2017: Alison Bartel

Each year, the Walter Roberts Endowment grants one student in the Global Communication M.A. program $1,500 for accomplishments in public diplomacy-related work and future career aspirations in the field of public diplomacy. This year, the Endowment is pleased to award Alison Bartel, a second-year student, as the recipient of the Walter Roberts Award for Public Diplomacy Studies! A second prize of $500 was awarded to Twila Tschan.

Alison and Twila join a distinguished cadre of Global Communication alumnae who emulate the teachings they received in public diplomacy while at GW and in their careers as public diplomacy professionals. A Masters graduate in the Global Communications program, Alison is also a Program Associate and Digital Media Team Leader at Meridian International Center, where she plans and implements U.S. State Department professional exchange programs. Career highlights for her include groups in the United States focused on issues of refugee resettlement, ending gender-based violence, and media freedom. In the future, she plans to continue her efforts to build bridges between the US and Asia in both the private and public sectors. In addition to her Masters in Global Communication, Twila serves full-time as the Communications Coordinator at PeaceTech Lab, a nonpro t that works for individuals and communities affected by conflict, using technology, media, and data to accelerate local peacebuilding efforts.

The other recipients of this award are: