaf responded that in the period following World War II leaders addressed conflicts and tensions with dialogue and consultation to achieve global cooperation, processes that current leaders need to go back to.
“It takes a leader who is willing to make sacrifice, compromise…and stand tall for the principles that brought them to leadership,” she said. “We need those old-fashioned methods of assuring peace and security in the world.”
Cooke noted that many regions of the world that were not involved in the creation of those multilateral institutions that set those standards do not feel represented. What could be done, Cooke asked, to restore the legitimacy of multilateral institutions like the United Nations, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund?
Johnson Sirleaf said there are new, big nations that do not subscribe to the old international standards. She pointed out that issues today are more complex. “We must also accept the fact that the time for change has come,” she said. “Some of those institutions…have to be reinstituted, reunited for more participation for people, more participation for society, the acceptances of differences in policies and vision.”
But dialogue, Johnson Sirleaf noted, will be needed to make those changes and work through a system of global interaction.
“In a world bound together by financial and communications systems, one has to recognize that no matter how powerful, nations cannot stand alone and survive,” she said. “The time has come to accept the fact that nations are more equal.”
Addressing younger women in the audience during a Q & A session, Johnson Sirleaf said, “Obtain as much knowledge as you can so when you speak you speak with the abilities that you have developed. Stay focused on what your goals are. Set those goals with full determination, know that you can achieve them. Even when you face tough obstacles be courageous enough to accept them…and rise above it.
“If you are from Africa, get as much as you can get of experience and knowledge and go home. Go serve your country.”
Samyudha Rajesh, a senior at the Elliott School of International Affairs, has just published her debut book, “An Inside Job: A Guide to Self-Discovery in an Ever-Changing World,” aimed at guiding young adults through self-discovery.
Born in India, Rajesh grew up in different cultures and continents, including Thailand, China, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United States. She is passionate about self-development, health and wellness, human relationships, and the human mind and spirit.
In her book, Rajesh draws from her own experiences of feeling lost and confused with the state of the world. Read the extended Q&A with the author here.
Q: What inspired you to focus on self-discovery in our changing world, and how have your studies influenced the book?
A: In all honesty, this book was born out of months of feeling lost and confused within myself and the state of the world around me. I had many questions about why things were the way they were – not excluding – why I was the way I was. Over the summer, when I had a lot more time, I began reading random articles and books and listening to podcasts about different topics I was curious about. I also started doing a lot of journaling and reflection, trying to understand myself and what I really wanted in life. At some point, those two converged, and I realized that understanding myself was the starting point to understanding other people and the world around me. I think much of what I have learned in international affairs and international development has given resonance to this idea. Moreover, sometimes the biggest, most complex, and seemingly impersonal issues bear their solutions in the smallest, simplest, and most personal domains. We can draw parallels between the tensions of two parties or two countries in much the same way we think about tensions between two individuals and their interpersonal struggles.
Q: Your book is divided into two parts, addressing the “outer world” and the “inner world.” How does this structure help tackle questions about personal and global identity?
A: In bridging the “outer” and “inner” world, I want people to realize how and why they are affected by the world around them but equally, to realize how and why they have the power to influence the world too. Seeing these two things – not as separate entities in silos – but as being deeply intertwined and reinforcing, can open our world up a lot more. Maybe with this new and enlarged view, your world seems less like a series of unexplainable events and more like a complicated but beautiful web of cause and effect. Feeling more grounded and at home with yourself inevitably makes it easier to find your place in this world too. Similarly, when we can make meaning of our own identities and experiences, we can add meaning to the things we are part of and the people we are with.
Q: Who do you hope to impact with your book, and what kind of influence do you anticipate it having on young adults navigating uncertainty?
A: I hope to offer a sense of reflection, understanding, ease, and togetherness for everyone navigating change and uncertainty in their lives – which is all of us at some point or the other. However, in particular, I really hope to offer some relief to young adults (like myself) who are navigating so much change and uncertainty within and about themselves and the world around them at the same time. If I am being honest, I feel like being in your twenties is a string of existential crises. For example, not knowing what to do in life, trying to reconcile what you are “supposed to” with what you want to do, constantly wondering if you made the right decisions, fearing that you’ll end up alone, feeling like you are the only one struggling when everyone else has it figured out – it can all be very exhausting. I hope that by reading this book, people can learn more about the world today by looking at recent trends and patterns in research and data. This might validate how they already feel or change how they feel entirely. I also hope the book gives people the safe space to look deeper into themselves and finally spend some time getting to know that person – their likes, dislikes, values, purpose, dreams, deep-seated fears and insecurities, unanswered questions, and answers – that lie just as much within themselves as around them.
Q: Can you share some challenges you encountered while writing this book and any unexpected insights you discovered?
A: I think the biggest challenge I encountered in writing was to reconcile going deeper with casting a wider net. I wanted to touch on a variety of relevant topics like dating, social media, purpose and profession, religion and spirituality, and global currents whilst keeping focus on the inner experience. I also think it
can be hard to achieve the perfect balance between statistics and stories because different readers will resonate differently with both. This entire process definitely taught me to become less attached to my work, because so much of writing is re-thinking and re-writing what you once thought was “set in stone”. In other words, I had to be more flexible and open and realize that what I intend to convey and what is actually conveyed might not always be identical – and that’s okay.
Q: With your book launching soon, what are your future plans, both in writing and your professional career?
A: I am still exploring different opportunities in my professional career, but I am passionate about the intersection of human behavior, organizational sciences, and social psychology in the context of multinational corporations and international organizations. I am particularly fascinated with the concepts of conflict resolution and motivation. I hope to continue writing in the future and have a few potential ideas for my next book. However, my priority right now is to make the most of this journey and put my all into sharing this book with the world.
Q: Do you have any advice for other Elliott School students hoping to follow in your footsteps and become an author?
A: I would say if there is anything that you want to do – whether it is writing a book or something else – don’t wait for the right moment or opportunity to hit you. Sometimes you have to make your own experiences and create your own timeline. You “become ready” when you decide you are ready to do that thing you have always been wanting or meant to do.
In terms of more specific writing advice, I would say find a spot that you can focus well in and feel good in. I wrote most of this book in between two places – the third floor of Gelman Library and Foxtrot Cafe in Georgetown. Creating a sort of routine with writing helped me a lot. As with working out, picking a time in the day to dedicate to writing and then sticking to it is great for consistency. I also kept a notes app on my phone to jot down random ideas I thought of or information I learned throughout the day. Writing is honestly more reading and rewriting than anything else, whether that means reading other books and articles to refine your thoughts or re-reading your own work constantly to make it better.
About the Author: Samyudha Rajesh is a Senior at the George Washington University studying International Affairs and Journalism. Born in India, she grew up across different cultures and continents including Thailand, China, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United States. She is passionate about self-development, health and wellness, human relationships, and the human mind and spirit. She hosts a podcast on Spotify called “Touchpoints,” dedicated to conversations about life and our individual and collective growth. You can find her on Instagram @SamyudhaRajesh. Sam also has an endurance sports/fitness background and loves to workout and cook in her free time.
Elliott School Sophomore Eden Parker, a Stephen Joel Trachtenberg scholar, has extended her Civic Changemakers summer program work through the school year.
Authored by: Nick Erickson
Every now and then, Eden Parker would offer a suggestion she probably could have at any point of the meeting. But mostly, the current George Washington University sophomore sat back and listened to a trio of adolescents at Eliot-Hine Middle School as they shared their own thoughts and ideas on how to best organize an upcoming school dance.
This was their show, after all, and she was there to offer support to the school’s student council, as she does every Wednesday afternoon when the school day ends.
A former D.C. Public School (DCPS) student herself who has performed service and civic engagement projects since her early childhood days, including with the Jack and Jill of America organization that stewards young Black leaders, Parker defines leadership as being humble and receptive to community needs.
“I don’t necessarily think of someone who is always in command or in charge, but rather someone who is sensitive to everything and is hyper conscious of the things that are happening around them and who have the will within them to change, create change or to actually question the things around them,” said Parker, who graduated from Jackson-Reed (former Woodrow Wilson) High School.
Parker, who is majoring in international affairs and Africana Studies while concentrating in international development at GW, was once in those DCPS students’ shoes with her own ambitious goals and visions. She was just seeking an opportunity to act on them, and through GW she found it. In 2022, Parker was one of 10 D.C. residents and high school graduates awarded the Stephen Joel Trachtenberg Scholarship, which covers tuition, room, board, books and fees throughout four years at GW.
Once on campus, SJT scholars participate in service-oriented activities and are called on regularly to represent the university in a variety of ways. Parker, who is close and connected to many of her fellow scholars, has been inspired to give back to DCPS students, GW and other community interests since she received the scholarship. After her first year of studies at GW, Parker joined the Civic Changemakers program out of the Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service.
Parker helped mentor a group of young students at Sousa Middle School on a project addressing gun violence in the city. She felt inspired by their passion to solve some of the most pressing social issues in their lives and was moved by their creative approaches to the project.
“I feel like they all have incredibly powerful voices with really deep life experiences that can attest to the work that they do in terms of service and civic engagement,” Parker said. “I really enjoyed the mission of civic engagement and just general activism of the youth. It’s just so nice to see their ambition and intelligence and that they’re highly motivated to have a powerful voice. I just wanted to continue doing that.”
She jumped at the chance to continue her summer work by helping young and inspired leaders in the Eliot-Hine student council. Especially in her position as an SJT scholar, Parker has felt compelled to share her journey and some of the opportunities she has earned to those passionate DCPS students. She’ll also help the Nashman Center host DCPS students on a retreat to GW in March, giving those youth a chance to set foot on a college campus and plant the seeds of inspiration.
“Having those conversations with other DCPS students, I’m able to see where there’s a lack of awareness about resources we have and the need in D.C. schools,” Parker said. “I want to give back in that sense, just because I am a little bit more aware now.
“My interest in giving back is centered around having a connection with other D.C. natives and D.C. students and sharing our experiences together.”
Parker, too, has large aspirations, shaped in part by some of those very students she mentors. She’s passionate about poverty alleviation, access to education and honoring Black culture and heritage. Coursework at GW in international affairs and Africana Studies has allowed her to see a reflection of herself in the curriculum for what she says is really the first time. She seeks a career in international development so others can have that experience and opportunity, regardless of their backgrounds.
As her journey reaches new heights, she’ll continue to listen and be curious so she can bring others up with her. Because that’s how Parker chooses to lead.
A Brief History of Security Policy Studies at Elliott, 1979-2024
By Professor Paul D. Williams, SPS Program Director
The Elliott School’s M.A. program in Security Policy Studies (SPS) was born out of the George Washington University’s collaboration with U.S. military colleges that started in 1961. Across two decades, the university offered master’s degrees to military officers; tuition back then was $81 per semester hour!
The Security Policy Studies program officially launched in 1979, when Professor Burton Sapin recognized the importance of studying how the United States dealt with its foreign policy and security problems. The program examined how security policies are formulated, implemented, and evaluated, which remains the central task of SPS today.
Over the coming decades, the program evolved and grew in response to emerging issues in the field. For example, SPS broadened its curriculum to include environmental and economic challenges and emerging concerns about terrorism. In the 1990s, SPS Director Deborah Avant decided to add skills-based courses to enable students to learn first-hand how security agencies and organizations really operate.
Professor Avant also instituted a practicum capstone. “I will never forget that first capstone,” she said. “It was a simulation with Admiral/Ambassador Crowe playing president. It was so rewarding to see the students use both their theoretical and practical training as they worked through the scenario.”
September 11, 2001, was a watershed moment for the security studies field, at Elliott and elsewhere. Under Professor Joanna Spear’s leadership, the SPS program responded with a renewed emphasis on transnational security issues, including a focus on how intelligence communities were responding to them. New courses launched, including Understanding Terrorism, Responses to Terrorism, Counterinsurgency, and Transnational Security Issues.
The program also launched a specialized concentration in “Security and Development,” to give students a “toolbox” to take into their careers.” And thanks to a donation from the Cumming Family, SPS ran a series of workshops culminating in the co-edited book, Security and Development in Global Politics: A Critical Comparison (Georgetown University Press, 2012).
By the late 2010s, counterterrorism and counterinsurgency were receding from the list of U.S. national security priorities. Of course, both issues persisted, but the Washington spotlight returned to great power competition, codified in the 2018 U.S. National Defense Strategy. Today’s SPS program, with its four concentration areas, grew out of faculty members’ work to ensure the SPS curriculum provided students with key foundational knowledge, along with flexibility to specialize in areas relevant to their career aspirations.
In 2020, the COVID pandemic affected every dimension of higher education. Leading the SPS program into the realm of online and hybrid learning, Program Director Professor Arturo Sotomayor made a significant advancement by managing risks and uncertainties while also diversifying the student body. In fall 2022, with students back on campus, the Elliott School launched the SPS online degree in U.S. National Security.
Amidst the challenging conditions brought on by the pandemic, the SPS Student Board served as an essential conduit between educators and students. A vibrant and active student body is one indicator of a flourishing program, and our Student Board plays a vital role in ensuring student voices are part of the program’s governance and building a strong sense of community and friendship among an SPS student body.
This year, as we celebrate the 45th anniversary of the SPS program, we are grateful to past directors, who kept an eye on emerging trends and adapted the curriculum accordingly. The program’s suite of professional skills courses is second to none, helping students develop distinctive selling points in competitive job markets. Today’s SPS students are comfortable operating in cyberspace as well as physical space. And they have a keen interest in data analytics—to better understand and present evidence, trends, arguments, and conclusions.
The Security Policy Studies program is not an island! We have greatly benefited from being part of the larger suite of postgraduate programs offered at the Elliott School and the George Washington University, which provide students with a large range of multidisciplinary options. SPS students learn from an impressive array of courses: covering issues from global health security to national security law and from hacking cyber systems to understanding geographic information systems.
Many part-time faculty—often practitioners—help to enrich the SPS program despite their own hectic professional schedules. To demonstrate the degree of dedication: Bruce Powers has consistently taught defense policy for over three decades. The program’s gratitude goes to Bruce and to each and every part-time faculty member.
Clearly, the efforts of many people have shaped the highly successful SPS program of the 2020s. Here’s to the next 45 years and beyond.
