A Message from the Dean
Dean Louis W. Goodman
As the School of International Service celebrates its first 50 years, the pace of global change continues to accelerate. This is no surprise. When SIS was founded, the United States dominated the world's economy and was engaged with the Soviet Union in a "Cold War" for the hearts and minds of the world's citizens. Today, the United States is once again the world's dominant power, but now a dominant power in a world filled with dynamic allies and competitors. Having emerged from the Cold War, nations around the world are trying to consolidate their political systems, advance their economies, and tend to social issues. They are confronted with problems that did not exist fifty years ago - revolutionary new technology, especially communications technology, and environmental issues that affect the world in a new and sometimes frightening fashion.
As this edition of the Diplomatic Pouch indicates, the faculty, students, and alumni of SIS are facing the new challenges presented by the world with the same pragmatic idealism that characterized the School's founders. Throughout this newsletter you can see faculty views on our new world and how the SIS community can contribute to it.
Proud of our community, we are moving into this new world about to construct a state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly building. Our programs continue to attract remarkable students from around the world inspired by the School's core identity: international service. We do so in the capital of the United States with a new American University President, Neil Kerwin, the first alumnus of American University to serve in that capacity. We do so in the midst of an exciting presidential contest which spotlighted American University on January 28, 2008 with Caroline, Patrick, and Edward Kennedy announcing their support for Democratic candidate Barack Obama on our campus, which reprised President John Kennedy's famous American University 1963 speech that redefined the concept of global peace.
The work of the School of International Service depends on strong participation from all members of the community and on strong partnership with sibling universities around the world. In this issue, we announce a relationship with a new partner, National Chengchi University of Taipei, Taiwan, and recognize the unique dual degree programs we have with others. Next fall we will begin another new partnership, this one with Manipal University, India's oldest and most distinguished private university. This new relationship will provide opportunities for our students to study on the Indian subcontinent and for Manipal students to come to Washington, DC.
Please be inspired by the first 50 years of the School of International Service and continue to contribute to its next 50 years.
Louis W. Goodman, Dean
School of International Service