Endowment announces two summer internships with grant support

APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN for GW students

The Walter Roberts Endowment and the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) continues to support current students at the George Washington University for internship opportunities in public diplomacy this summer 2022.

Walter R. Roberts

The two internships listed here will come with a grant of $3,000 each student, which covers the duration of the summer internship.

The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) is a GW organization supporting excellence in academia and professional development in public diplomacy and global communication. IPDGC is looking for a summer intern to help with digital engagement.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

  • Website improvements for IPDGC and its student blog site, Smart Power
  • Produce a few podcasts for the PDx series (research, interview and technical production work)
  • Develop engagement on IPDGC’s social media platforms (design and promotional)
  • And other tasks to support the Institute’s online outreach

The applicant should be comfortable using: Adobe Audition, Zoom meeting app, Soundcloud and other podcast hosting sites, social media apps, apps for promotion and design (Canva, Emma) and website design (WordPress).

Flexibility, creativity, and the ability to meet deadlines are desired. 

The position will work with the IPDGC Program Coordinator for supervision and guidance.

The IPDGC internship will begin at the end of May and finish in the first week of August. 


The American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) is a nonpartisan non-profit organization internationally recognized as the pre-eminent catalyst for introducing rising political and policy leaders to international affairs and to each other.

ACPYL is seeking an intern for their summer activities. Interns report directly to the intern coordinator but will work closely with all members of the ACYPL staff and may be asked to support program officers and staff in communications, development, and alumni outreach.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist in coordinating logistics in the planning and implementing of exchange programs

• Prepare biographical summaries of participants

• Provide support while American or international delegations are in Washington, DC

• Maintain office files

• Assist with alumni communications

• Provide support for alumni, fundraising, and programmatic events

• Assist in other departments on an as-needed basis

For more information about ACPYL’s internship, including applicant qualifications, please click here.

Applications for both internships should be sent to ipdgc@gwu.edu


HOW TO APPLY

All application materials would need to have the following:

  1. A resume
  2. A cover letter that should state how the internship can support your goals for pursuing further studies or a career in public diplomacy.
  3. A short email/ letter of support from a GWU professor; separately sent to ipdgc@gwu.edu (Subject: “2022 Summer Internship grant”)

For any questions, please write to IPDGC ipdgc@gwu.edu

Deadline: Friday, May 13, 2022 by COB 5pm

IPDGC recognizes Connecticut senator for his support of US public diplomacy

2022 Walter Roberts Congressional award given to Sen. Chris Murphy

Sen. Chris Murphy with the award plaque recognizing his outstanding contributions to Public Diplomacy through his active participation, advocacy, and legislative support for telling America’s story to the world.
 

United States Senator Chris Murphy, Connecticut’s junior senator, on Wednesday received the George Washington University’s Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication’s (IPDGC) annual Walter Roberts Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy. William Youmans, director of GW’s Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication, also announced a $5000 grant from the Walter Roberts Endowment to the World Affairs Council of Connecticut to support a program that will highlight the benefits of public diplomacy to the local community.

Senior Official for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Jennifer Hall Godfrey, U.S. Agency for Global Media Acting CEO Kelu Chao, and World Affairs Council of Connecticut CEO Megan Torrey also spoke at the event about the importance of American public diplomacy.

“The array of challenges the world faces today are often immune to military hegemony,” Murphy said. “Misinformation campaigns, creeping corruption, pandemic disease, and climate change cannot be combatted by tanks and planes. As a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, my priority is making sure we invest in smart power and lift up diplomacy to help us tackle the challenges we face in the 21st century. I’m grateful and honored to accept this award from the George Washington University Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication and am pleased the World Affairs Council of Connecticut will receive a $5,000 grant to support their important work.”

“The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication created this award for congressional leadership in public diplomacy because we want to celebrate support for this country’s efforts to communicate with the rest of world,” Youmans said.

“Sen. Murphy has been a leader in strengthening U.S. public diplomacy’s engagement with foreign audiences through times of challenge and opportunity. He has consistently provided a Congressional vision for the amplification of America’s story overseas.”

Murphy, the junior United States Senator for Connecticut, has dedicated his career to public service as an advocate for Connecticut families. He has been a strong voice in the Senate fighting for job creation, affordable health care, education, sensible gun laws, and a forward-looking foreign policy. First elected to the Senate in 2012, he serves on several committees in the 117th Congress, including Appropriations; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Foreign Relations; and Democratic Steering and Outreach.

The grant to the World Affairs Council of Connecticut will be used to highlight the importance of public diplomacy to American communities.

Release issued by GW Media Relations on March 30, 2022.
For more information, please contact:
Tim Pierce (GW): tpie@gwu.edu
Rebecca Drago (Murphy): Rebecca_Drago@murphy.senate.gov

Open for submissions: 2022 Student Award for Public Diplomacy Studies

GW graduate students in international affairs encouraged to apply

Walter Roberts

The Walter Roberts Endowment (WRE) is happy to announce that the submissions period is open for the student award for Public Diplomacy Studies for 2nd year graduate students at the Elliott School of International Affairs.

Since 2011, the Endowment has awarded the Walter Roberts Public Diplomacy Studies Award to a graduating student from the Master’s programs at the GW Elliott School of International Affairs, for academic excellence and professional aspirations in public diplomacy. The Award is recognized at the Commencement ceremony of the Elliott School and offers a $1000 prize to the successful student.

All applicants must be enrolled as full-time second-year students in graduate programs at the Elliott School of International Affairs.

The deadline for submission for the Student Award is Wednesday, April 6 by 11:59 pm EST

Applicants of this award need to provide:

  1. A resume
  2. A 500-word essay on your goals for pursuing further studies or careers based on your PD courses.
  3. A short email/ letter of support from a GWU professor sent directly to ipdgc@gwu.edu  

(Subject: NAME OF STUDENT: “PD Studies Award 2021” or “Summer Internship grant”)

Please email the submission materials, or any questions, to IPDGC@gwu.edu

Bringing Public Diplomacy to local US communities

In 2018, the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) launched an initiative to honor members of Congress who have been outstanding in their support of public diplomacy. Together with this recognition, the Walter Roberts Endowment grants funding to deserving public diplomacy projects implemented by institutions in the member of Congress’s district.

Through the micro-grants, organizations have been able to establish new connections and strengthen old ones. Recently, Global Ties Arkansas shared the exciting news of their public diplomacy project which they received when IPDGC recognized Senator John Boozman (R-AR) with the 2021 Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy for his strong support of the Fulbright Program.

With a micro-grant of $5000 from IPDGC and the Walter Roberts Endowment, Global Ties Arkansas will be running a 15-day return exchange between Arkansas and Peru. Gabby Sanz, a participant with the Young Leaders of America Initiative in 2017, will re-establish the bonds she created with members of the Global Ties Arkansas community, and another chance to learn about cuisines and the arts.

Read more about Global Ties Arkansas’ PD program here.

C-SPAN spotlights 2021-22 Walter Roberts Lecture “Nothing is Impossible”

Retired U.S. Ambassador Ted Osius was recently featured on C-SPAN’s Book TV, talking about the reconciliation process between the U.S. and Vietnam, which began in the early 1990s.

Amb. Osius was the speaker at the 2021-22 Walter Roberts Annual Lecture last fall. His book, Nothing Is Impossible, offers a vivid account of the diplomatic work that made this reconciliation possible. He speaks to the leaders who put aside past traumas to work on creating a brighter future for the two countries.

Here is C-SPAN’s Book TV video:

Happy New Year!

The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication wishes all the best for 2022!

This year we warmly welcome IPDGC’s new director, Dr. William Youmans. Dr. Youmans is an associate professor at the George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. His area of expertise is media law and global communications, Middle Eastern politics and society; social movements, and Arab-American studies. More information on Dr. Youmans can be found here.

Through the hybrid work environment of 2021, IPDGC was able to organize virtual events such as the Walter Roberts Endowment Annual Lecture, present the 2021 Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy, and host a Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship program for 15 media professionals from Eastern and Central Europe.

For 2022, IPDGC, with the Walter Roberts Endowment, will continue to support public diplomacy excellence in academia and for career professionals. If you would like to know more about our other activities, please go here.

And you can always support our public diplomacy activities here.