Featured Alumni
Richard Helms | Rebecca Shakespeare
SIS alumnus Richard Helms
a leader in national security innovation
For over thirty-seven years, Richard Helms has dedicated his career to promoting national security through public service and within the private sector. An alumnus of SIS, Helms received his bachelor's degree in international relations in 1972 and his master's in 1973.
Richard Helms
Following graduation, Helms entered the CIA's career trainee program. "I would not have been admitted to the trainee program without my master's degree," said Helms. "SIS provided me with a solid understanding of international relations, whereas others in my government trainee class were completely unprepared." After a year of CIA instruction, Helms completed two years of Arabic language training and worked for several decades on projects related to the Middle East.
Helms credits the School of International Service with setting the groundwork for a successful career in public service. "SIS was critical to my 30-year career in government," he said. His international relations studies emphasized national security policy and economic development. Dr. Duncan Clarke, former director of the U.S. Foreign Policy field, was influential as one of Helms' first professors and his thesis advisor.
"Professor Clarke gave me the foundation in national security policy that saw me through the early years of my career," said Helms. "I clearly had a much better understanding of the national security policy apparatus because of my education at AU."
Today, Helms is the founder and CEO of Abraxas Corporation, a 400-person risk mitigation technology company, and Abraxas Applications, which develops TrapWire®, a software application designed to identify terrorist activity prior to a potential attack. The two companies serve clients in the national security arena and in the private sector. Their work has also supported nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that work against human trafficking by collecting intelligence on criminal organizations engaged in that activity.
Abraxas has an aggressive internship program that mentors SIS students, many of whom go on to full-time employment with the company. "They are bright and hard working people, who bring different perspectives and have a keen eagerness to learn and grow," Helms said. Students from SIS will continue to be among the company's top picks as business grows.
Helms believes that the future of international affairs will include more effective use of the Internet. He encourages students to fully engage themselves in using the Internet for research and advocacy. "I believe that few in government, the parts of the private sector involved in international affairs, or even universities are truly exploiting the opportunities the Internet offers-to learn, communicate, report, aid and guide within the international relations arena."
His enthusiasm for modern technology is evident; Helms was the Ernest and Young 2006 National Entrepreneur of the Year in the Emerging Technology Category. "After an exciting 30-year career in government service, I am finding the private sector a very refreshing change of pace and structure."
"Understanding foreign political systems and cultures are exciting fields that will only become more important to the U.S. and the global economy in the future," said Helms. "And SIS is an outstanding place to learn key fundamental skills and be exposed to ideas that will ignite your career."
For details on Richard Helms' work for the national security community, visit www.abraxascorp.com and www.abraxasapps.com.
Presidential Management Fellow
Rebecca Shakespeare, MA '07
Last year SIS alumna Rebecca Shakespeare was chosen to participate in the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program - a highly selective fellowship for recent graduates from a variety of academic disciplines and career tracks. The two-year program trains recipients for leadership within a U.S. government agency.
Rebecca Shakespeare
"SIS gave me a broad perspective of the opportunities and careers that exist in international affairs," said Rebecca. "And I was excited to learn that the PMF program offered placements for students with a variety of academic backgrounds and professional experience."
As a graduate of the International Communication program at SIS, Rebecca was uniquely positioned for her current role within the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), where she works as a Program and Policy Analyst. For the two years of the fellowship, Rebecca will rotate to different offices and projects throughout the agency to develop solid knowledge of the management and operations of the organization.
Rebecca finds that the curriculum she studied at SIS provided her with the essential tools for success in her new job. "I used lessons from all of my core degree classes during my first week at work," she said. "Even now, I use the analytic tools and information resources that I learned at SIS on a daily basis."
While at SIS, Rebecca worked closely with professors Patrick Jackson and Christine Chin. "Both of them expected excellence and coached me as I found my way through theory and research. They also challenged me to think in new ways about things I had never considered and encouraged me to develop my own analytical perspective," she said.
At IBB, Rebecca spent four months in the Office of Internet Services launching an agency-wide intranet. She recently started her second rotation in the Engineering Resources Directorate, researching new media applications and liaising between engineering and the many broadcasters it supports.
"I work directly with Voice of America broadcasters and am involved in the day-to-day operations of a worldwide broadcasting organization," said Rebecca. "It is great to work somewhere where I understand and support the mission, and where I have the flexibility to find the job that fits me best."
American University ranked third in the nation for the PMF program in 2007, with 37 graduate and law students selected, including 20 from the School of International Service.