Elliott School of International Affairs – Page 4

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.

May 12, 2022May 12, 2022

Elliott School M.A. Candidate and Rosenthal Fellow Will Work for House Foreign Affairs Committee This Summer

Medha Prasanna has spent the bulk of her graduate studies at George Washington University learning about international organizations as well as Asian history and politics. But this summer, she will spend her time on Capitol Hill working for the United States Congress.

The Elliott School of International Affairs M.A. candidate was selected as a prestigious Harold Rosenthal Fellow, providing summer funding and work opportunities in a congressional or executive branch office to students demonstrating outstanding commitment to international affairs and interest in public service. Prasanna, who begins her post on May 23, will be a fellow for the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Asia Pacific Team, where she will spend much of her time doing general research.

She understands the fellowship is about governance in the U.S. and therefore can be difficult to answer as to why an international student from India studying policy of another region wants to work in the U.S. government. But she believes what happens in the halls of Congress is pivotal to the geopolitical scene.

“In a sense, what America does has an effect on everybody in the world,” she said. “I feel like if I’m contributing or if I’m in public service to the U.S. in some way, that’s going to have a ripple effect that affects my country and other countries.

“Being a global citizen is sort of what the fellowship stands for.”

The fellowship was established in 1977 to honor the memory of Harold Rosenthal, a Senate staff member who at age 29 was a victim of a terrorist attack while on duty. It is a program of the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization striving for a more effective government for American citizens.

Prasanna, who attended Ashoka University near Delhi, India, before arriving at GW, has determined through her studies the importance of looking at international relations through regional approaches. While she believes there is merit in being an expert of one country, she sees even more value in observing how nations react to one another.

In terms of the Asia Pacific, specifically, Prasanna feels it is the next hub when it comes to global problems such as climate change, pollution, cybersecurity, backsliding democracies, land and maritime conflicts. She understands how supply chains in the region are critical to the normal functioning of a global society. Having deep knowledge and understanding of how the U.S. government works will be beneficial whatever career she eventually pursues.

After graduation, Prasanna has ambitions of working with an international organization in hopes of traveling to different places to better understand local people and policies. But with how much influence U.S. foreign affairs can have on the geopolitical structure, Prasanna is excited to spend the summer learning the nuances and intricacies of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and U.S. government in general.

“I think Congress is very important to American foreign policy,” Prasanna said. “I just want to understand when there’s a crisis, what is the legislative response; what are the processes? I want to learn now so I can navigate these things better when I’m in an international organization myself.”

She already has government and international organization experience as she is currently a public information intern at the United Nations, and she was a Student Association graduate senator-at-large. Prasanna is also pleased with the value of her GW education, shouting out Elliott School faculty member David Shambaugh as a particular person of influence.

If her attention to detail is any indication, Prasanna fits the bill of being a future civic leader. She found out about the fellowship through an email from the Elliott School’s Graduate Student Services. She makes sure to read everything that comes through her inbox, which may very well put her in the minority among her peers. Because of this diligence, however, she found what could be a life-changing and career-defining opportunity.

Once she applied, GW nominated her to the fellowship, which then set her up with standard placement interviews. She found out her destination for the summer at the end of April. The fellowship will end Aug. 19, just before the fall semester begins.

She is well on her way to a career seeking to improve the lives of others, and she’d like to start by encouraging other GW students who have faced rejection—which she did before getting her big yes—to stay the course and continue applying for opportunities.

“You might hear a lot of no’s in Washington, but no’s are a part of the process and often lead to something better,” she said.

And, of course, always read the fine print in emails.

Note: Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.) is the first Black Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and will be the keynote speaker at the Elliott School’s graduation ceremony on May 13. In addition, GW Law alum Susan Ellis Wild, J.D. ’82, currently serves on the 52-seat House Foreign Affairs Committee. The Democratic Congresswoman from Pennsylvania will deliver the keynote address at the Law School Diploma Ceremony on Sunday, May 15.

April 11, 2022

A Week at Elliott

Each semester the Elliott School hosts dozens of diverse events featuring distinguished speakers from all aspects of the international affairs community, all free to students and often open to the public and to the media. In just one recent week alone, the Elliott School hosted Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, former Australian prime minister, Kevin Rudd on the future of conflict between China and the US, the Mayor of Los Angeles on the growing impact of non-state actors on international affairs, former Joint Chief of Staff General Richard Myers on the importance of character in leadership, and a discussion about the significance of Arab League state, Qatar, hosting the upcoming World Cup Soccer Championships. Several of these events were recorded.

Visit the links below to see the recordings of these and other prestigious events held at the Elliott School.

(En)Gulfing the Global Game: World Cup Qatar 2022

The Dean’s Speaker Series “What’s Next in Foreign Affairs” hosted Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti

Kevin Rudd, the former Prime Minister of Australia and current President and CEO of the Asia Society, for a discussion of his new book The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the US and Xi Jinping’s China.

March 4, 2022March 8, 2022

50 years later: Richard Nixon’s Historic Visit to China

Two Elliott School faculty members who are leading international experts on U.S./China relations offer commentary on the 1972 foreign affairs breakthrough.

President Richard Nixon made one of the most significant foreign visits in the history of the United States 50 years ago when he traveled to the People’s Republic of China Feb. 21-28, 1972—ending two-plus decades of no communication or diplomatic ties between the two nations.

GW Today sat down with two leading international experts on U.S./China from the Elliott School of International Affairs to discuss the trip to Beijing 50 years later.

David Shambaugh, the Gaston Sigur Professor of Asian Studies, Political Science and International Affairs and director of the China Policy Program, served the State Department and National Security Council during President Jimmy Carter’s administration. He also served on the board of directors of the National Committee on U.S./China Relations and is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, U.S. Asia-Pacific Council and other public policy and scholarly organizations. Before GW, he was senior lecturer, lecturer and reader in Chinese politics at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, where he also served as editor of The China Quarterly.

Robert Sutter, Professor of Practice of International Affairs, had a government career that lasted from 1968 until 2001. He served as senior specialist and director of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Division of the Congressional Research Service, the national intelligence officer for East Asia and the Pacific at the U.S. Government’s National Intelligence Council, the China division director at the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research and professional staff member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Shambaugh and Sutter were asked questions, some the same and some different, separately for this article.

Q: At the time, what was the significance of Nixon’s visit to China?

Shambaugh: President Nixon’s visit to China in February 1972 was described at the time as “the week that changed the world.” While perhaps hyperbole, there is indeed truth in this characterization—for three principal reasons. First, it ended the 22-year estrangement and total lack of contact between both the governments and the people of China and the United States. It would take another seven years before official diplomatic relations would be consummated under the Carter administration—where I worked on the China staff of the National Security Council staff at the time—which in turn opened a wide variety of direct ties between our two societies, but the Nixon visit catalyzed the process. Second, with the American opening to China, other governments around the world, which had been part of the previous U.S. policy to isolate and contain China, now were free to open their own relations with the People’s Republic of China—thus, in a real sense, the Nixon visit not only opened U.S./China relations, but it also did much to open China’s own doors to the world that had been previously almost completely isolated. Third, the Nixon visit was a strategic stroke of genius and fundamentally altered the balance of power in the so-called strategic triangle (U.S., China, Soviet Union) at the time, aligning America and China against Moscow. That, in turn, led over time to the weakening of the Soviet Union, its collapse and end of the Cold War.

Q: How was the event viewed in the U.S. at the time? What about in China?

Sutter: It was a big news item, and it was widely applauded. Everyone thought this was a great idea. The Chinese were on their best behavior. It was all very cordial. And it was in the interest of both sides to look like they were very close. China was desperate. And China was under the gun from the Soviet Union. It was very much in the Chinese interest because they were very worried about the U.S. and Soviet Union.

Q: Did Nixon’s China policy and visit facilitate the creation of modern China?

Shambaugh: Indirectly, yes. Nixon’s visit facilitated China’s broader opening the world, notably the Western world. This brought China in direct contact with the world’s most developed economies—which have been central to the foreign investment, technology transfer, and professional exchanges that have all contributed much to China’s dynamic economic growth since. But it also took the death of [Chinse President] Mao [Zedong] and the coming to power of Deng Xiaoping in 1978 to relax the repression and xenophobia within China, so the country could take advantage of the door that Nixon and Mao initially opened.

Q: What would be comparable to Nixon’s visit today?

Sutter: I just want to reiterate the fragility of China (in 1972). This was a dangerous mission. They were taking a risk. But they must have had enough evidence that they felt the president could be secured, and they could get him out if they had to. It was like going to North Korea today. China then was a lot like North Korea today. Very secretive. There’s so many things you didn’t know. It was a gamble, in a way.

Q: Why does the Nixon visit still fascinate so many? And why is it important for students today to learn about it?

Shambaugh: The Nixon visit continues to fascinate, in part, because it was such great public theater—because it took place on live television. Here was a society (Communist China) that had been completely closed off from the world since 1949, having recently been convulsed by the cultural revolution (from 1966-76), literally opening itself up for others to peer inside. The drama of Nixon meeting Mao [Zedong], being feted in the Great Hall of the People, touring the Great Wall and signing the Shanghai Communique was all riveting theater. As for students today, I am currently teaching my graduate-level U.S./China relations course this semester, and we watched the film ”History Declassified: Nixon in China” earlier this month, and I also invited to class Winston Lord—who was Nixon’s and [former Secretary of State] Henry Kissinger’s close aide. He participated in Kissinger’s secret 1971 trip to Beijing, the Nixon visit itself, played a key role in negotiating the Shanghai Communiqué, and later became America’s ambassador to China from 1985 until 1989. The students loved it. So, yes, the Nixon visit is still very much alive, at least in my class in the Elliott School. As for what students can still learn from it, I would say that no matter how great a gulf or differences can be between governments or peoples, there is always the possibility of improving ties. This is something we should remember about U.S./China relations when they are as strained as they are today.

Q: Nixon self-described the visit as a “week that changed the world.” Looking back 50 years later and where the two countries are now, is that statement accurate, far off, or somewhere in the middle?

Sutter: It fundamentally changed the world at the time, but the world has also changed since, and China changed. Maybe the United States has changed too, but China has definitely changed. It’s just more powerful. We never knew, we outsiders never knew what China would do if it became very powerful. There was no evidence to back that up. But now we have evidence of it. That changes our perceptions and, and that’s what’s happened over the last few years.

March 4, 2022March 8, 2022

Alumna Learned Important Lessons as Member of GW Debate and Literary Society

As she gathered with her debate teammates at Atlanta’s Morehouse College, where Martin Luther King Jr. once perused the corridors as a student, George Washington University alumna Hailey Knowles, B.S. ’21, realized her ears would be the best asset that day instead of her voice.

She was a member of the GW Debate and Literary Society competing in the Social Justice Debates between the two schools. The topic centered around police brutality. Knowles, who is white, acknowledged that she hadn’t been personally affected the same way people of color have, so listened carefully to others’ lived experience and learned how to gather evidence and make an argument on behalf of others.

“It really taught me to listen to others and understand a perspective that I’m not familiar with, or I haven’t been personally exposed to,” said Knowles, who graduated from the Elliott School of International Affairs last fall with a degree in international affairs with minors in statistics and Arabic and a concentration in the Middle East. “And that was really valuable for me.”

In today’s world where information is constantly flying around from both verified and unverified sources, it’s as important as ever to critically think and understand multiple perspectives, skills Knowles enhanced during her time at GW.

Her time with the Debate and Literary Society opened the door to all kinds of opportunities, including a fellowship at the French Embassy and trips across the United States and Europe.

She was particularly drawn to the society, which is almost 200 years old, because it emphasizes civic debate as a tool for engagement and service. One example, she said, was discussing food waste in Las Vegas, which happens to be her hometown. In addition to debating, they also toured a food bank to get a better understanding.

“Not only is it a competitive debate, but we also do a lot of interaction with the topics that we’re doing,” she said. “I just really liked that.”

She rode off into the sunset with the team when it won the 2021 EU Delegation’s Schuman Challenge, a foreign affairs contest where U.S. students presented and defended transatlantic policy initiatives before judges such as an EU ambassador, president of German Marshall Fund and a CNN national correspondent.

Knowles believes strong rhetoric is crucial when discussing topics that carry as much societal magnitude as police structure and food inequality. Having that combination of knowledge and communication skills is vital in the art of persuasion. She noted that you can have all the right answers, but if the opposition is tailoring the way it speaks to the judge—or equivalent figurehead—it won’t matter (Think of the first Kennedy/Nixon television debate, where TV viewers declared Kennedy the winner because of his poise on camera while radio viewers gave the nod to Nixon for his content).

Thanks to her experiences with the Debate and Literary Society—coupled with a high inner ambition—Knowles has entered the workforce prepared to make a difference. She currently works at the U.S. Institute of Peace, and she’s grateful for opportunities at GW showing her the importance of learning, understanding and speaking.

“It really helped me learn how important listening is and understanding different sides,” Knowles said. “It’s helped me a lot in not only debate, but also in jobs and everything else.”

February 9, 2022February 10, 2022

GW Elliott Launches Fund to Increase Access and Promote Equity

An innovative initiative at the Elliott School will soon provide significant new resources for students, advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in international affairs education by increasing access for students with financial need.

The initiative, the Elliott Equity Fund, is in line with GW University’s commitment to excellence and affordability. The fund, which the school will grow through philanthropic contributions, will help foster an inclusive academic environment, further efforts to diversify the student body, and ensure that students can reach their full potential.

“Our emphasis on equity prioritizes providing opportunities and resources for historically underrepresented students in order to promote equal access and success,” said Jonathan Walker, senior assistant dean for student services, diversity, equity, and inclusion at the Elliott School. The fund will enhance support for tuition, as well as important extracurricular activities in international affairs, such as study abroad and internships, both transformative educational opportunities that often still remain out of reach for those who need to earn.

Walker, Elliott School Dean Alyssa Ayres, and the school’s Office of Diversity, Equity and, Inclusion, together with members of GW Elliott’s Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, developed the concept for nearly a year. They then shared plans for the initiative with colleagues across the university, honing its purpose and ensuring it aligns with the university’s mission and goals.

Increasing Access to Promote Equity

Scholarships and fellowships are more critical now than at any time in the university’s history – and the only way to keep GW Elliott accessible during this time of exceptional economic uncertainty. The pandemic’s disproportionate impact on lower-income families has widened inequality, putting the costs of higher education further out of reach.

GW Elliott is determined to reverse this trend, a critical mission in our times, as the United States becomes an increasingly diverse society. As the world becomes more multipolar geopolitically, students will graduate into a diplomatic arena that requires greater knowledge of more regional contexts, and the skills to operate in a wider and more diverse variety of environments. Increasing access to an international affairs education also can help ensure that we are best positioned to understand and resolve the most pressing challenges facing our interconnected world – and that GW Elliott nurtures a new generation of international affairs leaders who understand the complexity of this diverse world and the importance of equity, respect, justice, inclusion, and civil discourse to greater understanding.

How the Elliott Equity Fund Works

The Elliott Equity Fund (EEF) aims to help GW Elliott attract and maintain a diverse student body through tuition and non-tuition awards for students with financial need – and who will advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of international affairs.

Accordingly, non-tuition awards will expand financial support currently offered to students for the many on-the-ground learning experiences that an Elliott education makes possible. These include study abroad and high-quality, unpaid internships. Often, students with limited financial resources are not able to pursue these game-changing opportunities.

Undergraduate and graduate students, including newly-admitted students, may apply for support from the Elliott Equity Fund. A committee of Elliott School and GW professionals will holistically review each student’s application for an award.

Once underway, the EEF will strengthen the Elliott School’s promise to build leaders for the world. As one undergraduate explained, “Supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion means providing everyone with the chance to grow.”

Donate Today

Gillian Villarroel, B.A. ’24

“Growing up, my life was surrounded by the realities of diversity and inclusion. Often, I felt like an outsider in school trying to find a community where I could feel a true sense of belonging. As a minority student, it seemed like a negative thing at first, but as I grew, I learned to love my culture. I was able to perceive things through the lens of my heritage that perhaps my peers weren’t able to.”

Gabriel Young, B.A. ’23

“International affairs and domestic affairs are inevitably intertwined….To understand how to improve one’s community, [individuals] must know their place in the world, and that’s why I’m in the field. Diversity and inclusion means having a variety of voices in the room and making sure that those voices are fairly heard.”

July 19, 2018July 19, 2018

MES Students Receive Boren and CLS Scholarships

The Elliott School’s Institute for Middle East Studies congratulates the following five students who received either a Boren Fellowship or Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) from the U.S. State Department to study Middle East languages:

Thomas Harris (Boren, Arabic)

Mary Ivancic (Boren, Arabic)

Rosalie Rubio (Boren, Arabic)

Brennan Ryan (Boren, Arabic)

Adam Aviles (CLS, Persian)

Both the Boren Fellowship and Critical Language Scholarship are part of a U.S. government initiative to increase the number of Americans studying and gaining proficiency in foreign languages deemed vital to U.S. national security interests. We at GW are very proud of our exceptional students, and we wish them the best of luck wherever their language studies may take them this summer or coming academic year!

July 19, 2018July 19, 2018

Arabic Book Club – Summer 2018 Edition

During the summer, we will be reading Mawsim al-Hijra Ilaa al-Shamaal (Season of Migration to the North) by the late Sudanese author Tayeb Salih. The book club will begin on Saturday, June 2, and run through August. All Middle East Studies alumni and current GW students are eligible to participate.

Meetings are generally held on Saturday mornings at the Elliott School. If you are interested in joining the Arabic Book Club, please contact Mitchell Ford, IMES’s Senior Academic Advisor and Arabic Instructional Assistant, at (202) 994-1545 or mfordy89@gwu.edu.

The book club was created to give students and alumni the opportunity to engage with modern Arabic literature by authors from across the Arab World. Mitch hopes that this club will enable participants to learn and discuss the ideas and themes in the books as they would with any regular reading group – while also learning important vocabulary and grammatical constructions.

July 19, 2018July 23, 2018

Alumni Profile: Danielle Feinstein, BA ’11

What have you been up to since graduation?

Right now, I am completing my Master’s in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, during a sabbatical year on the Boren National Security Fellowship in Oman. Before my MA, I was a Program Coordinator at the Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at the American University in Cairo and a Fulbright Research Fellow with the National Democratic Institute field office in Jordan. At GW, I majored in Middle Eastern Studies and minored in Religion.

What professor or class stands out in your memory of the program?

Three professors really stand out to me in my memories of the Middle Eastern Studies program. The first is Nathan Brown who was my advisor for my Elliott Undergraduate Scholars thesis. I had spent one semester in Cairo doing interviews in the fall of 2010, and when I returned in January 2011, of course everything in Egypt had massively changed. I remember I would come to Professor Brown’s office full of anxiety about how I was going to track all the moving pieces of the revolution and turn them into an academic paper. He was extremely supportive and has been to this day. The second professor I remember is Charles Kiamie* who taught a seminar on the Middle East, which was infused with practical expertise from his years working in the U.S. government. Finally, Jennifer Lambert empowered me to TA for her course International Relations of MENA during my senior year, and she has been empowering me to achieve my aspirations of being a smart, competent authority in the field ever since.

(*Charles Kiamie is also a Middle East Studies alumnus, BA ‘00.)

How do you think alumni can be a resource for current students?

We are only a cold email away. If you are a student and you find someone whose experience interests you, don’t second guess yourself, just reach out!