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.
1. Can you tell us a bit about your background (where you’re from and/or grew up) and what brought you to GW?
I’m from Dallas, Texas born and raised. I lived there all my life and then went to my undergraduate institution, the University of North Texas, where I got my degree in peace studies and conflict resolution. It was a very different field compared to Global Communication which I’m currently doing at GW as a master’s student. What got me interested in Global Communications was learning about the impact that media and media’s effect had on peace negotiations and peace processes either as spoilers, inhibitors, or something that helped further negotiations. It also really brought on my interest in a two-party system, learning about how important it is for an individual and for citizen diplomacy. After I knew that I was really interested, GW had one of the best programs for Global Communications and it was one of the only schools where I could focus on and do something in public diplomacy.
2. What drew you to pursue a graduate degree in Global Communication?
I was drawn to doing a graduate degree in Global Communication because it’s so versatile. Working with media and news outlets, and even how you produce images and content is how building a positive perception in international affairs is run. Global Communication is a way that you get to influence and create those perceptions and that’s something that I feel is widely ignored and not acknowledged in international affairs. I think Global Communication is such a great program where I can touch on so many things but still have my own perspective on a variety of topics.
3. How has your experience at GW prepared you for a career in international affairs and public diplomacy?
My master’s program is enhancing and building on skills that I’ve already learned in past internships or fellowships. I’ve gotten to build upon what I learned in my undergraduate degree which was stuck inside of theory and now at GW, I’m getting to be in classes where I’m learning practical skills. I get to be in classes that simulate working in an embassy, writing press memos, doing speech correspondence, and pretending to prepare ambassadors on press releases. These are all opportunities that I was not able to do before coming to GW, and these are skills you can put on a resume that any employer is looking for.
4. What specific courses or projects have you found most impactful during your Global Communication program?
I think the most impactful project I’ve done so far is my Embassy project that I’ve been doing in my Public Diplomacy seminar. I am doing mine on the U.S. Embassy and Turkey and it is a semester-long project where I’m getting to simulate and work like I’m in an embassy in the public diplomacy sector. In this project, I’m getting to write press memos, prepare a media strategy, and create a perception of what we want to do at the Embassy. I am able to propose my ideas and engage with the rest of my class and it’s been great getting all the feedback from my fellow students. Also, it’s great having a professor who has done this for a career in the Middle East and Africa.
5. What advice do you have for future students who are interested in pursuing a Global Communication graduate degree?
I think what is important for someone wanting to pursue a graduate degree in Global Communication is to try out a lot of different areas of communications. I think that either working in media, international exchange, or working in programming and public engagement on an international scale is helpful. I’ve done things ranging from political advocacy to congressional relations while also doing programming and public engagement on the nonprofit level. These experiences give you an understanding of all aspects of the field and it broadens your knowledge when entering a master’s degree so that you’re able to contribute to your class, and your education by having all of these different experiences.
Gabrielle was interviewed by GW undergraduate Alexis Posel. Alexis is a political science major working with IPDGC as a Communications Assistant.
