Why do new constitutions further improve democracy in some nations but not in others? What is the nature of interest group involvement in the drafting, approval, and implementation of new constitutions? How do such constitutions impact the politics of “day to day” in democratizing nations?

These are the kinds of questions to be addressed "The Gap from Parchment to Practice: Ambivalent Effects of Constitutions in Democratizing Countries,” a conference sponsored by the Latin American Studies Association, the Mellon Foundation, the School of Public Affairs' Department of Government, and the School of International Service Comparative and Regional Studies program, on May 28 and 29th. Discussions will cover issues in new democracies including Colombia, Venezuala, Bolivia, Egypt, and other countries.

The conference, which is organized by AU faculty members Todd Eisenstadt (SPA), Carl LeVan (SIS), and Rob Albro (SIS), is open to the public.

Conference Schedule

Tuesday, May 29

School of International Service, Founder’s Room

Opening

9:15 - 9:30  Welcome from James Goldgeier, School of International Service and Barbara Romzek, School of Public Affairs

Theoretical and Empirical Questions I

9:30  “New Constitutions and Democracy: an Overview” -- Robert Albro, Todd Eisenstadt, Carl LeVan, American University

DISCUSSANTS: Joel Barkan, Center for Strategic and International Studies and Michael Coppedge, University of Notre Dame

Theoretical and Empirical Questions II
Moderated by Todd Eisenstadt, American University

10:30  “Can We Trust Legislators to Write Constitutions?” -- Zachary Elkins, University of Texas – Austin 

DISCUSSANT: Ernesto Calvo, University of Maryland

Theoretical and Empirical Questions III
Moderated by Carl LeVan, American University 

11:30  “Bringing Insights from Corporate Governance to the Study of Constitution Making” -- Jennifer Widner, Princeton University

DISCUSSANT: Jon Gould, American University

Cases and Regions I: Northern Andes
Moderated by Agustina Giraudy, Harvard University

1:45  “Deepening Democracy via Constitutional Change? Contrasting Colombia and Venezuela” -- Ana Maria Bejarano, University of Toronto and Renata Segura, Social Science Research Council

DISCUSSANT: Matthew Taylor, American University 

2:45  “Venezuela: Between ta Bolivarian Constitution and the Authoritarian Populism of Hugo Chávez” -- Nelly Arenas, Central University of Venezuela

DISCUSSANT: Miriam Kornblith, National Endowment for Democracy

Cases and Regions II: African Cases
Moderated by Ryan Briggs, American University 

4:00  “Constitutional Legitimacy and the Dimensions of Participatory Constitution-Making” -- Devra Moehler and Eleanor Marchant, University of Pennsylvania

DISCUSSANT: Gina Lambright, George Washington University 

5:00  “Constitution-making and Democracy in Mali: The Unraveling of a Democratic Model” -- Susanna Wing, Haverford College

DISCUSSANT: Adrienne LeBas, American University 

Wednesday, May 29

School of International Service, Founder’s Room

Cases and Regions III: Bolivia’s Bold Experiment
Moderated by Jo-Marie Burt of George Mason University (invited)

9:15  “Constituent Power from Below in Bolivia? Implications of Rights-based Conflict in the New Constitutional Era” -- Robert Albro, American University

DISCUSSANT: Miguel Centellas, University of Mississippi

10:15  “Refounding ‘halfway’ in Bolivia: the Consolidation of a Hybrid Democracy after the Promulgation of the 2009 Plurinational Constitution” -- Diego Ayo, Universidad Católica de Bolivia

DISCUSSANT: Katie Kuhn, George Washington University 

Cases and Regions IV: Egypt and Middle East
Moderated by Diane Singerman, American University

11:15  “Bringing the Constitution Online: The Struggle over Egypt’s New Constitution” -- Ghazal Poshtkouhian Nadi and Tofigh Maboudi, American University

DISCUSSANT: Nathan Brown, George Washington University 

1:30  “Constitutionalizing Islam: Variations in Religion-State Relationships among Muslim Countries” -- Shaheen Mozaffar, Bridgewater State University

DISCUSSANT: Kristin Diwan, American University 

Conclusions
Moderated by Eric Hershberg, American University 

2:30-4:00  Roundtable: “Understanding the Ambiguous Impacts of New Constitutions on Democracy” -- Robert Albro, Todd Eisenstadt, Zackary Elkins, Carl LeVan, Jennifer Widner

Congratulations to the Class of 2013, their families, and friends! We’ve created a list of all the details you need to know for this weekend’s commencement ceremonies.

When: On Saturday, May 11, ceremonies include School of Public Affairs at 9 a.m., School of Communication at 1 p.m., and College of Arts & Sciences at 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, May 12, ceremonies include Kogod School of Business at 9 a.m. and School of International Service at 1 p.m. On Sunday, May 19, the Washington College of Law will hold a ceremony at 1 p.m.

Where: American University’s commencement ceremonies are held in Bender Arena on campus.

Watching from home: All AU commencement ceremonies will be broadcast live on american.edu/commencement.

Guests: Tickets are not required for admittance. In keeping with D.C. Fire Code regulations, AU asks that graduating students limit their guests to seven persons each.

Seating: Doors open 45 minutes before each ceremony. Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. A seating section, located next to the ground-level entrance to Bender Arena, will be available for senior citizens and persons with physical disabilities and their families. Please refer to the special needs section of the commencement website for more information on seating and other assistance for mobility and hearing impaired persons.

2013 Commencement Speakers: Lisa P. Jackson (SPA), Darryl Frank (SOC), Paul Farmer (CAS), Gary Veloric (Kogod), Moises Naim (SIS), and Harold Hongju Koh (WCL). Read more about the 2013 commencement speakers.

Social Media: Join us on Twitter using hashtag #2013augrad. Also, follow AU Commencement 2013 on Facebook for all the latest news.

Where to park: We recommend that graduates and guests park in the Nebraska Avenue parking lot or the Katzen Arts Center garage, although all parking areas on campus will be open during commencement weekend (except for spaces marked “Reserved”). Those who park in the Sports Center parking garage are advised that exiting traffic will not be permitted to turn into the tunnel in front of Bender Arena following the ceremonies. Cars parked in the Sports Center parking garage or on the south side of campus will exit via Nebraska Avenue.

How to get there: The campus map indicates shuttle stops, disability parking, and drop-off points for commencement. Driving directions to AU's Bender Arena can be found online through googlemaps.com. The university will provide complimentary shuttle bus service to and from the Tenleytown-AU Metro station, which is on Metro’s Red Line. Shuttle buses will run every 15 minutes from the Nebraska Avenue and south-side shuttle stops. For information on getting to campus from BWI Airport, Dulles International Airport, Reagan National Airport, and more, follow instructions provided by the Office of Campus Life.

What’s not allowed inside: No large bags (backpacks, briefcases, duffel bags, etc.) will be permitted inside Bender Arena. Large signs, banners, noise makers, and other objects that hinder visibility or sound will not be allowed inside.

What should grads wear: In order to walk in a commencement ceremony you must wear a cap and gown designed especially for American University by Herff Jones. Caps and gowns must be picked up in the Campus Store on the second floor of Butler Pavilion during business hours from May 8 through May 11 and during the commencement ceremonies on May 11 and May 12.

Duration of ceremony: The ceremony is approximately two hours long and is immediately followed by a reception. Reception locations are listed in the printed program. If you are going to a restaurant after commencement, we recommend making reservations for approximately four hours after your ceremony's start. This will allow you time to attend your school's reception and return rental regalia (due by 6 p.m., Sunday, May 12). 

Diplomas: Most graduates will receive diplomas by early July. 

Photos: A selection of commencement photographs will appear on the AU website. Check the commencement website to view and download photos taken by the university photographers. Proofs of photos taken by the commercial photographer, GradImages, will be emailed to grads two weeks after the ceremony. Read more about purchasing photos and other mementos.

While research has been an integral part of SIS for over 15 years, 2012 – 2013 has seen a spike in activities highlighting undergraduate work.

Professor Aaron Boesenecker has coordinated the undergraduate research initiatives since 2011, working with students on the annual undergraduate research symposium and, escorting SIS undergraduates to the National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR), which in 2013 was held at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.

But with the recent changes in the undergraduate curriculum, particularly the addition of a second course to complement the introductory course in international studies research, “one of our key aims this year was to expand the breadth and the depth of undergraduate research in the overall SIS undergraduate experience,” in addition to the symposium and conference opportunities, Boesenecker said.

Two of those initiatives have been a student/faculty/alumni roundtable on undergraduate research, and the first annual International Affairs Undergraduate Research Conference.

“We announced at the conference SIS’s launch of a new global international affairs undergraduate research journal – International Affairs Quarterly, open to undergraduates from AU’s campus and beyond,” Boesenecker said. “This is a first-of-its-kind venture, as there is not currently a peer-reviewed and professionally-edited journal for undergraduate research on international affairs.”

SIS’s Canyon Bosler, SIS/BA ’13, was one of 20 undergraduate students from George Washington, Georgetown and American Universities participating in the D.C.-area conference, and was honored for his work there and at the SIS Undergraduate Research Symposium. He also was one of six SIS students to attend NCUR, presenting on “Access to Credit and Migration: Complements or Substitutes?”

“Research skills are by far the most useful and marketable skills I have developed while in college,” Bosler said. “Knowing how to find the answer to a question is much more important than knowing a set of facts, theories, or models.”

Bosler has worked at the Securities and Exchange Commission throughout his senior year and in the fall will begin a fellowship in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He attributes attaining these positions to his research skills, which he found are often a higher priority for employers than specific knowledge about a region or topic.

“Being a good researcher, particularly with quantitative methods, makes you very sought-after and gives you access to a wide range of possible careers.”

Today, American University’s School of International Service (SIS) launched its inaugural International Relations Online program cohort, a first-of-its-kind online Master of Arts in International Relations degree. In December 2012, American University’s SIS announced that it would be the first top-ten ranked school of international relations to offer a graduate degree fully online. The program was created as a flexible option for high achieving mid-career professionals as well as for those interested in beginning a career in international relations from anywhere in the world.

The university welcomes a group of professionals based in five countries -- Afghanistan, Belgium, Dominican Republic, Qatar, Saudi Arabia -- and in six states --California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Virginia -- with experience in various sectors including financial, development, defense, and public health. From around the U.S. and the world, the cohort will meet and interact with one another and SIS faculty in weekly live classes online while completing rigorous assignments and asynchronous work between live sessions.

“We're excited to support and work with this impressive group of students as they help us blaze a trail in delivering international relations education online,” says SIS Dean James Goldgeier. “SIS prepares more graduates for careers in international relations than any other school in the country, and this program allows us to train a new cohort that for career or personal reasons cannot attend our on campus programs.”

Enrolled students select a focus of study in either Sustainable International Development or Global Security and Conflict Resolution. An intensive in-person immersion on AU's campus in Washington, D.C. will allow students to take advantage of SIS's deep connections in the diplomatic and policy communities. SIS has more than 15,000 alumni worldwide, working across private, public, and nonprofit sectors.

For more information about International Relations Online, please visit www.IRonline.american.edu or call 1-855-306-AUIR.

In a community of wonks, it can be hard to stand out, but 14 students have done just that.

In a tradition dating back to 1929 and the first University Honors Convocation, AU recognizes outstanding students at the graduate and undergraduate level each year. Like the recipient of this year’s president’s award, these wonks have distinguished themselves with achievements in the classroom as well as in the community.

Academic Honors

Lauren Barr and Andrey Verendeev have received nods for Outstanding Scholarship at the Graduate Level this year. Verendeev’s psychopharmacology research is the first of its kind to find predictors for opiate use in test subjects, while Barr has compiled a compelling conflict analysis of the situation in post-Arab Spring Morocco.

“I really appreciate all the opportunities and doors that AU has opened for me,” she says. “This is yet another example of the ways in which I’ve really benefited from being a part of the school.”

This year’s undergraduate winners are just as impressive. With an extraordinary 3.96 GPA studying outside his native language of German, honors student Robert Helbig majored in international affairs and minored in applied physics. Psychology student Andrew Merluzzi has received over $10,000 in funds to present his research at eight separate conferences across the country. As he leaves AU, he believes the best part of his studies was working alongside minds like Verendeev.

“The ability to do research alongside graduate students and faculty, just in terms of working together as a team towards a common goal, was really helpful and will be great experience for the future,” he says.

Outstanding Service

AU also recognizes those students who serve on campus, trying to make the university the best institution it can be. The efforts of this year’s Outstanding Service to the University Community Award recipients are both duly noted and duly awarded.

For his service, recent December School of Communication graduate Joseph Corcoran will be honored alongside former Student Government president Sarah McBride. Corcoran, who transferred to AU his sophomore year, advocated for more commuter and transfer student space now found in the library and the East Quad Building – success that has also landed him the Charles W. Van Way Award for building community at AU.

McBride’s policies as SG president established open-gender housing on campus as well as a new LGBT studies minor. As much as she gave to the campus, she believes she received more in return.

“AU has been so wonderful to me. I’ve gained so much. I’ve learned so much," she says. "I’ve been embraced by friends, administrators, and faculty to such a degree that it was really an honor to be able to serve this community."

McBride will also accept the Kinsman-Hurst Award for striving to make the university community as diverse, accepting, and inclusive as possible.

Student Achievement

Through its annual Student Achievement Awards, the university celebrates those undergraduate seniors that best represent the diversity of accomplishments possible at AU.

Described as one of the most talented soloists ever to graduate from AU, vocalist Carley DeFranco will receive the Evelyn Swarthout Hayes Award for using her gifts to support at-risk youth in DC. While AU has a strong reputation for international and public affairs, DeFranco’s recognition shows the university’s maintained emphasis on the arts.

“I feel honored and happy that my practicing and musical achievements have been noticed in a school where music may not necessarily be at the forefront but certainly thriving,” she says. “There are a lot of great musicians and programs here.”

ATV student television general manager Douglas Bell will receive the Bruce Hughes Award for doubling his organization’s membership, where reporters recently secured White House press passes. After establishing the Community Service Coalition, Stephen Bronskill – also selected for the coveted President’s Award – will accept the Stafford H. Cassell Award.

Recent December graduate Nazran Baba used his time at AU to create opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue and understanding through roles in International Student Orientation and the Muslim Student Association, making him the first Sri Lankan in 30 years to win the Carlton Savage Award.

Abdul Aziz Said Phi Epsilon Pi Scholar for Diversity Daniel Leon was selected for the Fletcher Scholar Award based on his academic achievement and commitment to the community through organizations like the William J. Clinton Foundation.

“I feel really honored. I’ve only been here for two years,” he says, “and the fact I would be recognized on any level really shows how focused they are on transfer students.”

School of Public Affairs Leadership Program student and outgoing Student Government president Emily Yu will receive the Cathryn Seckler-Hudson Award, named for SPA’s first dean. Yu advocated for what became AU’s lowest tuition increase in 40 years alongside a new $1.5 million in financial aid for students.

Parting Words

Kogod School of Business student Mercedes Beras-Goico dedicated herself to serving the university community through the 1955 Business Leadership Club before starting the Hispanic Business Association. She will accept the Charles C. Glover Award for combining business leadership and citizenship in service to AU.

Like the other student award recipients, Beras-Goico is more than honored for the recognition, but – above all else – she just wants to carry AU with her wherever she goes.

“I really would like to keep representing the AU legacy as I graduate,” she says. “I couldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be here.”

Winning this year’s Harold Johnson Award for celebrating Caribbean culture on and off campus, Yanique Campbell has advice for hopeful underclass wonks looking ahead, hoping to stand out as she and her fellow recipients have.

“For me, it wasn’t about getting an award,” she says. “It was about finding a place where I’m comfortable on this campus and making that place available for other students…So, just do what you love, and the awards will come.”





Click here to learn more about the University Awards program and the awards ceremony, which will take place Friday, May 10th at 5:30pm in the Abramson Family Recital Hall in the Katzen Arts Center.

Visit the 2013 commencement ceremonies website for more information about this year's celebration.

On April 26, SIS hosted a daylong symposium, “One Hundred Years of U.S Labor and Employment Relations: A Look Back, A Look Forward, and A View From A Comparative Perspective,” celebrating the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Department of Labor. The event was largely supported by Dean’s Council member Stephen Embry, SIS/BA ’71, a lawyer specializing in workers’ compensation cases for over thirty years.

“We may have forgotten as a society that there was in fact a small group of people who organized and said, ‘We can change things,’” Embry said. “[First female Cabinet member] Frances Perkins and that group deserve to be memorialized, and the department that they created deserves to be recognized, and we need to take this opportunity to say, ‘What can we do for the next 100 years?’ because they had the vision to do so 100 years ago.”

The issue of commitment is a personal one for Embry, who understands the importance of service as not a temporary obligation, but an enduring connection.

“Like most lawyers, I have a relationship with the families. I don’t close a file and put it away and forget about them. It’s a lifetime relationship with my clients in all sorts of different ways. It’s representing them in worker’s compensation, representing them in Social Security disability and all sorts of other matters on the legal side, but also then going to their funerals and their children’s bar mitzvahs.”

Embry’s dedication to serving his clients parallels the mission of SIS.

“In my introductory remarks at the conference, I said that one of the things that makes me the proudest is that I went to a school with service in its name,” he said. “There aren’t many schools that do that. It’s not a school of management – it’s a school of service, and it’s reflected in the way our students and alumni serve after they graduate.”

The event featured academics, lawyers, and members of the private sector. Acting Secretary of Labor Seth Harris provided the keynote address, followed by a discussion with SIS Dean James Goldgeier.

The abhorrence that most governments feel against nuclear weapons has been effective in preventing their use for almost seven decades. This, according to Thomas C. Schelling, is a “partial success” in the search for peace that can be partly attributed to John F. Kennedy’s policies.

Schelling, a recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, joined Dean James Goldgeier for a Dean’s Discussion commemorating the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s “Strategy of Peace” address at AU in 1963. During the April 25 event, Schelling weighed in on the non-use of nuclear weapons, the possibility of a nuclear zero world and the challenge of climate change.

The author of The Strategy of Conflict stated that the “abhorrence that Kennedy epitomized 50 years ago” might be strong enough to prevent the use of nuclear weapons. In the last few decades, he explained, there have been at least eight wars where one side could have used one, but decided not to. And he is certain that this will continue to be the case, even with the continuing threat of a nuclear North Korea.

In light of this widely assumed sentiment, Schelling argued that, today, such a treaty has more of a symbolic significance as a way to reinforce the taboo against nuclear weapons. However, the arguments of those who oppose a ban – that other countries will cheat and that it is important to have an updated nuclear arsenal – have won out against those who favor it.

Schelling added that a world without nuclear weapons “may be possible, but it would be a more dangerous world than it is now.” The problem is not just eradicating the weapons, but preventing nuclear mobilization. Nations that today have nuclear weapons could make them again if a major war broke out, he said.

“I think in a world without nuclear weapons, everybody would be alert to the possible need in a crisis not to be too slow in rebuilding nuclear weapons,” said Schelling.

Schelling also compared the contemporary challenge of climate change to that of nuclear weapons, because of the cooperation that is needed to solve the problem. He criticized the “absolute stalemate we have had for the last 30 years,” and affirmed that eventually the effects of climate change will drive “deniers” to adopt drastic measures to reduce carbon emissions.

To watch the event's video stream, click here.

A peaceful Middle East without border disputes or nuclear threats seems impossible to achieve. But it isn’t, said Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren during Monday’s "Meet The Press at SIS" event.

In a spirited discussion with political talk show host and School of International Service alumnus David Gregory, Oren encouraged the audience to remain hopeful that peace would ultimately win out in the tumultuous region.  

MORE: JFK's AU Speech: 50 Years Forward on Peace

"Peacemaking takes leadership. It takes vision. Above all it takes guts," Oren said.

Middle East peace, in particular the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, was a topic that couldn’t be avoided, especially when looking through the prism of John F. Kennedy’s "Strategy of Peace" speech and whether it was applicable in today’s Middle East.

The discussion began with a nod to Kennedy. He was the first American president to provide Israel with weapons, Oren said. He was also the first American president to meet with his Israeli counterpart. For their part, Israel has the only Kennedy memorial in the Middle East — Yad Kennedy, near Jerusalem — Oren said.

The conversation then moved to the topic of nuclear war and the distinct threat posed by an Iranian regime seeking nuclear capabilities. Because Iran is the leading state sponsor of terrorism in the world, Oren said, the gravity of a nuclear Iran cannot be overstated.

WATCH: Videos of the 50th Anniversary of JFK's Speech at AU

"If [Iran] acquires a nuclear weapon, then the terrorists get the capability. And how do you defend the world from that?" Oren asked.

Oren contrasted what is happening in the Middle East now with the events of the Cold War. Whereas the Cold War was a "bipolar" conflict, the situation in the Middle East with Iran, Syria, and other shaky governments has created a "multipolar, unstable, possible nuclear region."

"What follows if Iran gets a nuclear weapon?" Gregory asked Oren.

"Then the window for diplomacy is not open for long," Oren replied.

Gregory then moved on to ask what relevant lessons could be gleaned from Kennedy’s speech. Oren was emphatic that peace was a precondition to any deals made in the region and that getting rid of weapons of mass destruction — a plank in Kennedy’s political platform — was the ultimate goal.

VIDEO: "Meet the Press at SIS" event

"Israel has the most skin in the game. If anyone does anything against Iran, they will exact vengeance on us," Oren said.

Oren, a historian trained at Princeton, offered regional context and urged the audience to consider history when evaluating conflicts in the Middle East. Israel, which achieved nationhood in 1948, is a Jewish state surrounded by Arab countries, many of which have borders created in 1916 by secret European deals as a part of the Sykes-Picot Agreement.

He went on to explain that many of the wars in the region were not part of any Arab- Israeli conflict, but rather a product of the "unraveling of an order that was created by the Europeans" without regard for ethnic communities or tribal allegiances.

"It’s forced a lot of rethinking on our part, and certainly for our American allies, about how we’re going to grapple with the future and the tremendous amount of uncertainty," Oren said. "We hope for the emergence of coherent, peace-loving democratic governments in countries throughout the entire Middle East."

Oren proceeded to outline ways his government was working to positively effect change in the region and what it would take to achieve peace with the Palestinians.

After a lively question and answer session, which included queries posted to Twitter, Oren left the crowd with one message about the Middle East.

"Things can improve. They can move for the better," he said. "Don’t lose hope."

Last year, American University rose from No. 7 to No. 5 nationally for its number of Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) finalists. This year, AU has one-upped itself, rising to No. 3 in the national rankings for both finalists—of which AU had 19—and semi-finalists—of which AU had 45. This year’s finalists, announced in early April, hail from all of AU’s schools and colleges. 

“We have some outstanding candidates,” says PMF and School of Public Affairs career advisor Robert SanGeorge. SanGeorge helped prepare all of AU’s semi-finalists and finalists for the application process. “This year, they came from all AU schools … and we’re glad they did, because we would like to see that kind of diversity and interest campus-wide in the program.”

For more than 30 years, the PMF program has attracted advanced degree-holders for positions within the federal government, including the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, USAID, and the Department of Transportation, among others. The application is a two-step process, beginning with an online test that gauges an applicant’s psychological profile; 12,120 people took the test nationwide this year, according to PMF’s website. Of that pool, the program selects roughly 1,600 semi-finalists who then participate in an intensive series of interviews and group activities. Selected finalists are then able to apply for jobs specifically set aside for them, with two-year appointments, competitive salaries, and benefits; PMF finalists—there were 663 this year—also receive “additional mentoring and training that is not available to other people,” notes SanGeorge. He trained ’AU’s semi-finalists with several workshops, one-on-one meetings, and various online resources.

“You are being groomed to be a future federal manager at a significant level,” adds SanGeorge. “Once you’re finished with those two years and you transition into regular federal employment, you have PMF on your resume, and that really is a big deal for people who want to pursue the federal government as a career.”

Of the 19 AU finalists, seven are from the School of International Service, five are from the Washington College of Law, three are from the School of Public Affairs, two are from the College of Arts and Sciences, one is from the School of Communication, and one is from the Kogod School of Business. But coaching for these students and alumni doesn’t stop after they have been named finalists: The Career Center will continue to provide guidance on crafting a federal resume, reaching out to certain federal departments, preparing for job interviews, and connecting with AU alumni of the program, SanGeorge says. 

Finalist Keri Sikich, SPA/PhD '13 and SIS/BA '02, is already emailing other AU alumni to discuss how she should present herself to various federal departments during the application process. Sikich, who studies juries and comparative legal systems, has taught many classes as an adjunct at AU. She hopes to parlay her background in public policy and experience working on Capitol Hill into opportunities with the Departments of State or Justice.

“It’s a great opportunity, especially now that I’ve seen other friends of mine try to get jobs after their PhD—I see how hard it is to get into the federal system,” Sikich says. “So it’s not an opportunity that I plan on passing up. The government is certainly a great place for me to be.”

Equally excited is Josh Jones, SIS/PhD '13, who, before attending AU, served a tour in Iraq during his four years in the U.S. Army and spent a summer with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Serbia. His experience in the Army was not only the inspiration for his dissertation, but the leadership and time management skills he learned while in the service became invaluable during the PMF application process, he says. 

“I think the benefit of the military is that it gives people the opportunity to lead, to take responsibility for people and goals in ways that may be harder to come by in other forums,” says Jones, who is keeping an open mind regarding which federal positions may interest him. “To paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt, I want to ‘work hard at work worth doing.’ I would like to find a position in which I can support a department or agency in accomplishing its mission and to add value to the organization.”

Similarly liberal about his ideal federal department is Brian Thompson, CAS/MEd '11, who became a teacher after being deployed to Afghanistan while serving three-and-a-half years in the U.S. Army; a care package from his mother with the book Teacher Man by Frank McCourt inspired him to join Teach For America (TFA) when he returned to the U.S. Thompson received his master’s through TFA’s partnership with AU; has taught 10th-grade world history at Cardozo High School in Washington, D.C., for the past four years; and has been awarded with numerous teaching awards from the District of Columbia Public Schools for his success with students. Thompson hopes to land a position with the Department of Education or Veterans Affairs, but he doesn’t plan to limit himself.

“I think I’ve always been committed to public service; in the military and in teaching, I’ve kind of been the boots on the ground, whether in the classroom or the battlefield,” Thompson says. “I’m just looking for something that blends my passion, and an opportunity to do something meaningful. I’m not looking to push paper all day long—I’m looking for an agency that will provide me with opportunities to grow and do great things.”

Congratulations to all of AU’s 2013 PMF finalists: Ann Mangold, Anna Naimark, Brian Thompson, Colin Bishop, Elena Green Feroz, Erin Swetland, Jason Whittle, Jennifer Flowers, Jessica Torres, Josh Jones, Kathleen Larkin, Keri Sikich, Lauren McCarty, Nicholas Beadle, Nicholas Fechter, Robert Brodell, Samuel Hedlund, Sheen Munshi, and William Daming. 

The application process for the 2014 PMF program will begin this fall, and will be open to students and alumni who hold advanced degrees earned between December 2011 and August 2014.

In John F. Kennedy’s 1963 commencement speech at American University, titled "A Strategy of Peace," the president urged Americans to see the Soviet people as deserving of respect and admiration, despite their government’s policies. 

By humanizing the Soviets and separating people from politics, Kennedy was instrumental in softening Cold War tensions.

"No government or social system is so evil that its people must be considered as lacking in virtue," Kennedy said.

MORE: JFK's AU Speech: 50 Years Forward on Peace

Kennedy’s words bear remembering today as the U.S. faces nuclear threats from North Korea and Iran. As tensions in the Middle East continue, it’s worth asking whether Kennedy’s ideas for world peace, spoken 50 years ago on this campus, are applicable to that region today.

That is the topic of an upcoming event sponsored by the School of International Service and the Center for Israel Studies. David Gregory, host of NBC’s political talk show Meet The Press and SIS alumnus, will sit down with Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren to discuss Kennedy’s speech and its possible application in the Middle East.  

Oren was appointed to his post in 2009. He is a graduate of Princeton and Columbia and was an officer in the Israel Defense Forces. Oren has been a visiting professor at Harvard, Yale, and Georgetown, and the Jerusalem Post listed Oren as one of the ten most influential Jews worldwide.

WATCH: Videos of the 50th Anniversary of JFK's Speech at AU

In a Meet The Press-style talk, Gregory and Oren will explore whether the type of diplomatic engagement that Kennedy advocated for is possible among any of the leaders in the Middle East today.

In his speech, Kennedy entreated the public to know the true cost of war on a nation’s citizenry.

"For we are both devoting massive sums of money to weapons that could be better devoted to combating ignorance, poverty, and disease. We are both caught up in a vicious and dangerous cycle in which suspicion on one side breeds suspicion on the other, and new weapons beget counterweapons," Kennedy said.

The event, open to AU faculty, staff, and students only, will take place from 3:30 to 5 p.m., Monday, April 29, in the Abramson Family Founders Room in SIS.

RSVP by April 24 at jfkstrategyofpeace.eventbrite.com. A government-issued or American University I.D. is required for admission. Due to security precautions, please refrain from bringing large handbags or briefcases. A livestream of the event will also be available at www.american.edu/sis/meetthepress.cfm.

Why I chose SIS:
It offered an Executive Masters program that allowed me to further my education and continue my career path without interruption. I was also familiar with and very much respected the work of a number of SIS faculty.

How I make a difference in the world:
I currently lead the Sierra Club’s work on Responsible Trade. I work to build public support for trade and investment policies, and I help shed light on how our current model of free trade has been very harmful to the environment.

I find the field of international trade rewarding and engaging because it allows me to focus on issues related to our environment and our global economy. Work on trade is also interesting in that it is inherently both domestic and international, and brings me into contact with groups and people from across the country and the world –people who are dedicated to ensuring that the world is a more just and livable place for our generation and future generations.

Field of Study:
International development

SIS Activities:
I was able to spend time with classmates and professors outside of the classroom and I found those interactions valuable in testing and developing my views on the policies on which I work.

Languages:
English and Spanish

World Issues of Interest:
At SIS and for some time after, I worked for the international NGO ActionAid. My work there focused on how climate change affected developing countries, and the financing that the rich world owes to the poor world in order to deal with the impact of climate change. Climate change is still the world issue that is closest to my heart. At the Sierra Club, I work to ensure that trade rules do not undermine the ability of governments to enact policies to tackle climate change – combining my interests in climate change and the global economy.

Professional role model:
I draw much of my inspiration from people for whom change is not an abstract policy concept, but a life-or-death reality. These people are not necessarily professionals, but I find that they are frequently the people who speak most eloquently and poignantly about the problems they themselves and the world face as a result of the policy choices our governments and institutions make.

Why I chose SIS:
The range of courses offered in the International Development program provided technical skills in project and program design, management and evaluation. I was particularly swayed by the practicum component, which allowed students to work in the field with a development organization.

How I make a difference in the world:
After graduation, I became a technical officer for Root Change, a non-profit that produces strategies and tools for organizational capacity development, innovation identification and network strengthening. I help to coordinate and manage several projects that strengthen the capacity and social capital of civil society organizations and social entrepreneurs in developing countries.

One example of a tool that I helped to launch is our online, network-mapping platform, which allows organizations to map real-time relationships with others in various social sectors and immediately see a visualization of the ecosystem where they work. This tool helps organizations identify influential actors and strategic partnerships, minimize duplication of efforts, improve program performance, and diagnose bottlenecks and gaps in information and resource flows. We have pilots in Mexico, Central America, East Africa and Serbia.

Field of Study:
Development Management, with a focus on project and program management, and community and livelihood development

SIS activities:
I was Communications Coordinator for the International Development Program Student Association. I helped to alert ID graduate students about relevant events and activities happening on and off campus; and I supported the Friday Forum Series, which brought academics and practitioners to campus to discuss the latest thinking and trends in international development research. 

Languages:
English and Spanish  

World Issues of Interest:
Poverty alleviation, livelihood development, social enterprise, organizational capacity development, technology and development.

Professional role model:
My mom. As director of the Human Services Department for the city of Fremont, Calif., she manages community-based programs and services that strengthen neighborhoods and help individuals and families become self-sufficient. She is a savvy fundraiser, an active networker and an excellent manager who inspired me to make a difference in the world. She is also one of my biggest supporters, to whom I owe much of my confidence and professional drive.

Favorite Book:
Gregory David Roberts’ Shantaram, about a convict who escapes a prison in Australia and flees to Bombay, where he starts a medical clinic in a slum and serves an apprenticeship with the Bombay mafia.

Favorite Movie:
My favorite movie of 2012 was “The Intouchables,” a French dramatic comedy about a Parisian aristocrat who after becoming a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident hires a young Senegalese man from the projects to be his caretaker.

Why I chose SIS:
I was initially a communications major. I remember the moment when my roommate, an SIS major, told me about the human rights abuses committed against women in Afghanistan. I switched to SIS once I realized that if I wanted to “communicate,” I had to do so with purpose and a greater understanding of world affairs.

How I make a difference in the world:
As Program Coordinator for Columbia University’s Program on Peace-building and Rights, I seek to support countries undergoing post-conflict transition through dialogue initiatives, educational exchanges and curriculum reforms that reduce hostile perceptions.

In this role, I’ve conducted capacity building activities for Darfuri civil society leaders and facilitated track-two dialogue among Turks and Armenians. I co-authored a conflict resolution curriculum for Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Higher Education, and will soon train faculty throughout the Western Balkans to transfer the curriculum to their universities. Last summer, I worked with the Association of War Affected Women and 2011 Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee to launch the Sri Lankan Women’s Agenda for Peace Security and Development. I’m also working with women’s networks in Myanmar to launch a similar program catered to the needs of Myanmar women.

Field of Study:
International Peace and Conflict Resolution, with a particular focus on the role of women in peace-building and a geographic concentration on both Africa and Latin America.

SIS Activities:
I participated in training through AU’s Mediation Services, helped launch the “Journal of Peacebuilding and Development,” and facilitated dialogue groups with undergraduate students studying peace paradigms. I studied abroad in Madrid my junior year and conducted graduate field research in Mexico.

Languages:
English and Spanish  

World Issues of Interest:
Peace-building and reconciliation, youth leadership, women’s role in peace-building, peace education, social entrepreneurship, civil society building, dialogue processes and post-conflict reconstruction.

Professional role model:
My colleague David L. Phillips, Director of the Program on Peace-building and Rights at Columbia University. He demonstrates what is possible when you combine a policy relevant, practical course of action with strong partners on the ground and the will to see anything through with integrity and hard work.

Favorite Poem:
“If” by Rudyard Kipling. Through all the challenges I have faced working in delicate political environments in peace-building, the words of this poem always serve as a beacon of light to maintain my conviction and higher intention through it all.

Favorite Movie:
Clint Eastwood’s “Invictus,” on Nelson Mandela. I watched it while I was living in Colombia, a country itself struggling to achieve long-term reconciliation. The film was an incredibly inspiring story on what it takes to be a catalyst for change.

Why I chose SIS:
I chose SIS because of its excellent reputation, its location in Washington, DC and because the program bridged the theoretical - practical divide. Additionally, I had been living in London and was ready to be back in the States for a short while.

How I make a difference in the world:
I feel a responsibility to make a difference in the world in all I do and try to engage in. I don't mind being uncomfortable; I have the most impact when I'm operating outside of my comfort zone.

I am transitioning from 11 years of working in international affairs to launching a new start-up venture as an entrepreneur. I was a Senior Program Analyst with USAID for 8-9 years and have worked in South Sudan, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania and Montenegro.

I currently run The Global Sleepover, a digitally enhanced children's story series about four characters who go on sleepovers all over the world and learn about issues of global relevance. Our early stage business has an equal focus on education, entertainment and engagement with high, social-impact goals such as increased access to education.

I'm inspired by my late father who, despite growing up in refugee camps in India in the 50’s, lived around the world and earned five degrees. He believed in the unequivocal power of education.

Field of Study:
English/Creative Writing and International Peace and Conflict Resolution

SIS Activities:
I launched a literary journal called “Chiroscuro” with a few other students. Our goal was to publish a journal that contained art pertaining to issues of human rights, war-to-peace transition and other important social issues. We received over 500 submissions and published one journal.  

Languages:
Hindi, Urdu, working knowledge of Spanish and basic Serbian  

World Issue of Interest:
Equal access to education for children, educating children with global understanding and global fluency, the important role of trauma recovery and healing at the individual level in refugee societies

Professional Role Model:
My journalism teacher from high school, who is retiring this year from 30 years of teaching. She is a true example of someone who is so dedicated to her profession that she lives and breathes it. She's my role model because she has succeeded in truly living up to her profession with integrity, passion and courage.

Favorite Book:
My favorite authors are poet Yusef Komunyakaaand Paul Auster. If I had to choose a book it would be “The New York Trilogy” by Paul Auster or “A Separate Peace” by John Knowles.

Favorite Movie:
“Lincoln” and “Rabbit Proof Fence” are on the top of my list!

Since he was a little boy, Nur Ali, SIS/BA ’98, dreamt of racing cars. His dream became a reality very soon after graduating from American University.

“Education is so important, and I am glad I had the opportunity to go to such a reputable school,” says Nur. “But racing was what I wanted to do since I was a little kid.”

Nur was born in Pakistan and raised in Germany until the age of eight. His family then relocated to Fort Worth, Tex.

Fluent in German, Urdu/Hindi, and English and raised by parents who were proponents of education and supportive of following one’s dreams, with no prior race car driving experience, Nur went to Ohio to attend the Skip Barber Racing School just after graduating from AU.

After graduating from racing school, Nur went back to Texas, and, in 2005, he received an invitation to serve as the Team Leader for Team Pakistan in the A1Grand Prix – World Cup of Motorsport – an international racing series – making him the first driver of Pakistani descent to race professionally. President Musharraf launched Team Pakistan announcing Nur as the leader at an exclusive, extravagant affair.

Nur raced internationally for a few years with the intention to transition into NASCAR, which he did at the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway in the NASAR Nationwide Series on October 20, 2012. News spread quickly in his home country of Pakistan that Nur had become the first Pakistani-American to race NASCAR.

“I would not be where I am without my education from American University,” Nur says. Outside of racing, he serves the community by mentoring and educating children about the importance of education. “Because I completed my education, I always have something to fall back on.”

In mid-December 2012, Nur attended a three-day practice drive in Daytona Beach, Fla. and is continually striving toward his next goal. “I am either in the gym working with a personal trainer, strategizing with my public relations team on how to secure sponsorships, or serving the community,” he says. He also is working closely with NASCAR to bring more visibility to the sport internationally.

Nur hopes to be either a part- or full-time driver with NASCAR in 2013. He is already scheduled to race a few junior races, including the NASCAR K & N Pro Series and the ARCARacing Series.

When Mayra Rivera, CAS/BS ’13, was a senior at Bell Multicultural High School in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C., she was No. 2 in her class of 173 students. But as the daughter of El Salvadorian immigrants and with her mother a small business owner, Rivera wasn’t sure if she was going to apply to college.  

“I never heard of American University, even though I live here in Washington, D.C.,” Rivera says. “But during my junior and senior year, we had a representative from AU come over and give us a presentation, and I started thinking about it.”

Rivera applied to AU, and, thanks to a competitive financial package, she accepted. Four years later, with multiple federal work study (FWS) positions under her belt and a passion for working with children, Rivera is taking advantage of an assortment of student employment and volunteer opportunities both on and off the campus. As a first-generation student, Rivera is changing her family’s expectations about a college education and blazing a trail for her younger relatives while still finding ways to give back to her community.

Rivera has plans to use her degree in health promotion to educate children about the power they have over their bodies and choices. The adaptability and individuality of the subject appealed to Rivera.

“You have the power to change your health—to eat healthier, to exercise—and I feel like the reason why a lot of people don’t stick to diets or don’t go and work out is because they don’t know, they lack the education,” Rivera said. “So with health promotion, I’m learning how to implement programs and ways to approach how to make changes today.”

Sharing those lessons with children has been the main thrust of Rivera’s FWS positions with DC Reads and Kid Power. Introduced to the organizations through the Career Center’s Student Employment Coordinator, Tasha Daniels, Rivera worked with DC Reads for a year and then transitioned to Kid Power, where she has been for the last two years.

Students looking for FWS positions or part-time jobs on campus should regularly check the AU Student Jobs website, www.american.edu/studentjobs, keep an eye on list-serv or department emails that may advertise positions, and should be persistent, Daniels says. Look often, both before and during the semester, to see what kind of opportunities are out there, she suggests.

“Finding any job is a process,” Daniels says. “Keep applying until [you] land a position. … Submit professional application materials—resume and tailored cover letter—to increase [the] likelihood of landing a position.”

With both of her FWS opportunities, Rivera has been able to stay local and focused on her educational goals. During her time at DC Reads, Rivera worked with students one-on-one at CentroNía, a bilingual charter school in Columbia Heights—a five-minute walk from her home. At Kid Power, where Rivera both works as a FWS employee and is conducting an internship, Rivera is applying her knowledge about physical health and nutrition while leading whole classes.

“I was able to give back to my community,” Rivera says, and her impact is still felt years later. “The mom of the girl who I tutored at DC Reads works at Target and I also work at Target, and we always talk, and I always ask her questions about her daughter—I just saw them, and she’s grown up. And it’s nice to see they remember me.”

Rivera ensures the students remember her lessons about health, too. Thanks to encouragement from her Kid Power supervisor Shaden Dowiatt, Rivera is involved in the program Veggie Time, teaching students about gardening and nutrition.

“She’s fantastic; the kids really, really love her,” says Dowiatt, SIS/MA ’10, LAMB Site Director for Kid Power. “I think she relates really well to the students; she’s always very positive, smiles a lot, is pretty easygoing. Her passion and her focus is obviously on health education. This year she’s been doing an internship with me—she’s helped develop some of the lessons about nutrition and I’ve encouraged her to share those lessons with the students.”

And Rivera isn’t the only AU student at Kid Power. The organization employed both university alumni and 44 FWS students in fall 2012—about five to six AU volunteers are located at each of Kid Power’s 10 sites, Dowaitt says—and that atmosphere creates an undeniable sense of camaraderie.

“This past summer, we had this close connection,” Rivera says of her AU peers who also worked with Kid Power at their summer camp. “We all hung out at night, we had dinner and stuff together—we created this little AU family.”

And as for Rivera’s own family, they’ve been affected by her college choice, too. Although her mother was initially skeptical of her decision to apply to AU and hoped Rivera would help her with her small business, she’s grown to appreciate that Rivera “wants to do more”—“she’s always encouraging me, and now she brags about me going to college,” Rivera says. And Rivera’s younger sister has followed in her footsteps, and is currently a student at Georgetown University.

With graduation coming up in May, Rivera hopes to volunteer with other health- or children-focused nonprofit organizations and eventually gain employment at one; graduate school isn’t out of the question, either. But for now, she’s staying with Kid Power, hoping to introduce students to healthy recipes and eating habits. Without these FWS opportunities, Rivera says she’s not sure how she would have been able to so effectively prepare for her career.

“I never heard of Kid Power or DC Reads before federal work study, but it’s my interest to work with kids and to help them,” Rivera says. “If it weren’t for [FWS], I don’t know how I would get this experience.”

Eric Fleddermann SIS/BA ’13 is proof positive you can have it all as an AU student. On any given day, you might find the senior preparing a mock trial case, helping a peer write a résumé in the AU Career Center, or laying down a drum beat for the Screamin’ Eagles Pep Band at a basketball game. It’s all part of the rich tapestry that has made up Fleddermann’s “American experience.”

“Being a student in D.C., I can attend court hearings, participate in political rallies, and take advantage of so many other opportunities on a daily basis,” said Fleddermann, a Missouri native pursuing a double major in international studies and business administration, and a minor in Arabic language.

A highlight of Fleddermann’s AU experience has been serving as president of the American University Mock Trial (AUMT) team, coached by School of Public Affairs professor Jessica Waters. The self-proclaimed underdog team made a splash this past semester, beating out national champions at a Columbia University invitational, considered one of the East Coast’s most prestigious tournaments. Fleddermann also took home a top attorney award at the tournament.

“Seeing our team blossom into such a success has been so rewarding,” he said.

His favorite class, Justice, Morality, and the Law, taught by Professor Waters honed his courtroom talent. “We debated controversial legal issues like terrorism, birth control, hate speech, and religious exemption,” said Fleddermann.

“The class taught me to consider all sides of an issue before presenting an argument.”

AU has also offered Fleddermann a gateway to the world. In 2011, he spent six months studying Arabic and business at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, arriving in the heat of the Arab Spring movement.

“I was a child of 9-11 and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, events that affected me deeply and made me want to better understand that part of the world,” said Fleddermann.

Real-world work experience has also been a part of Fleddermann’s life in D.C. He interned at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission among other workplaces, but he found job satisfaction working in AU’s Career Center. There, Fleddermann, a peer advisor since sophomore year, undertook data crunching, résumé writing, as well as marketing and outreach tasks.

“It’s been so rewarding to help other students reach their career goals. I also get to use my oral presentation skills I’ve developed through the mock trial team to speak to classes.”

Fleddermann now faces the exciting challenge of deciding where to apply the “arsenal of skills and knowledge” he has acquired at AU. The senior is contemplating government, law and national security among career paths – all great options for a new grad in the nation’s capital.

“My time at American has helped ground my ideals in reality,” said Fleddermann. “We can create change in the world, but it takes time, it’s hard work, and at end of the day, you may not make a grand change but at least you can change individual lives, and that’s what I hope to do.”

If you’ve seen the Boren Scholarship brochure, you’ve seen Wyatt Gordon, SIS/BA '12, pictured on the cover. As a recipient of multiple scholarships, including the Boren, Critical Language, and International Parliamentary Scholarship (IPS), Gordon has spent just five semesters on AU’s campus and the rest of his undergraduate years around the world.

“To speak a different language, to be able to see the world differently—I think it really enriches life,” says Gordon, who is fluent in German and Indonesian; proficient in Spanish; and can speak basic French.

Gordon’s international interest began as a high school student in Richmond, Va., where he was inspired to spend a year after graduation in Germany to better understand his familial roots. His father, who passed away when he was a child, was German, and Gordon’s cultural exchange was a way to connect with his heritage.

“It was a way to explore my past but also discover my future,” Gordon says. “I wanted to really see what my heritage was like, to figure out where I was coming from, to figure out where I really wanted to go. … After that, I really started thinking more internationally.”

Upon returning to the United States and beginning his undergraduate education at AU, Gordon’s next adventure was inspired in part by his SIS Cross-Cultural Communications class. While studying Indonesia, Gordon became enthralled with learning more about the country.

 “The more I read about it, the less I seemed to understand … I could not fit it with any of the frameworks the U.S. or Germany had given me to understand the world,” he says.

 Determined to master Indonesian, Gordon began attending free language courses at the Indonesian Embassy and teaching himself the language through books and podcasts. His extra efforts were rewarded with a Critical Language Scholarship to study in Malang, East Java, for two months in summer 2010, where he achieved upper-level intermediate proficiency in the language.

“I just fell in love,” Gordon says. “It’s a beautiful and completely crazy country at the same time. … [Java has] 140 million people, so you can’t go anywhere without anyone.”

Gordon’s Critical Language Scholarship experience propelled him to apply for a Boren Scholarship to return to Indonesia. After six months of preparation, essay writing, collaboration with professor mentors, and help from the Office of Merit Awards, Gordon sent in his application—and received the award, which allowed him to spend his junior year abroad.

“It was just really, really valuable, because I experienced so much more and I talked to so many people, that I now really understand the region; I really understand Indonesia,” Gordon says.  

Upon returning for his final semester at AU, Gordon decided on a trip that would take him full-circle—an International Parliamentary Scholarship (IPS) would take him back to Germany.  

IPS recipients spend three months working in the Bundestag, the country’s legislative body, and two months studying at Humboldt University of Berlin. Going back to his interest in Germany, Gordon says, just felt right. After turning in his application in late July, Gordon decided to pursue an independent study to learn more about the Bundestag and the country’s social and economic issues. Overseen by associate professor Olga Rojer in AU’s World Languages and Cultures department, Gordon drafted a memo each week of discussions happening in the Bundestag and what those conversations meant for the future of the country—a topic that came up during Gordon’s IPS interview. His knowledge of those politics, Gordon believes, is the main reason he won the scholarship.

“He is a wonderful student. He is truly passionate about language,” says Rojer, who taught Gordon in her Studies in German Film class this fall. “Economics, politics, social issues … German identity, German cultural issues … he just soaks it up.”

Gordon’s strong relationship with Rojer and other faculty members, including those in the ASEAN Studies Center, have certainly contributed to his scholarship success, says Joan D. Echols, Associate Director of the Office of Merit Awards. By being proactive about these opportunities and forming meaningful bonds with his instructors, Gordon set himself apart—and other students can, too, Echols adds.

“When you have success at one scholarship, it gives you a sense of, ‘Oh, I can apply for this, I can apply for something else,’” Echols says of how students can become active participants in the application process. “Wyatt is unusual because he’s really tuned into the scholarship world, and he has developed faculty mentors who share his intellectual interests. Go after class, go to office hours—students need to develop and cultivate faculty mentors because you can’t do any of this without them.”

After graduating in December, Gordon will have a few months off before reporting to Germany in March. For now, he can take a breather from scholarship applications, essays, and interviews, but he is already thinking about what he’ll do when he returns to the United States. He has applied to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Junior Fellows program, and is considering pursuing positions at various think tanks across the country.

In the long run, however, Gordon knows that Indonesia is calling.

“Indonesia is such an important place … by 2030, it will be the seventh-largest economy in the world, and it’s the biggest player in southeast Asia, a huge player in Asia,” Gordon says. “I just feel like Indonesia is so underappreciated, that’s where I need to be.”

“Like all new graduate students, I wanted to change the world,” says Kevin Hagan, SIS/MA ’97, recalling his decision to attend AU’s School of International Service. Kevin, recently appointed president and CEO of Oklahoma City-based Feed The Children, is by all rights doing just that. As head of one of the largest charities in the world, he oversees operations delivering more than 100 million pounds of food to families in need every year.

“Our mission is to provide hope and resources for those without life essentials,” says Kevin. He points out that many people think of Feed The Children as purely an international organization, but, in fact, 80 percent of its operations are domestic. Key initiatives include food and personal care provision, backpack programs for homeless children, and disaster relief aid. 

Feed The Children provides more than just food to children. Through its ten international offices, FTC runs educational programs, water and sanitation services, medical operations (including significant efforts to de-worm children in the developing world), and operates several abandoned baby centers. Kevin says his vision for the organization includes expanding its existing programs, firmly establishing it as a thought leader, and refreshing the brand for one of the world’s most well-known organizations. 

Kevin, who also has worked in government and the private sector, says he has come to realize just how many opportunities there are in non-profits and NGOs. He says, “There’s a lot of opportunity for talented people to do good. The not-for-profit world needs great leaders just as much as the rest of society.” 

As for his time at AU, Kevin says, “AU provided a really good understanding of international affairs and development theory. The colleagues I had were absolutely phenomenal, and AU did an exceptional job of showing us the interconnectedness of humanity and the need for really well-educated practitioners in international affairs.” Kevin still keeps in touch with many of his classmates and says, “There are a lot of those people I’ve already called on who said, ‘I’ll help you.’ My relationships [from AU] will definitely be helpful in my role here at Feed The Children.” 

Though he has only been on the job for six or so weeks, Kevin already has been significantly impacted by the organization’s work. He described opening his e-mail one morning to find a photo of twin girls who were only weeks old and had been left on the doorstep of Feed The Children’s Abandoned Baby Center in Kenya. “They were having trouble breathing. We got them simple adenoid surgery and now they’re doing well,” he says. “Things like that give you an interesting perspective. I’m not just here to go to meetings every day. Those meetings have a higher purpose. You say to yourself, ‘This is not just something to do. It’s something you’ve gotta do well.’”

Looking back just a few months, it’s clear that 2011 was a dynamic year filled with several historical and world-changing events. The death of North Korea’s longtime dictator, Kim Jong-il, left people everywhere questioning that country’s future. The European Union struggled to resolve severe economic issues with global ramifications. And the democratic protests across North Africa and the Middle East toppled governments and affected millions. But while the majority of us bore witness to these momentous events through the media, many AU students became active participants through their internships, volunteer positions, and study abroad programs.

As an intern with the Washington, D.C.,-based Committee on Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK), Rosa Park, SIS/BA '12, continued working through the 2011 winter break--even on Christmas day--as her organization responded to the global shock wave caused by Kim Jong-il’s death. Now in her second semester at HRNK, Park helps manage the organization’s social media outreach, while also conducting research and submitting daily press summaries.

“Kim Jong-il's death was definitely a huge milestone,” says Park. “There is a lot of speculation right now because so little is known about Kim Jong-un, the successor. We have to analyze the information and infer what exactly is happening in a society where there are so few who know what is actually going on.”

Advocacy groups and Western governments have long regarded North Korea’s regime as one of the world’s worst violators of human rights. Although many are skeptical that this power shift will lead to any major improvements within the impoverished country, groups like HRNK are putting on external pressure for reform.  Working with such an organization at a time of major change and excitement has reinforced Park’s goal of pursuing a career in human rights.

“Taking on this internship is one of the best decisions I’ve made,” says Park. “Since I’m Korean-American, I have a personal connection to the issues that are happening, as well as a deep interest in human rights.”

While interning with the Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA) in Brussels, Belgium, during the summer of 2011, Greg Wells, SIS/MA '12, worked on a variety of issues grabbing headlines that year. Wells attended conferences regarding European Union (EU) security, the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and concerns pertaining to the Arab Spring as the conflict in Libya raged just across the Mediterranean Sea and NATO led airstrike campaigns there.

In one assignment, Wells helped develop ATA’s Wikistrat Global Grand Strategy Competition. This month-long competition brought together graduate students representing top-ranked universities and think tanks worldwide to simulate how 13 countries might respond to five key security issues: global energy security, global economic rebalancing, international terrorism, the Chinese-American relationship, and nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. The goal of this competition was to receive fresh perspectives on topical issues and foreseeable global challenges. Through this internship, Wells gained new insight into the media’s portrayal of world events.

“Often times the media latches on to smaller aspects of larger issues,” says Wells. “Sometimes we don’t know the big picture on what the rest of the world is doing… The U.S. seems to portray the Arab Spring as a new phenomenon, but in reality the situation has been fermenting for some time.”

Wells’ experience in Belgium influenced his own research completed for an independent study, titled "NATO's Evolution and the Curse of Collective Action." Wells is continuing his research to focus on the future role of NATO in U.S. foreign policy.

Last spring, David Burkhart, SIS/BA '12, was three months into a semester studying abroad at The University of Aleppo in Syria when the protests there suddenly forced him to evacuate.

Burkhart had heard stories about protests while at Aleppo, but it seemed like a distant event. “Then a protest occurred within my university,” says Burkhart. “I witnessed it. [Foreign students] had to leave the protest area that evening and were given 36 hours to get on an airplane to Frankfurt, [Germany].”

Earlier this month, approximately one year after the violence against protestors erupted in Syria, the government and resistance forces agreed to a ceasefire.
 
Burkhart returned to the U.S. to finish his classes online. But he soon grew restless, wanting to be a part of the history unfolding in the Middle East. He went to Beirut, Lebanon, to study Arabic at a private institution and signed up to volunteer as an English teacher in Hezbollah-controlled suburbs.

“The place I taught was very close to a Palestinian refugee camp, which housed 20,000 people in one square kilometer,” says Burkhart, who is now back at AU to complete his final semester. “To hear their views on society and life and to see how international development took place are experiences I couldn’t get at home.”

Burkhart’s Arabic courses have helped him to connect with people and events in the region. He describes “language as the path to understanding the people,” and his growing fluency contributed to his decision to move to the Middle East after graduation this May.

The students’ internships and volunteer experiences not only lead to career opportunities. The resources made available by American University and Washington, D.C., often allow students to partake in momentous experiences and become active participants in history.