IPDGC – IPDGC Smart Power

Alumni Spotlight: Laura Brendle

February 3, 2024February 3, 2024Education, Global Communication, IPDGC

By Alexis Posel, IPDGC Communications Student Assistant

Laura Brendle graduated from the M.A.Global Communication graduate program in 2018. She was the recipient of that year’s Student Public Diplomacy Award which recognized her efforts in public diplomacy studies.

She currently works at Webrepublic, a digital advertising agency in Switzerland, where Laura is originally from. Her academic journey in the Global Communications program has taken her into the world of international marketing.

Tell me about how you chose to come to GW for the MA program in Global Communications. And what are you doing after your graduation?

I began my program at GW in 2016. It was a very interesting year, politically. You can’t hear it from my voice, but I’m actually Swiss, not American.

I had been in the UK and working in the film industry over there at the time, watching the US election happen. I always had this interest in global politics, and also in the politics of the U.S. So, that’s how I chose to come to GW for my master’s degree in Global Communication. I think that kind of sets the scene for my kind of non-traditional pathway in both directions.

After graduation, I began working in the digital advertising industry. I got into that (job) because I of a class I had taken at the School of Media and Public Affairs. And this was where I met my future boss – they had been a guest lecturer in one of the classes. So, I worked for the digital agency Targeted Victory for a year after graduating.

Later, I returned to Switzerland, where I began working at another digital advertising agency, Webrepublic – no longer focused on politics, (but) on all aspects of advertising.

While I’m not the traditional candidate to be talking about why the Global Communication program as I think a lot of people may not want to go on the path that I’ve gone, I think this MA program has definitely helped me in my current industry: learning from people with different experiences and analyzing the way that people think – especially in the political communication aspect – knowing how to influence or how the media influences, are all things that are beneficial to know.

Looking back on your time at GW, which classes do you think have helped you figure out what you wanted to do?

What I think I have gained overall from the Global Communication program is communication (skills). Getting your point across succinctly, using these skills of persuasion, and understanding the person that you’re speaking to. Those are kind of the strategies that I still employ in advertising.

The class on Strategic Politics left an impression on me about using humor strategically. It was a really interesting class combining comedy and politics – learning how to use humor in communication to get your point across. It was something so different that could connect all my interests as I was working on the comedy side of things while working in the film industry.

As I mentioned, in joining Targeted Victory, I was a Republican public communications, PR and advertising firm. I went into that because GW can be a very liberal bubble for a European person, not understanding the perspective of why Trump happened. So, I was curious to get into a space with Republicans and figure out what happened there. That was my motivation, but then I fell in love with advertising through working there.

Another experience I want to mention is the Capstone project at the Elliot School of International Affairs. My group brought together different knowledge and skills – one person was focused on trafficking issues, and another was focused on international women’s policies. I brought in the global communication aspect. We traveled to South Korea and interviewed North Korean refugees, in particular, refugees who had been trafficked across the border with China.

I love that the Global Communication program could give all these different touch points with all these different people from different areas of expertise and help translate things into a community communications perspective.

Global Comm grad student receives I/We award

November 16, 2023November 16, 2023Education, Global Communication, IPDGC, public diplomacy

Congratulations to Global Comm graduate student Rehana Paul for being a recipient of this year’s International Women of Elliott Awards!

The International Women of Elliott (I/WE) Student Awards, established by the International Women of Elliott Executive Circle, provides recipients with financial support for various programs, activities, and needs related to their academic program (including conference and tuition fees and unpaid internships) if they have demonstrated commitment to advancing women’s roles in international affairs worldwide.

As a recipient of the International Women of Elliott Award, I am empowered to continue studying the role of women in countering violent extremism, as well as the impact of CVE/CT campaigns on marginalized women. This award will allow me to fully devote myself to pursuing my MA in Global Communications, as well as working on the International Religious Freedom Reports at the State Department. I am honored to join a community devoted to promoting women’s leadership, and look forward to learning from the strong women who compose it.
-Rehana Paul

Alumni Spotlight: Saiansha Panangipalli

November 10, 2023November 10, 2023Global Communication, IPDGC, public diplomacy

By Mohamad Fayaz Yourish

Saiansha Panangipalli is a former Global Initiatives Fellow at GW who graduated from the M.A.Global Communication graduate program in 2021.

She currently works as the Programs and Communications Lead at the Science Innovation and Technology Network at the British High Commission in India. Previously, she worked as a communication and project management intern at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in India, a Media and Public Affairs Intern at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and as a Communication Intern and Volunteer at the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C.

In this PDx podcast with GW Graduate Fellow Fayaz Yourish, Saiansha reflects on her time at GW and how the experience helped her thrive professionally. She underscores the skills and experiences acquired in and outside the classroom at GW and provides valuable advice to prospective students interested in the M.A. in Global Communications program at GW.

Learn more about Saiansha’s diverse experiences and how she inspires the next generation at GW.

A Conversation with Christopher Teal

November 2, 2023November 9, 2023Global Communication, IPDGC, public diplomacy

Last year we introduced Christopher Teal, the Institute’s Public Diplomacy Fellow for 2022-2024. As a GW alumnus, he has enjoyed his time back on campus and now being on the “other side of the academic fence”, teaching an undergraduate course in public diplomacy. In this video interview with GW Graduate Fellow Mohamad Fayaz Yourish, Chris talks about how he integrates his practical insights from the diplomacy field into his classes.

In his long diplomatic career, Chris has been the director of the State Department’s Career Development and Assignments Mid-Level Division. His extensive overseas assignments include serving as Consul General in Nogales, Mexico, and various public affairs positions in countries like Sri Lanka, Mexico, Peru, and the Dominican Republic.

He is also an author and filmmaker – More about the IPDGC Public Diplomacy Fellow 2022-2024

Orientation Day activities

September 13, 2023September 13, 2023IPDGC

It was a warm welcome for the incoming graduate students to the Elliott School late last month. The students heard from Dean Alyssa Ayres, met with their Program Directors, and attended sessions with academic advisors, career coaches and student panels. The day ended with a Welcome Reception where the new students met and mingled with faculty, administrators and fellow graduate students.

The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Studies set up a table at the Engagement Expo. With the help of student Pablo Molina Asensi, 2^nd year student in the Global Comms MA program, spoke to many students about the public diplomacy and global communications activities we organize throughout the academic year.

This year (2023-2024), IPDGC will be organizing a cultural diplomacy program primarily for students at the Elliott School and the Corcoran School for Arts and Design to teach the process and practical aspects of developing cultural diplomacy and engagement programming. There will be student career talks, film and book events, and presentations by our Visiting scholars.

Our partnership with the Public Diplomacy Council allows us to host First Monday Forums with leaders and practitioners in US public diplomacy and international engagement. As always, the Walter Roberts Endowment will support the Annual Lecture and the Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy for 2023-2024.

If you are in the Global Communications MA program or any of the Elliott School programs and would like to participate or volunteer for these events, get in touch: ipdgc@gwu.edu

Happy New Year!

January 29, 2022February 2, 2022Education, Global Communication, IPDGC, public diplomacy

The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication welcomes all our students back in 2022! A new year brings fresh starts and hopes for many.

This year we warmly welcome IPDGC’s new director, Dr. William Youmans. Dr. Youmans is an associate professor at the George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. His area of expertise is media law and global communications, Middle Eastern politics and society; social movements, and Arab-American studies. More information on Dr. Youmans can be found here.

Through the hybrid work environment of 2021, IPDGC was able to organize virtual events such as the Walter Roberts Endowment Annual Lecture, present the 2021 Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy, and host a Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship program for 15 media professionals from Eastern and Central Europe.

We look forward to more connections made with students, young professionals, and others interested in the fields of public diplomacy and global communication. In 2022, we will plan for more innovative events to support academic excellence in these fields. If you would like to know more about our past activities, please go here.

Fostering connections for a peaceful, prosperous world

April 22, 2021April 22, 2021Exchanges, IPDGC, public diplomacy

By Adam Esrig

“I am convinced that increased participation by dedicated Americans in international exchanges will help to achieve our common hope for a durable and just peace.”
— President John F. Kennedy, 1961

Robert Ogburn, Director of the Office of Citizen Exchanges, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, US State Department

In this PDx episode, SMPA undergraduate student Adam Esrig speaks with Robert Ogburn, Director of the Office of Citizen Exchanges, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, United States Department of State.

Examining the impact of cultural and educational diplomacy, Mr. Ogburn discusses the importance of exchange programs in the context of today’s current events.

Enjoy this PDx podcast: Fostering Connections for a Peaceful, Prosperous World

Adam Esrig is a student in the SMPA 3350 Public Diplomacy class taught by Public Diplomacy Fellow Emilia A. Puma. He is an undergraduate student in Political Science and Political Communication, Class of 2023.

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the interviewer. They do not express the views of the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication or the George Washington University.

Students: a notice about grants for summers internships and the PD Student Award

March 25, 2021May 3, 2021Education, Global Communication, IPDGC, public diplomacy

https://blogs.gwu.edu/ipdgc/2021/03/25/walter-roberts-endowment-announces-grants-for-summer-internships-and-the-public-diplomacy-student-award/

Sharing America’s stories – the Fulbright program

March 4, 2021March 4, 2021Education, IPDGC, public diplomacyLeave a Comment

Improving US intercultural relations, communications, and understanding through exchange

By Gabriella Armonda, BA Political Communications, May 2021.

On January 27, 2021, the GW Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication presented Senator John Boozman, (R-Ark.) with the 2021 Walter Roberts Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy.

At the sme time, the Walter Roberts Endowment awarded a $5,000 grant to Global Ties Arkansas for a micro-project focused on supporting alumni exchanges; the grant supports the continued growth for Public Diplomacy programs. I helped put together the virtual webinar for the award ceremony.

This award was in recognition of Sen. Boozman’s ongoing support of the Fulbright program and other educational exchanges. Historically, educational exchanges have been a strategic tool in public diplomacy, and a prime component of America’s “soft power.” Soft power, first defined by Joseph Nye, is the ability to influence the behaviors of those in other countries to produce desired results. Unlike other forms of international diplomacy, soft power bypasses the use of coercion and force. Much of soft power rests on constructive educational exchanges. In fact, the sponsorship of programs like the Fulbright program has allowed America to improve intercultural relations, communications, and understanding between itself and other countries. The Fulbright program awards highly competitive scholarships to U.S. students, foreign students, teachers, and scholars to study, research, teach, or use their skills abroad. This program is one way that the U.S. can build understanding and partnerships and help us to exercise our soft power.

For many practitioners of public diplomacy, the Fulbright Program serves as a beacon of hope for America’s future by improving our relationships with our allies and adversaries. History has shown that these educational exchanges, without a doubt, have strengthened national relationships, made lasting connections, and produced a positive impact on U.S. relations with the outside world. In other words, educational exchanges help diplomacy occur more efficiently at all levels of foreign affairs by facilitating understanding and communication.

One of the most important aspects of educational exchanges is the personal relationships that form from a continued dialogue between Americans and foreigners. Without funding from Congress’s annual appropriations bill, the United States would not be able to project and spread its image, ideals, or beliefs. Educational exchanges are one of the most important avenues for ensuring that American culture and society are experienced first-hand, and we hope, are appreciated and more respected. Educational exchanges build allies and leave adversaries with fewer incentives to work against the United States on foreign diplomacy issues. Public diplomacy is not constrained to a singular form. Instead, it has various shapes and fashions from the arts, drama, and sports to science, math, and languages. Ultimately, without support from U.S. senators like Sen. Boozman, who prioritized the expansion of educational exchanges, American diplomacy would struggle and we would waste an excellent source of our soft power. The world is influenced through coercion but also soft power, which is why funding programs that focus on educational exchanges is essential to the continued strength of American democracy.

Gabriella Armonda is a student in the SMPA 3350 Public Diplomacy class taught by Public Diplomacy Fellow Emilia A. Puma. She is a senior in the School of Media and Public Affairs majoring in Political Communications with a minor in Spanish.

The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author. They do not express the views of the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication or the George Washington University.

Public Diplomacy Council and U.S. global engagement

November 9, 2020November 9, 2020Cultural Diplomacy, Exchanges, Global Communication, IPDGC, PDx, public diplomacy

Dr. Sherry Mueller heads the Public Diplomacy Council, a non-profit organization that supports the practice, academic study and advocacy for public diplomacy. The Council looks at the engagement by U.S. Government, especially the State Department and U.S. international broadcasting, but it also observes and learn from the experience of other nations.

Dr. Mu eller talks about the Council, its activities and membership.

She promotes the role of PDC as a champion for better US engagement: “I’m a real believer that for any organization, it’s not enough to deliver good programs and services, you’ve got to try to impact the policy environment within which you function.”

At the same time, PDC is looking to encourage and support a new generation of professionals in the field: “If we’re not drawing new young people into the field and into professional associations that serve that field, we’re missing what I would call an opportunity for multi-generational leadership.

“In my view, it’s, it’s so important that any vibrant organization have active members of every generation, and the real art of leadership is bringing those generations together, getting them to work well together, and to tap into their complementary talents and skills.”

Please enjoy the conversation between PDx interviewer and SMPA graduate Victoria Makanjuola and Dr. Sherry Mueller HERE.