George Washington University – Page 2

May 3, 2023June 21, 2023

GW Elliott School Receives Anonymous Gift

Speakers and guests gather during the “International Conference on Preservation of Uyghur Studies,” hosted by the Elliott School (in partnership with the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Uyghur Academy) in December 2022.

Strengthens Uyghur Studies

The Elliott School of International Affairs has received one of the largest gifts in recent years, a $900,000 anonymous donation that will enhance the school’s Uyghur Studies Initiative, to be headquartered at the school’s Sigur Center for Asian Studies.

The George Washington University is one of the leading institutions in the United States for research and teaching on Uyghur studies, with two full-time faculty members—professors Eric Schluessel, a historian, and Sean Roberts, a cultural anthropologist—working in this academic space.

The donor, a scholar who wishes to advance the study of Uyghur history and culture, recognized GW’s prominence in this academic area and decided to offer significant philanthropic support to the Uyghur Studies Initiative.

“This exceptional gift recognizes the field-defining work that Professors Schluessel and Roberts are doing, as well as our school’s long history of engaging closely with the Uyghur diaspora,” Elliott School Dean Alyssa Ayres said.

More than 11 million members of the Uyghur community live in the Xinjiang region in northwestern China, and they are under duress. Articles in the mainstream press often highlight what Schluessel explains is “a systematic campaign of human right abuses in Xinjiang, directed at Uyghurs and other Muslim-majority groups.”

Less visible, however, is the Uyghur people’s rich intellectual history—and the danger that much of this knowledge will be lost as Uyghur scholars’ voices are silenced. Some scholars who have spoken out in China are now in prison, while others have been forced to flee. In the U.S., the Washington area has become home for a number of these displaced scholars.

The Elliott School has been actively engaged with the Uyghur diaspora in the U.S. for nearly a decade. In 2014, the school’s Central Asia Program, directed by Research Professor Marlene Laruelle, organized GW’s first major conference on Uyghur culture; there have been several subsequent conferences, and these important forums will continue.

Uyghur studies also are increasingly popular among students. A recent class on Uyghur history, for example, reached capacity almost immediately. Other classes at the Elliott School have addressed Uyghur issues as they relate to global development, including “Indigenous Peoples, Ethnic Minorities, and Development” and “The Belt and Road Initiative: China’s Approach to International Development.”

According to Sigur Center Director Gregg Brazinsky, the Uyghur Studies Initiative is a substantial complement to the school’s popular programming on China, Taiwan, and Tibet. The Sigur Center has been recognized by the U.S. Education Department as a National Resource Center in East Asia, the only school in Washington with this distinction.

“Thanks to this generous gift, the Elliott School will be able to further enhance its standing as the best place to study China and the Uyghurs in the Washington area,” Brazinsky said.

Specifically, this timely gift will enable the Elliott School to develop additional courses focused on Uyghur culture and identity, as well as to expand faculty research into these topics. As the initiative gains momentum, the Elliott School plans to bring larger numbers of Uyghur scholars, writers, and activists to campus.

“We are very grateful to the donor for this catalytic gift,” Dean Ayres said.

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Would you like to support the Uyghur Studies Initiative at GW’s Elliott School? Your gift of any size will make a significant difference! Please contact Joseph Strodel Jr. at jstrodel@gwu.edu for information on how to direct your gift to this important area of study.

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 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.

September 27, 2022October 31, 2022

Elliott Student Spotlight: Elise Bourmatnov

The Elliott school is honored to welcome in the new class of 2026 for the 2022-2023 academic year. With an incoming undergraduate class of just under 550 students and a graduate class of just over 250 students. We decided to catch up with a first year Elliott student Elise Bourmatnov to see how students are adjusting to life at GW.

What made you choose GW?

When I was making my college decision it was a question between staying in state or going all the way out to DC and in the end I chose GW mostly for academic reasons and for new opportunities. It was hard to choose to live so far away, but the city atmosphere was always exciting and there wasn’t a program that really catered to my interests in Seattle

What school were you in between?

I was in between the University of Washington and GW. I had two sisters that went there one just graduated with a public health degree and my other sister is a junior at the moment and she is studying psychology.

Are you interested in Greek life?

Yes, both of my sisters went through the greek system in Washington and I think interested in joining greek life here.

I’m pretty sure I want to join the panhellenic sororities. I don’t have a favorite yet but I’m interested to look into them and see which one I would like to be in, especially during formal recruitment in mid-January.

What’s your favorite thing you have done in DC so far?

I think the most exciting thing I have done was taking a White House tour. I actually had to contact my congressional representative about 3 months in advance to request the tour. I took a red eye here and went straight to the White House so it was pretty tiring, but it was really cool and I got lots of good photos.Also, going around Georgetown was super cute also there was a lot of shops and food, so that’s definitely some place you have to go if you are in DC

What’s the best food you have had here?

I have had the best food in Western Market. There is a shawarma spot I went to with my friends and it was super good. I had never tried it before and it was so delicious and at a good price too.

What’s on your bucket list?

If there are more opportunities for activism, demonstrations and that sort of stuff it would be really interesting to be a part of.

Do you have any favorite or interesting classes so far?

I think my education here has been general so far just doing history, economics, French, and international affairs. French is definitely a challenge because at my high school we did not have our classes instructed in the french language, but here class is entirely in French. There is a learning curve, but it’s making me improve a lot in French and especially in speaking.

I had also never taken an economics class before but so far it’s interesting. The math component is a nice break from the rest of my classes which are reading focused. Of course international affairs is the most interesting class because my professor Michael Brown is super passionate and engaging.

Anything that surprised you now living as a student at GW?

I definitely feel more connected with the city. While I was touring I thought that because I was on a college campus it would be very enclosed. However I actually feel I’m always leaving campus and finding new restaurants with new things to do. I love all of the beautiful architecture and monuments that have not gotten old yet.

What is the social scene like at GW in your opinion?

Some people say there are no parties at this school, however I have seen an article or two saying that this is a party school. In my experience it’s kinda in the middle, there’s definitely some night life but it’s not crazy. Because we are in the middle of the city there is a bit of a space limitation. I have signed up for George’s army and I am excited to watch basketball and other sports throughout the year.

What future goals do you have in Washington?

I currently have a federal work study job in the public affairs office of Elliot. I am still figuring out my concentration within international affairs at the moment so, I don’t quite know what internships I would like yet. I am considering a concentration in international development or international economics.

September 27, 2022October 31, 2022

GW Professor in the Spotlight IERES Director Marlene Laurelle Draws Attention to Ukraine

In a recently published New York Times op-ed, Dr. Marlene Laruelle explores the brewing domestic political crisis in Russia and describes a country starkly divided. “In the wake of a stunning counteroffensive in which Ukrainian forces reclaimed over 1,000 miles of territory, Russia is uneasy,” says Laruelle.

Marlene Laruelle, Ph.D., is a Research Professor of International Affairs and the Director of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) within the Elliott School of International Affairs. The Institute’s primary mission is to “promote and support the study of Europe and Eurasia through research, courses, events, and publications.”

Dr. Laruelle’s research focuses on illiberalism, the transnational far-right, and the Russian ideological landscape. She is the author of Is Russia Fascist? Unraveling Propaganda East and West where she explores accusations of fascism toward Russia and expertly examines the Russian domestic scene and the Kremlin’s foreign policy rationales.

“Among citizens, interest in the war and the accompanying rally-around-the-flag effect are waning,” Dr. Laruelle notes. Protests against Putin’s 300,000 troop mobilization have engulfed parts of Moscow, St. Petersburg and 36 other cities, resulting in the arrests of over 1,300 on Wednesday night. This year alone, nearly 4 million citizens have fled Russia, including up to 15,000 millionaires.

Since the war began in February, 2022, the media has sought out the institute and Dr. Laurelle to provide expert analysis of the conflict. On March 1, Dr. Laurelle was one of five panelists that included former Ambassador and Elliott alumnus, Kurt Volker, in an event titled “Conflict in Ukraine” a mere six days after Russia attacked that country.

In mid-March, IERES, PONARS Eurasia, and the Petrach Program on Ukraine hosted Ukrainathon, a 24-hour “marathon” online event on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The program featured continuous 15-minute talks from more than 90 international experts to provide comprehensive insight into the war from multiple angles.

Recently, GW alumna, Jenna Segal, B.A. ‘98 and her husband Paul wanted to assist Ukrainains in need. Working with Elliott School Dean, Alyssa Ayreas, and Dr. Laurelle, the Segals’ established a Fund for Scholars Affected by the War in Ukraine and is run by the IERES and headquartered at the Elliott School.

According to the report in GW Today, The Segals’ gift will support scholars based in Ukraine or who were forced to flee the country. Each semester for five years, the Elliott School will welcome three visiting fellows to campus, with compensation commensurate with their experience. GW President Mark S. Wrighton said, “The establishment of this fund at the George Washington University will undoubtedly further the Elliott School of International Affairs’ important global reach and impact.”

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

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.”

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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.”