WR Student Award – Page 2 – The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication

April 28, 2021April 23, 2024

Congratulations to the 2021 winners of the Walter Roberts Public Diplomacy Studies award!

By Yvonne Oh, IPDGC Program Coordinator

The Walter Roberts Endowment and the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) are proud to announce that Global Communication graduates Saiansha Panangipalli and Halea Kerr-Layton are the joint recipients of the Walter Roberts Award for Public Diplomacy Studies for 2021.

Each year, the Walter Roberts Endowment recognizes a GW graduate student who shows exemplary performance in public diplomacy studies and has aspirations for a future career in this field. This year, we recognize two exceptional students.

Both Ms. Panangipalli and Ms. Kerr-Layton have demonstrated their passion for public diplomacy with internships at diplomatic missions and non-profits; working to advance government relationships and strengthening ties with foreign publics through educational and professional exchanges, and other programs.

Ms. Panangipalli used her brilliant writing and strategic planning skills at her internships with the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., the Moroccan Embassy in New Delhi, and at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on the kind of work that exemplifies the spirit and intention of the Walter Roberts Award.

I aim for a career with opportunities to widen my exposure to countries and cultures, adapt to new cultural and historical constraints, and tell stories that inform and engage audiences across borders.
— Saiansha Panangipalli

Ms. Kerr-Layton demonstrated her outstanding leadership as a GW Presidential Fellow and in roles ranging from Strategic Outreach and Engagement Coordinator at Sustainable GW to Billingual Storytelling Associate at DC public school Mundo Verde. She was able to put into practice her public diplomacy skills working as an intern with Global Ties US, the oldest non-profit citizen diplomacy organization, last summer.

I have worked to advance the values of integrity, inclusion, diversity, and justice as I believe they are a foundation for cultural expression and community engagement. I choose to specialize in Public Diplomacy to master the skill of strategic communication in our contemporary world to create enduring change.

– Halea Kerr-Layton

Last year’s winner was Chaniqua Nelson, Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. State Department.

March 25, 2021April 23, 2024

Walter Roberts Endowment announces grants for summer internships and the Public Diplomacy Student Award

By Yvonne Oh, IPDGC Program Coordinator

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

WRE Summer Internship grants

The Endowment and the Institute for Public Diplomacy will continue to support undergraduate and graduate students at the George Washington University with internship grants totaling $15,000 or support opportunities to undertake internships in public diplomacy programs during summer 2021.

There will be five (5) grants of up to $3,000 which will be awarded to students for work on IPDGC projects, to support unfunded internships or similar opportunities in public diplomacy (as determined by the WRE).

More information on the grant, eligibility, and application details are available: Walter Roberts Summer Internship Grant 2021

The deadline for submission for the Internship Grant is SATURDAY, MAY 1 by 11:59 pm EST

Walter Roberts Public Diplomacy Studies Award

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 and have taken a class in public diplomacy.

The deadline for submission for the Student Award is FRIDAY, APRIL 16 by 11:59 pm EST

Materials for Application

Applicants for the Internship Grant OR Student Award need to provide:

A resume
A 500-word essay on your goals for pursuing further studies or careers based on your PD courses.
ADDITIONAL INFO the Summer Internship grant – please include information of the internship that you have: letter of acceptance, description of duties, duration of internship.
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”) The deadline for this email follows the deadline for the support being applied.

Applications for both award or grant need to be submitted to ipdgc@gwu.edu with the subject line “PD Studies Award 2021” or “Summer Internship grant 2021”.

For any questions: please contact IPDGC ipdgc@gwu.edu

April 17, 2020April 23, 2024

Congratulations to Chaniqua D. Nelson – 2020 recipient of the Walter Roberts Award for Public Diplomacy Studies

By Yvonne Oh, IPDGC Program Coordinator

The Walter Roberts Endowment and the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) is proud to congratulate Chaniqua D. Nelson for being the recipient of the Walter Roberts Award for Public Diplomacy Studies for 2020.

Each year, the Walter Roberts Endowment grants $1,000 to a GW graduate student who shows exemplary performance in public diplomacy studies, and has aspirations for a future career in this field. Ms. Nelson, a Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellow, shared that she had always wanted a job that involved building relationships between the United States and other countries. After her commencement, Ms. Nelson will launch her career as a Public Diplomacy Officer with the U.S. Department of State.

Here’s a short interview with our 2020 Walter Roberts PD Studies award recipient:

What experiences motivated/ inspired you to choose this career path?

In 2012, I had the opportunity to volunteer for the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). That volunteer opportunity led me to meet some amazing Foreign Service Officers who were working to assist the next generation of African Leaders. I remember interacting with both YALI participants and U.S. Foreign Service Officers at a reception hosted at the Meridian International Center, thinking: ‘this is what I want to do for the rest of my life’ – assisting with expanding and strengthening the relationship between the United States and other countries. Later, I had lunch with the Diplomat-in-Residence at the time, Ambassador Eunice Reddick. She shared her story with me, of what led her to the Foreign Service and encouraged me to take the Foreign Service Officer Test and apply to the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship. It took a couple of years after my encounter with Ambassador Reddick, to decide on pursuing a career in the Foreign Service. I honestly thought that I didn’t have what it takes to be a Foreign Service Officer – I didn’t know a lot of foreign languages and I didn’t participate in prestigious fellowships/scholarship programs like the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program or the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. However, it wasn’t until I participated in the Overseas Development Program for civil servants at the Department of State, where I served as an office management specialist in the Public Affairs Section at U.S. Embassy Beijing, that I realized that I could do this as well. I was extremely fortunate to have supervisors who cared about my development. So, when I got the courage to ask Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs Lisa Heller and the now Director of the Office of International Visitors Program Anne Grimes to write me a recommendation for the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship, both immediately said yes. I am extremely thankful to Ambassador Reddick, Minister-Counselor Lisa Heller, Director Anne Grimes, and a long list of others for their encouragement. Their belief and support had inspired me to apply for the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship and attend the George Washington University!

What have you enjoyed about your graduate studies at GW?

I have enjoyed learning about the intricacies of public diplomacy on a micro and macro level. What is special about the George Washington University, in particular the Global Communication program, is its ability to merge theory with practice. In Dr. Patricia Kabra’s Public Diplomacy class, we did everything a public diplomacy practitioner would do including writing speeches, press simulations, and developing a public diplomacy strategy for our embassy. In addition, I have also enjoyed learning about becoming a more compassionate and effective leader through my elective courses at the Department of Management within the School of Business.

What will you be doing after graduation?

After graduation, I will join the Foreign Service as a Public Diplomacy Officer. As of right now, I am unsure where I will be stationed. However, I am excited to explain U.S. history, cultures, and values to foreign audiences and promote educational and culture exchange abroad.

The other recipients of this award are:

November 25, 2019November 5, 2022

Support #publicdiplomacy

Dear Friend,

Thirteen years ago, the Walter Roberts Endowment was established with generous contributions from Dr. Roberts and the Roberts family. The Endowment was to ensure continued support for public diplomacy through higher learning and research, recognition of leadership and shared best PD practices.

The Endowment has assisted in funding activities of the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) at the George Washington University.

The Annual Walter Roberts Lecture for 2020 will feature Dr. Joseph S. Nye, who, 30 years ago, originated the term “soft power” in describing the persuasive approach in U.S. foreign policy. The Lecture will be held on January 30, 2020, at the Elliott School for International Affairs.

The Endowment continues to support IPDGC’s Walter Roberts Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy, which honors members of Congress who have been consistently supportive of public diplomacy throughout their careers. These awards support public diplomacy micro-projects in institutions situated in the member’s state or congressional district.

The Endowment also encourages GW graduate students to excel in public diplomacy studies. Hence, to move ahead, we are trying to increase the size of the Endowment to allow us to provide grants to graduate students who could not otherwise afford to study public diplomacy at GW.

We encourage you to join with the Roberts family in continuing to support the vital public diplomacy outreach work that the Endowment underwrites.

Donate Now

May 25, 2018April 23, 2024

2018: Laura Brendle

This year, the Endowment is thrilled to award Laura Brendle as the recipient of the Walter Roberts Award for Public Diplomacy Studies! A second prize of $500 was awarded to Riker Pasterkiewicz.

Laura’s plans post-graduation is to continue her work in communications in the D.C. area. While at GW, Laura was the program assistant at IPDGC. She previously worked in the United Kingdom as a freelance producer and production manager, where she produced a number of award-winning short films. Laura earned a BA in film production at the Arts University Bournemouth.

Riker is with the non-profit New America, as the senior communications associate for the International Reporting Project, and has also worked at the U.S. Department of State in strategic communication and public-private partnership management in Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships and Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

His master’s degree in Global Communication had a focus on international marketing and public affairs management.

Laura and Riker join the distinguished group of Global Communication alumni who put into practice the teachings they received in public diplomacy while at GW and in their careers as public diplomacy professionals.

The other recipients of this award are:

June 21, 2017July 20, 2023

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: