IPDGC introduces the 2022-2023 PD Fellow

Christopher Teal speaks on camera while seated

IPDGC and the GW School of Media and Public Affairs welcomes Christopher Teal, the U.S. State Department Public Diplomacy Fellow for the 2022-2024 academic years. Chris has been with the U.S. State Department since 1999; handling various responsibilities including overseas assignments, leading a team responsible for diplomatic Career Development, and also teaching diplomacy, civil/military relations, human rights, peace keeping, and media/security policy. 

Man seated in a chair speaking.
Christopher Teal

Chris was also awarded the Una Chapman Cox Fellowship to direct, write, and produce a documentary on the first African American diplomat, Ebenezer D. Bassett.  The film, A Diplomat of Consequence, tells the story of this groundbreaking diplomat 150 years after his appointment.

IPDGC recently spoke to Chris about coming back to GW:

Learn more about our new PD Fellow Chris Teal, and other Public Diplomacy Fellows.

C-SPAN spotlights 2021-22 Walter Roberts Lecture “Nothing is Impossible”

Retired U.S. Ambassador Ted Osius was recently featured on C-SPAN’s Book TV, talking about the reconciliation process between the U.S. and Vietnam, which began in the early 1990s.

Amb. Osius was the speaker at the 2021-22 Walter Roberts Annual Lecture last fall. His book, Nothing Is Impossible, offers a vivid account of the diplomatic work that made this reconciliation possible. He speaks to the leaders who put aside past traumas to work on creating a brighter future for the two countries.

Here is C-SPAN’s Book TV video:

Walter Roberts Endowment announces grants for summer internships and the Public Diplomacy Student Award


The Walter Roberts Endowment (WRE) is happy to announce that the submissions period is open for the WRE summer internship grants and the Walter Roberts Public Diplomacy Studies for 2nd-year graduate students at the Elliott School of International Affairs.

WRE Summer Internship grants

The Endowment and the Institute for Public Diplomacy will continue to support undergraduate and graduate students at the George Washington University with internship grants totaling $15,000 or support opportunities to undertake internships in public diplomacy programs during summer 2021.

There will be five (5) grants of up to $3,000 which will be awarded to students for work on IPDGC projects, to support unfunded internships or similar opportunities in public diplomacy (as determined by the WRE).

More information on the grant, eligibility, and application details are available:  Walter Roberts Summer Internship Grant 2021 

The deadline for submission for the Internship Grant is SATURDAY, MAY 1 by 11:59 pm EST


Walter Roberts Public Diplomacy Studies Award

Since 2011, the Endowment has awarded the Walter Roberts Public Diplomacy Studies Award to a graduating student from the Master’s programs at the GW Elliott School of International Affairs, for academic excellence and professional aspirations in public diplomacy. The Award is recognized at the Commencement ceremony of the Elliott School and offers a $1000 prize to the successful student.

All applicants must be enrolled as full-time second-year students in graduate programs at the Elliott School of International Affairs and have taken a class in public diplomacy.

The deadline for submission for the Student Award is FRIDAY, APRIL 16 by 11:59 pm EST

Materials for Application

Applicants for the Internship Grant OR Student Award need to provide:

  1. A resume
  2. A 500-word essay on your goals for pursuing further studies or careers based on your PD courses.
  3. ADDITIONAL INFO the Summer Internship grant – please include information of the internship that you have: letter of acceptance, description of duties, duration of internship.
  4. A short email/ letter of support from a GWU professor sent directly to ipdgc@gwu.edu  (Subject: NAME OF STUDENT: “PD Studies Award 2021” or “Summer Internship grant”) The deadline for this email follows the deadline for the support being applied.

Applications for both award or grant need to be submitted to ipdgc@gwu.edu with the subject line “PD Studies Award 2021” or “Summer Internship grant 2021”.

For any questions: please contact IPDGC ipdgc@gwu.edu

Walter Roberts Endowment launches summer internship grants

As the academic year draws to a close, the challenges brought on by COVID-19 continue to affect many GW students into the summer.

The Walter Roberts Endowment (WRE) and the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) have created a $15,000 grant to support opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at the George Washington University – to undertake internships in public diplomacy programs during summer 2020.

There will be five (5) grants of up to $3,000 which will be awarded to students for work on IPDGC projects, to support unfunded internships or similar opportunities in public diplomacy (as determined by the WRE).

More information on the grant, eligibility, and application details are available: Walter Roberts Endowment Internship grants 2020.

The deadline for submission is Wednesday, May 13 by 5pm (ET).

All application materials, or inquiries, to be sent to ipdgc@gwu.edu