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.

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

New in PDx: Public Diplomacy Council and global engagement

In this episode of our PDx podcast, our interviewer and SMPA graduate student Victoria Makanjuola spoke to Dr. Sherry Mueller, volunteer President for the Public Diplomacy Council.

Founded in 1988, the Council is a nonprofit organization that promotes excellence in the professional practice, academic study, and advocacy for public diplomacy.

Dr. Mueller talks about the Council, its activities, and membership – especially its current initiative, the “Rising Professional” associate membership, to encourage newly minted foreign affairs professionals, graduate students, and other young colleagues with an interest in public diplomacy.

Click HERE to go to our Smart Power blog and to listen to our PDx podcast.