Elliott School of International Affairs – Page 3

August 8, 2023August 16, 2023

Elliott School’s New Data Literacy Initiative: Revolutionizing Policy through Evidence-Based Approaches

Professors making presentation to staff in conference room.

Professors Emmanuel Teitelbaum and Laila Sorurbakhsh discuss data visualizations with Elliott School graduate students and International Affairs practitioners: (left to right) Chris Markiewicz, Chiara Evelti, Uugangerel Bold, and Briana Doyle.

The Elliott School is excited to announce the launch of a new initiative, Data Analytics for Policy Professionals, beginning Fall 2023. Led by Dr. Laila Sorubakhsh and Dr. Emmanuel Teitelbaum, the aim of the initiative is to provide a much-needed bridge between the world of public policy, international affairs, and data analytics. While traditional policy practice may focus more on qualitative or contextual data, the use of quantitative data in reports, presentations, dashboards, and other media are becoming increasingly common in the policy space. Through Data Literacy in International Affairs, our goal is to cross-train both traditional analysts and data scientists to combine their analytic strengths to inform innovative approaches to evidence-based policy.

As part of the initiative, the Elliott School is offering a series of courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive level that provide an understanding of which tools are most useful for both specialized and everyday policy practice. Through partnership with organizations and agencies, we seek to better serve our student body and the greater policy community by upskilling our current and future policymakers to respond to a dynamically changing world. These courses will provide students the opportunity to become empowered with the relevant data tools to improve daily operations, better understand policy, and provide evidence-based recommendations for best policy practice.

At the executive level, students, alumni, and practitioners can sign up to take our 1.5 credit weekend workshops offered both in person and online. Credits can be transferred to an Elliott School Masters program or graduate certificate. Fall 2023 offerings include IAFF 6505 Visualizing and Modeling International Politics with Dr. Emmanuel Teitelbaum (ESIA) and IAFF 6505 Expert Policy Decision Making Using Data with Dr. Leonardo Antenangeli (ESIA) and Dan Spokojny (CEO, fp21). Our hands-on approach combines technical training with guest speakers and networking events to put new technical skill sets into practice. Classes are open to beginners with no-coding experience to seasoned analysts looking to add to their skill set or understanding of its applications to the policy world. Information about the courses can be found in more detail here.

The introductory fall 2023 class will receive a special offer for the Initiative’s launch: $1,500 per 1.5 credit workshop in lieu of the standard non-degree student rate of $2,080 per 1 credit.

To apply, please submit your application here . Applications are considered on a rolling basis depending on workshop timing.

For any questions, please reach out to sorurbakhsh@gwu.edu

For additional information on the course offerings, please visit our website at https://elliott.gwu.edu/data-analytics-policy-professionals

June 20, 2023June 21, 2023

Elliott Undergraduate Research Fellow Presents at Arctic Science Summit

Anissa Ozbek, a third-year student in the Elliott School of International Affairs and an undergraduate research fellow, traveled to Vienna, Austria, this February with the GW delegation to the 2023 Arctic Science Summit Week. There, joined by Professor Marya Rozanova-Smith she presented findings from the COVID-GEA Project, which seeks to understand the gendered impacts of COVID-19 in the Arctic.

“I have been a research assistant on the project since 2022, so I was very excited to share the COVID-GEA Project’s preliminary results alongside our Principal Investigator, Dr. Rozanova-Smith at the Arctic Science Summit Week(ASSW) before world-class scholars in the field of Arctic studies,” said Ozbek.

Ozbek’s topic, “Gender Equality for Sustainable Arctic Communities Amid and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic,” focused specifically on the case of Alaska, examining initiatives passed in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Nome, and Juneau, as well as by the Alaska state legislature.

At the conference week, Ozbek assisted Dr. Rozanova-Smith in presenting the COVID-GEA project’s audio-visual exhibit, titled “Arctic Women’s Voices:Standing Strong in the Face of COVID-19,” which gives Arctic women a platform to discuss how the pandemic affected them.

Conference attendees at the ASSW heard from experts across the natural and social sciences on a range of topics, from the effects of light pollution on Arctic ecosystems to Indigenous stewardship practices.

As Ozbek considers a career in research, attending the ASSW provided her with the invaluable opportunity to learn about key aspects of scholarship, including presentation skills and collaboration, firsthand.

April 5, 2023June 21, 2023

Elliott School Receives Endowment to Enhance African Studies

The Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University received an endowment gift from The Bridges Institute to support a new lecture series, as well as periodic meetings of Bridges’ Africa Policy Group.

The gift will support the newly named Bridges Institute Vivian Lowery Derryck Africa Lecture Series, an annual lecture series on U.S.-Africa engagement featuring a keynote address by a senior African leader.

The gift will also support the Elliott School’s convening of the Africa Policy Group (APG), a diverse group of influential voices from civil society, academia, and the U.S.-Africa policy community. The Bridges Institute’s Africa Policy Group meetings become part of the GW Elliott School’s Institute for African Studies portfolio of activities supported by the endowment.

The Africa Policy Group (APG), formed in 2011, is a non-partisan coalition of 30 senior Africa experts that shapes a more robust U.S. Africa policy by deepening knowledge and discussing new findings about Africa among group members, and then sharing informed APG perspectives with Members of Congress, senior Administration officials, and the private sector, as well as African colleagues.

“We are so grateful for this endowment, which will allow us to showcase Africa’s growing strategic importance to the United States and the global community and support a robust dialogue among civil society leaders, academics, and policymakers from both the U.S. and Africa on how best to advance our partnerships and common interests,” said Jennifer Cooke, director of the GW Institute for African Studies, headquartered at the Elliott School of International Affairs.

The donation was spearheaded by Vivian Lowery Derryck, founder and president emerita of The Bridges Institute, and an incoming member of the Elliott School Board of Advisors.

“It is my hope that this gift will provide inspiration for future generations of students, faculty, and policymakers focused on forging strong connections with African nations and working to strengthen African democracies,” Derryck said. “I am thrilled to partner with GW’s Elliott School to continue the important work of The Bridges Institute and delighted to join the school’s leadership board.”

March 3, 2023March 3, 2023

Celebrating Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day

As the U.S. Department of State prepares for the 17th annual International Women of Courage Award Ceremony, the Elliott School is also gearing up to host a select group of the Women of Courage awardees for an event where students can meet the women, hear their individual stories of courage, ask questions, and seek advice.

The Women of Courage Awards celebrate women who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in acting to improve the lives of others. It’s a great chance to bring attention and support from around the world to women who have put their lives or personal safety at risk to help their communities.

The awardees are taking part in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), which is the premier professional exchange program run by the U.S. Department of State. Current and emerging foreign leaders in a variety of fields experience this country firsthand and cultivate lasting relationships with their American counterparts.

Join the Elliott School, the Gender Equality Initiative in International Affairs (GEIA) and the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC), in recognizing the U.S. Secretary of State’s 2023 International Women of Courage (IWOC) awardees for a panel discussion. The event will be held on March 10th in the City View Room at the Elliott School. Doors open at 4:30 pm and the event begins at 5:00 pm. Click on the link here for details and registration. For information about other International Women’s Day events and Women’s History Month events click https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/gwtodo-all-month-celebrating-womens-history

March 3, 2023March 10, 2023

GW Elliott School confers first Elliott Equity Fund Awards

The summer after her first year at GW – entirely online – Deseree Chacha spent three weeks in Tanzania, to visit her grandmother and other family members. “I am a first-generation Tanzanian-American, and I think of Tanzania as home,” she says. “I definitely have taken an international journey to the Elliott School.”

Chacha began her studies thinking she would major in psychology, yet even in the first year she found herself drawn to classes that focused on African history, culture, and politics. This interest crystalized as she traveled across Tanzania, from Dar es Salaam to Arusha to Zanzibar. By the time she returned to GW for sophomore year, she knew she would change course and study international affairs at the Elliott School.

“I am the type of person who wants to take an academic route to learn more about my identity,” Chacha says. “The trip was the moment when I realized I could actually pursue this.”

As the oldest of three children, Chacha was sensitive to the financial burden her parents took on when she started her undergraduate studies. In November 2022, part of this burden was lifted when Chacha received a scholarship through the Elliott Equity Fund, established in spring 2022 to encourage students from all walks of life to pursue their dreams.

“I was so elated to tell my parents I got this award. I knew this would relieve some of the pressure on my parents and even my siblings,” she says. And there is another dimension, as well. “This award shows that the Elliott School recognizes the need to take specific action in regards to equity.”

The field of international affairs benefits greatly from diversity among its ranks, says Rebecca
Brown Thompson, MA ’91. Thompson, a member of the school’s Board of Advisors, went from
the Elliott School to a distinguished 28-year career as a Foreign Service Officer with the US State
Department. Over the years, she continually sought to develop inclusive teams.

“The more diversity we can bring to the table during policy deliberations, the more we can be
confident we’re developing foreign policy that is well thought out,” she said, and added, “When
we have diverse teams representing the United States overseas, it reflects the values of our
country.”

For Thompson, the Elliott Equity Awards are one way to remove barriers to equity and inclusion
and ensure that the “best and brightest students out there, no matter what their backgrounds,
choose the Elliott School.”

The view from inside the classroom mirrors Thompson’s experience in the field. “To resolve the most pressing challenges facing our interconnected world, we need to tap into the full measure of talent available, bringing to the debate the widest possible range of perspectives and ways of thinking,” says Elliott School Professor Jennifer Brinkerhoff.

With more than 40 percent of GW students qualifying for need-based aid, the Elliott Equity Fund Awards are a powerful game changer – for Deseree Chacha, her fellow awardees, and future award winners.

Or, as Chacha puts it, “the advancement of diversity in international relations will greatly assist key advisors and global leaders to foster peace and unity.”

Visit the Elliott Equity Fund webpage to learn more and donate today.

March 3, 2023March 3, 2023

Josué Rivera Rivera: Elliott Student Accepted into Cambridge International Security Program Student Spotlight

Josué Rivera Rivera, an MIPP student at the Elliott School of International Affairs, has been accepted into the prestigious Cambridge International Security and Intelligence (ISI) program.

Supervised by leading international security experts, the program’s purpose is to partner students with leading international security scholars while exploring enduring and emerging themes in international security. The ISI program is put on by the Cambridge Security Initiative in partnership with the Department of War Studies, King’s College, University of London. Josué is the first GW student to be accepted into the program.

The program is chaired by Sir Richard Dearlove, former Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service and aims to provide students with an opportunity to work with leading international security scholars and practitioners, exploring both enduring and emerging themes in international security.

Themes explored in the program include the challenges facing Western democracies from state and non-state actors, modern conceptions of transparency and state secrecy, and the role of intelligence and security agencies in a modern democratic society.

The program is modeled on the teaching offered at Cambridge University and includes small-group supervision of individual research projects by experts in the relevant fields. In addition, participants also attend the annual CSi conference exploring Intelligence and National Security in a Changing World.

Josué credits his acceptance into the program to the resources available at the Elliott School, saying, “it’s proof of the amazing opportunities available here at the Elliott School and at GW. It starts with the amazing faculty. We have very talented professors and advisors.”

When asked to reflect about his experience at the Elliott School, Josué shared his immense appreciation for the faculty, students, and access to global opportunities.

“At Elliott, there are incredibly talented people who have a true sense of wanting to do good in the world and create change. That is inspiring.”

He advises students to “take advantage of the opportunities you already have here. Understand what you’re curious about and look for different perspectives.”

The Elliott School provides students with unique opportunities for global engagement both in Washington D.C. and abroad. The Office of Graduate Student Services offers resources to students through over 65 networking, informational, and skills-building events.

January 30, 2023March 20, 2023

Student Org Fair at Elliott

In case you missed it! The Elliott school recently hosted the Spring 2023 Student Org Fair. Students were able to go table to table and discover just what the 20 Elliott student orgs on campus have to offer. In addition to the more familiar orgs, three new student organizations have been recognized and added to the roster! These include the Onero Institute, the John Quincy Adams Society and the GW DC student Consortium on Women Peace and Security.

The Onero Institute is a youth-driven, nonprofit research organization that wants to develop the next generation of leaders and foreign affairs experts by actively bridging the divide between young people and the academic community and by better engaging youth and the world community on international issues. They offer support and a platform for aspiring young professionals to improve upon and share their work. The Onero Institute places special emphasis on creating intergenerational dialogues and discussing underrepresented and youth issues. This chapter of the Onero Institute seeks to engage the GW and Washington, D.C. communities with the aforementioned mission and strives to empower the voices of students and young people.

The John Quincy Adams Society (JQAS) is an international affairs-related student organization focused on building a new generation of U.S. leaders who understand the limits of power, will keep America out of unnecessary wars, and refrain from attempts at social engineering in countries halfway across the globe. JQAS at GW aims to help college students advance, both intellectually and professionally, while promoting a broader and more strategic conversation about America’s approach to international affairs.

The DC Student Consortium on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) is a student-led organization that aims to—in collaboration with the US Civil Society Working Group on WPS (U.S. CSWG)—promote awareness of the implications of women and gender in security and foreign policy. They strive to ensure that policymakers around the globe are aware of the importance of gender issues in these disciplines and the need to institutionalize a feminist approach when solving critical issues surrounding peace and security.

It’s never too late to get involved with student organizations at the Elliott School. Check out these three new orgs or any of the other 17 Elliott School student organizations on campus. Getting involved with student organizations is an excellent opportunity to meet like-minded individuals that share a common interest. https://studentlife.gwu.edu/student-organizations

November 2, 2022November 21, 2022

Three, Two, One — Network!

At a special speed-networking event held on October 19 at the Elliott School, 20 forward-
thinking Elliott students had the opportunity to speak one-on-one with high-powered alumni
who serve on the Elliott School Board of Advisors.

Speed networking combines the speed-dating model with business networking – allowing for
brief, targeted conversations with a number of professionals. The Elliott students were asked to
meet in pairs with board members in five-minute intervals, forging connections with nearly a
dozen executives – who also encouraged the students to stay in touch after the event.

Participation for students was first come first served; the eight undergraduates and 12 graduate
students in the room had been the first to reply to an all-school invitation to the event.

Students had a range of reasons for participating. Professional development was number one,
understandably. “It’s rare that you get a chance to speak with people that accomplished in their
fields,” said one student.

Medha Prasanna, a second-year graduate student, also was eager to gain deeper perspective
into the Elliott School. “I wanted to meet the people shaping the long-term vision of the
school,” she said.

At 11 a.m., students and board members gathered in the State Room on the seventh floor of
the Elliott School. There was an energetic buzz in the room as the students, in teams of two,
took seats next to individual board members, then, when the timer went, rotated to the next
member.

Any anxiety – for students and board members alike – was quickly dispelled, according to Ethan
Vosper, a senior concentrating in security policy. “It was a very welcoming, experience. They did
a really good job of putting us at ease,” he said.

Thomas Nielsen, a graduate student who plans to start his career working in international
trade, was there to hear first-hand accounts of what an Elliott School degree can lead to,
especially from those in his field. “I got that,” he said. “A lot of the advice was related to my
interest in private-sector business. A majority of the members had done exactly that.”

Nielsen – a member of the GW Track and XC teams – found the speed-networking format
especially effective. “It eliminated the small-talk aspect of networking,” he said.

What were the key takeaways from the event?

For senior Ethan Vosper, the “biggest thing [I learned] is not being afraid to put yourself out
there. When you’re a college student the idea of networking can be daunting, but don’t be
afraid to reach out to a person whose work interests you.”

In a similar vein, board members encouraged students to approach their careers – and their job
searches – with open minds. “I was encouraged to take risks and apply for jobs that don’t
necessarily match up with the international affairs field and direction,” Nielsen said.

Another important piece of advice, according to the students: don’t underestimate the value of
an international affairs degree; the world needs more individuals trained to work in an
interdisciplinary space.

As one board member told Vosper, “You can teach a person how to do the job, but you can’t
teach a person to be interested in history.”

October 28, 2022November 1, 2022

Interview with a John S. McCain Strategic Defense Fellow Alumni Spotlight: Nick DiMichele

Nick DiMichele, MIPP ’21, was recently selected as a John S. McCain Strategic Defense Fellow, a one-year civilian fellowship program designed to pave the way for a career track toward senior leadership in the U.S. Department of Defense. The program provides rotations in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in order to gain vital experience and leadership capabilities and includes one-on-one mentoring with senior DoD leaders. Elliott School graduates have a good track record with the fellowship – 4 of the 29 recipients from the previous cohort are Elliott alumni, including Michael Choi, Christopher Riehl, Ryan Salzman, and Emilyn Tuomala.

Read what Nick had to say about how the Elliott School prepared him for success.

ESIA: What will you be doing as a McCain Strategic Defense Fellow?

ND: I will work in the Pentagon for the Executive Services Directorate, specifically in the Classified Support Branch. My responsibilities in this role include handling, controlling, analyzing, and dispatching classified correspondence coming into and out of the department for the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense, and Executive Secretary. This will be a tremendous rotational opportunity to see the department’s inner workings and how DoD conducts business. One of the greatest benefits of this fellowship is the ability to complete multiple rotational assignments to different components inside the department. For example, I plan on conducting a rotational assignment in the Strategy and Force Development office and the Europe and NATO office.

This fellowship extends beyond just conducting rotational assignments and learning how to do the job. McCain Fellows are offered $5,000 to use during the fellowship for professional development courses related to their duty position. Additionally, each McCain Fellow has the opportunity to receive a Senior Executive Service mentor to help guide and develop fellows. The foundation of this program is that the department wants to “build the bench” of next-generation national security leaders for DoD.

ESIA: What kind of job do you hope the fellowship will lead to in the future?

ND: My hope is that this fellowship will lead to a permanent position in DoD. With this fellowship, there is the opportunity to potentially convert into a full-time civilian employee inside the department, which is what I will be aiming for. However, I will be happy with any position supporting U.S. national security goals inside or outside the DoD.

ESIA: How did you find out about the fellowship?

ND: I heard about this fellowship from a friend. Once I researched the fellowship, I thought it was a phenomenal opportunity to break into the federal and national security sectors. This is just the third cohort for this fellowship, and I believe it is not as well known as others like the Presidential Management Fellowship. Publicizing and getting the word out about this opportunity is important because we need to build the bench of next-generation civil servants in the federal and national security apparatus.

ESIA: How did the Elliott School influence your professional choices and successes?

ND: I came off active duty in the Army in 2020 after a decade of service and knew I wanted to work in the foreign affairs and national security sector. When I came off active duty, I applied for the Elliott School because it is globally known as a premier school for international affairs. I quickly realized from speaking with the faculty at Elliott that there is significant overlap in international affairs and national security. One of the mottos of Elliott is to “educate the next generation of international leaders.” That motto is not just for show; Elliott lives it with the caliber of students admitted and the faculty teaching.

I will also say that Elliott faculty from the policy realm helped me understand how to produce literature for a policymaker. I had to create the traditional longer papers for my classes, but a lot of the time, the professors wanted a two to three-page write-up summarizing information. When you begin working in the policy ecosystem, you realize that two to three-page memorandums are what drive processes forward. The Elliott School reinforced the idea of being able to give the Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) when producing memos, which helped me understand what policymakers need to make decisions.

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

ND: As I’ve said before, the caliber of faculty at Elliott is truly unmatched, but there were a few professors that really influenced me. Dr. Erwan Lagadec taught the course Strategic Challenges Facing NATO, and he set up a one-on-one mentoring session for me with the prior Deputy Secretary General of NATO, Rose Gottemoeller, who advised me on a paper I was writing. (Editor’s note: Ms. Gottemoeller is also an Elliott alumna, MA ’81.)

Dr. Jonathan Schroden taught the course Military Power and Effectiveness, in which he challenged us to think beyond the traditional understanding of planes, tanks, weapons, and personnel for what constitutes a country’s military power.

Dr. Michael O’Hanlon taught the course Who Will Rule the 21st Century, where he challenged us to make an argument for who or what will rule in the future.

Dr. Matthew Levinger and Dr. Lauren Van Metre were advisors for my thesis and helped guide my recommendation into practical terms. Dr. Levinger and Dr. Van Metre also set up one-on-one mentor sessions with Luke Coffey, an expert on the Republic of Georgia, and Lt. Gen (Ret.) Ben Hodges, who was the prior commanding general of the United States Army Europe. These mentor sessions helped me produce a grounded thesis on the Republic of Georgia and its relationship with NATO.

These are only a few of the many professors who were influential and helped set me up for success. The networks and expertise that the faculty bring to bear at the Elliott School are unmatched and truly remarkable. My time at Elliott, without question, helped set me up for success to work in the national security ecosystem.

May 12, 2022September 27, 2022

Students Place Second at Schuman Challenge

Schuman Challenge Participants with Chris Kojm

GW competed in the Schuman Challenge at the European Union mission and came in second place out of 22 competing schools. The team featured Anisha Sahni (senior, double major in political science with a public policy focus and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies; Master of Public Policy), Rushabh Patel (junior, international affairs and political science major) and Kenzo Murray (senior, international affairs major), coached by Christopher Kojm, the director of the Elliott School’s Leadership, Ethics and Practice Initiative.

The competition, which took place April 7 and 8, annually invites teams of three to four undergraduate students to respond to a topic impacting transatlantic relations and present before a panel of judges. It is a two-round competition, and teams from across the U.S. deliver 10-minute presentations on a pressing foreign topic issue. This year, the topic was “How should the EU and U.S. cooperate in Afghanistan following the U.S. military withdrawal?” The students prepared and delivered a 10-minute presentation and answered questions from a panel of judges including the EU Ambassador in Washington. Below is a Q&A with Murray and Sahni.

Q: How much preparation went into the Schuman Challenge? When did you learn of your topic?

Murray: A significant amount of preparation went into the Schuman Challenge. We first began discussing the topic in January after returning from winter break. Understanding the on-the-ground situation in Afghanistan has been difficult since the U.S. military withdrawal. NGOs in Afghanistan do not publish information about their activities so that they can protect their personnel and the people they are helping. We really got to work after spring break, meeting usually twice a week for a few hours to revise our proposal and do more research.

Sahni: The Schuman Challenge involved extensive preparation. To discuss Afghanistan requires a deep level of understanding regarding the history of imperialism and conflict and the diversity of Afghan communities. I learned a great deal about these issues as well as the theoretical foundations of how to address broader issues of humanitarian crisis, economic collapse, and human rights.

Q: How did your group answer the question presented?

Sahni: Our group came up with a two-pronged policy approach to address the question. We first addressed the immediate humanitarian crisis facing Afghan civilians by advocating for an aid distribution model that centers local actors and creates oversight of the aid distribution process. Our second policy was designed to address the broader financial crisis in Afghanistan through the privatization of central bank functions to aid in economic development. This part of our proposal is based on the advocacy of Alex Zerden.

Q: What was the team dynamic like?

Murray: Working with Anisha and Rush was a fun experience. Anisha was best able to speak to the conditions for women and on human rights, Rush talked about the economic tools we could use to get money into Afghanistan, and I thought about the overarching picture. We are all very busy so there were many late nights and early mornings doing research, FaceTiming to run ideas one another, and practice runs. I’d like to add that our faculty advisor Christopher Kojm in the Elliott School was a tremendous help, and we could not have been successful without his mentorship. We had multiple practice sessions with Professor Kojm where we rehearsed the presentation, engaged in Q&A, and got valuable feedback on our content and presentation style. In addition, our teammates Yaseen Shah (sophomore), Sean O’Neil (2021 grad), and Hailey Knowles (2021 grad), and coach Paul Hayes also helped us rehearse the presentation and gave constructive feedback on our proposal. They, too, were integral in our success at the Schuman Challenge.

Q: How will the experience of delivering a nuanced presentation in front of judges, including the EU ambassador in Washington, prepare you for your future?

Murray: The experience of presenting before leading scholars, policy practitioners, and the Ambassador to the European Union gave me confidence in my public speaking abilities and will serve to remind me what policy makers and foreign policy experts are looking for: succinct answers that get to the point. I will remember how my teammates and I handled the presentation and Q&A in future situations where I have to present before someone or a group of people.

Sahni: This process was an absolute honor to be a part of, and I learned so much from the esteemed judges who took the time to listen to our presentation. I learned from this process the importance of providing direct and straightforward policy proposals that are well-organized when presenting in front of stakeholders on important issues.