Walter Roberts Endowment – The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication

May 1, 2022July 7, 2022

Endowment announces two summer internships with grant support

APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN for GW students

The Walter Roberts Endowment and the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) continues to support current students at the George Washington University for internship opportunities in public diplomacy this summer 2022.

The two internships listed here will come with a grant of $3,000 each student, which covers the duration of the summer internship.

The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) is a GW organization supporting excellence in academia and professional development in public diplomacy and global communication. IPDGC is looking for a summer intern to help with digital engagement.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Website improvements for IPDGC and its student blog site, Smart Power
Produce a few podcasts for the PDx series (research, interview and technical production work)
Develop engagement on IPDGC’s social media platforms (design and promotional)
And other tasks to support the Institute’s online outreach

The applicant should be comfortable using: Adobe Audition, Zoom meeting app, Soundcloud and other podcast hosting sites, social media apps, apps for promotion and design (Canva, Emma) and website design (WordPress).

Flexibility, creativity, and the ability to meet deadlines are desired.

The position will work with the IPDGC Program Coordinator for supervision and guidance.

The IPDGC internship will begin at the end of May and finish in the first week of August.

The American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) is a nonpartisan non-profit organization internationally recognized as the pre-eminent catalyst for introducing rising political and policy leaders to international affairs and to each other.

ACPYL is seeking an intern for their summer activities. Interns report directly to the intern coordinator but will work closely with all members of the ACYPL staff and may be asked to support program officers and staff in communications, development, and alumni outreach.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist in coordinating logistics in the planning and implementing of exchange programs

• Prepare biographical summaries of participants

• Provide support while American or international delegations are in Washington, DC

• Maintain office files

• Assist with alumni communications

• Provide support for alumni, fundraising, and programmatic events

• Assist in other departments on an as-needed basis

For more information about ACPYL’s internship, including applicant qualifications, please click here.

Applications for both internships should be sent to ipdgc@gwu.edu

HOW TO APPLY

All application materials would need to have the following:

A resume
A cover letter that should state how the internship can support your goals for pursuing further studies or a career in public diplomacy.
A short email/ letter of support from a GWU professor; separately sent to ipdgc@gwu.edu (Subject: “2022 Summer Internship grant”)

For any questions, please write to IPDGC ipdgc@gwu.edu

Deadline: Friday, May 13, 2022 by COB 5pm

April 30, 2022July 7, 2022

Congratulations to Nikki Hinshaw – recipient of the 2022 Walter Roberts Public Diplomacy Studies award!

The Walter Roberts Endowment and the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) are proud to announce that Global Communication graduate student Nikki Hinshaw is receiving this year’s award.

Each year, the Walter Roberts Endowment recognizes a GW graduate student who shows exemplary performance in public diplomacy studies and has aspirations for a future career in this field.

*Nikki Hinshaw, MA Global Communication ’22*

Ms. Hinshaw is graduating with a master’s in Global Communication and concentrations in Public Diplomacy and International Education. She developed a love for the field of international education and exchange after studying abroad in Ghana, and interning for exchange programs at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the International Center for Journalists, and the Institute of International Education, amongst others.

Ms. Hinshaw fostered her research interests in virtual exchange, domestic dimensions of public diplomacy, disinformation and media capacity-building, and diversity, equity, and inclusion through her capstone, coursework, and research assistantship in GSHED’s Global Education Lab.

Professor Patricia Kabra who teaches Public Diplomacy and the Communication and Modern Diplomacy seminars at the School of Media and Public Affairs, noted: “Nikki Hinshaw is one of those students who has pursued, at every opportunity, an avenue leading to PD. From work and internships at the Department of State, IIE, the International Center for Journalists to Sister Cities, she has packed in more experience than seems possible over the last few years.”

Again, congratulations to Nikki, and all the best to the 2022 graduating cohort of the MA Global Communication program.

Raise High!

March 31, 2022July 7, 2022

IPDGC recognizes Connecticut senator for his support of US public diplomacy

2022 Walter Roberts Congressional award given to Sen. Chris Murphy

Sen. Chris Murphy with the award plaque recognizing his outstanding contributions to Public Diplomacy through his active participation, advocacy, and legislative support for telling America’s story to the world.

United States Senator Chris Murphy, Connecticut’s junior senator, on Wednesday received the George Washington University’s Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication’s (IPDGC) annual Walter Roberts Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy. William Youmans, director of GW’s Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication, also announced a $5000 grant from the Walter Roberts Endowment to the World Affairs Council of Connecticut to support a program that will highlight the benefits of public diplomacy to the local community.

Senior Official for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Jennifer Hall Godfrey, U.S. Agency for Global Media Acting CEO Kelu Chao, and World Affairs Council of Connecticut CEO Megan Torrey also spoke at the event about the importance of American public diplomacy.

“The array of challenges the world faces today are often immune to military hegemony,” Murphy said. “Misinformation campaigns, creeping corruption, pandemic disease, and climate change cannot be combatted by tanks and planes. As a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, my priority is making sure we invest in smart power and lift up diplomacy to help us tackle the challenges we face in the 21st century. I’m grateful and honored to accept this award from the George Washington University Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication and am pleased the World Affairs Council of Connecticut will receive a $5,000 grant to support their important work.”

“The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication created this award for congressional leadership in public diplomacy because we want to celebrate support for this country’s efforts to communicate with the rest of world,” Youmans said.

“Sen. Murphy has been a leader in strengthening U.S. public diplomacy’s engagement with foreign audiences through times of challenge and opportunity. He has consistently provided a Congressional vision for the amplification of America’s story overseas.”

Murphy, the junior United States Senator for Connecticut, has dedicated his career to public service as an advocate for Connecticut families. He has been a strong voice in the Senate fighting for job creation, affordable health care, education, sensible gun laws, and a forward-looking foreign policy. First elected to the Senate in 2012, he serves on several committees in the 117th Congress, including Appropriations; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Foreign Relations; and Democratic Steering and Outreach.

The grant to the World Affairs Council of Connecticut will be used to highlight the importance of public diplomacy to American communities.

–
Release issued by GW Media Relations on March 30, 2022.
For more information, please contact:
Tim Pierce (GW): tpie@gwu.edu
Rebecca Drago (Murphy): Rebecca_Drago@murphy.senate.gov

November 22, 2021July 7, 2022

Walter R Roberts Endowment seeks your support

November 2021

Dear Friend,

The Walter Roberts Endowment was established by Dr. Walter R. Roberts and his family to educate students, recognize leadership, and disseminate best practices in public diplomacy.

]Thanks to the generous support of donors like you, the endowment has supported dozens of students interested in public diplomacy and has assisted in funding related activities of the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) at the George Washington University (GW).

Every year, we host speakers at our annual Walter Robert’s Lectures: Dr. Joseph Nye, Dr. Robert Kagan of the Brookings Institution, Ambassador Bruce Wharton (ret.), Ambassador Michael McFaul (ret.) of Stanford University, and many others. This year’s speaker was Ambassador Ted Osius (ret.) who spoke regarding the journey of reconciliation between the U.S. and Vietnam and the importance of “people-to-people” diplomacy. The 2021-22 Walter Roberts Lecture can be viewed here.

The Endowment also funds IPDGC’s Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy, which honors members of Congress who have been consistently supportive of public diplomacy throughout their careers. These awards support public diplomacy micro-projects in institutions situated in the member’s state or congressional district. The 2020-2021 recipient was Senator John Boozman of Arkansas in recognition for his support of the Fulbright program. The award ceremony can be viewed here. Past recipients have been Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, and Congresswoman Nita Lowey (NY-17). The Endowment provided small grants in the recipients’ names to the University of Tennessee Center for Sport, Peace, and Society, the Vermont Council on World Affairs, Battery Dance Company in New York, and Global Ties Arkansas.

We seek your assistance and support in our efforts to provide funded internships for undergraduate and graduate students, and grants to graduate students who could not otherwise afford to study public diplomacy at GW. Over the past 2 years, recognizing the challenge students have faced during the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Endowment funded summer internships in public diplomacy for graduate and undergraduate students.

You can see the full range of our programs by visiting the IPDGC website at ipdgc.gwu.edu.

We hope that you will join us in this worthy endeavor to further the awareness of the importance of public diplomacy. The invitation to contribute to the Endowment begins with a click on the DONATE NOW button that follows this letter.

Sincerely,

Patricia Kabra, PhD

Chair, Walter R. Roberts Endowment

Advisory Committee

Janet Steele, PhD

Director of IPDGC and Professor,

School of Media and Public Affairs

DONATE NOW

June 15, 2021July 7, 2022

Summer support for GW students

Six GW students receive Walter Roberts Endowment grants for PD internships

The Walter Roberts Endowment (WRE) and the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) is pleased to announce that our $15,000 internship grant has been successfully awarded to six GW students to support them in their Public Diplomacy internships over summer 2021.

Walter R. Roberts, former diplomat and foreign policy and public affairs expert

Adeniyi Funsho will be working with IPDGC on the Public Diplomacy Examined (PDx) podcasts and the institute’s online engagement.

Other recipients of the grants are Kevin Cao and Charles Shapiro who will be working at Global Ties US; on the World Expo pavilion, and on membership and development.

Nikki Hinshaw will work for the Public Affairs office at the US Embassy in London.

Evelyn Adams will be with the Alliance for International Exchange, where she gets training on activities that promote the growth and impact of exchange programs.

Sophie Van Gilder will work on developing marketing and communication products for Strategies for International Development (SID). SID helps poor farmers graduate from poverty by helping them build successful farm businesses that increase their income. Their work is centered in communities in Guatemala, Peru and Bolivia.

WRE and IPDGC wish our GW students well as they embark on their public diplomacy experiences this summer.

April 28, 2021July 7, 2022

Congratulations to the 2021 winners of the Walter Roberts Public Diplomacy Studies award!

The Walter Roberts Endowment and the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) are proud to announce that Global Communication graduates Saiansha Panangipalli and Halea Kerr-Layton are the joint recipients of the Walter Roberts Award for Public Diplomacy Studies for 2021.

Each year, the Walter Roberts Endowment recognizes a GW graduate student who shows exemplary performance in public diplomacy studies and has aspirations for a future career in this field. This year, we recognize two exceptional students.

Both Ms. Panangipalli and Ms. Kerr-Layton have demonstrated their passion for public diplomacy with internships at diplomatic missions and non-profits; working to advance government relationships and strengthening ties with foreign publics through educational and professional exchanges, and other programs.

Ms. Panangipalli used her brilliant writing and strategic planning skills at her internships with the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., the Moroccan Embassy in New Delhi, and at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on the kind of work that exemplifies the spirit and intention of the Walter Roberts Award.

I aim for a career with opportunities to widen my exposure to countries and cultures, adapt to new cultural and historical constraints, and tell stories that inform and engage audiences across borders.
— Saiansha Panangipalli

Ms. Kerr-Layton demonstrated her outstanding leadership as a GW Presidential Fellow and in roles ranging from Strategic Outreach and Engagement Coordinator at Sustainable GW to Billingual Storytelling Associate at DC public school Mundo Verde. She was able to put into practice her public diplomacy skills working as an intern with Global Ties US, the oldest non-profit citizen diplomacy organization, last summer.

I have worked to advance the values of integrity, inclusion, diversity, and justice as I believe they are a foundation for cultural expression and community engagement. I choose to specialize in Public Diplomacy to master the skill of strategic communication in our contemporary world to create enduring change.
– Halea Kerr-Layton

Last year’s winner was Chaniqua Nelson, Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. State Department.