PAIA Welcomes new MA International Relations students today

Noted Latin American Scholar and PAIA faculty, Rafael Fernandez de Castro will moderate Alumni Panel for new MA IR students

Today the Department of Public Administration and International Affairs welcomes our new MA in International Relations students to the Maxwell School, Syracuse University. Sixty-four new students will be welcomed by our Vice-Chair, Professor Renee deNevers, myself and our Associate Director of Student Services, Josh Kennedy.

NEW MA IR STUDENT PROFILE: 
They are a very diverse and talented group of students.  Twenty Eight (28%) percent are international and hail from 16 different countries:  Bangladesh, Belarus, Canada, China, Colombia, Cambodia, Iran, Italy, Morocco, Nigeria, South Korea, Kosovo, Peru, Russian Federation, Turkey and Vietnam. Our US students represent 22 different states with 30% self identifying as students of color.  They range in age from 21 – 35 with the median age being 24.  Sixty two percent are women.  More than half of all our new students are enrolled in dual degree programs, including our transatlantic dual degree with the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, the MA IR/MA Economics degree, the Public Diplomacy degree, the JD/MA IR with SU College of Law and the largest dual degree population (22 students) pursuing the two year MPA/MA IR within our own department.

Seventy three (73%) of our students already have some sort of financial aid/support from our department and/or the university.  We are pleased to welcome a Fulbright Scholar, a Turkish Government official, two Civil Society Leadership Scholars, two deSardon Glass Scholars, three Robertson Foundation for Government Scholars, a Kosovo Transformational Leadership Program Scholar, a Yellow Ribbon funded veteran, a Rangel Fellow, a Pickering Fellow and two PPIA Fellows.

ORIENTATION:
We have a great week ahead.  Over a four day orientation our new students will engage in a host of activities allowing them to not only meet and get to know their new fellow classmates, but also explore and discuss many pressing issues of global importance with program alumni and faculty.  Professor Rafael Fernandez de Castro will moderate an alumni panel, “Where Maxwell Has Taken Me: A Discussion of Alumni Post-Graduate Experiences”.  Alumni guests include:

Jonathan Panikoff (JD/MA IR ’08), Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Amrou Kotb (MPA/MA IR ’13), Advocacy and External Relations Manager, The Tahir Institute of Middle East Policy

Ahuoiza Baiye (MA IR ’08), Technical Assistance Officer, Global Partnerships, International Monetary Fund

Tuesday morning they will hear directly from all of the five Career Track faculty advisors in a session, “Charting Your Path Through the Program”.  And in the afternoon Dr. John McPeak will moderate a discussion on our Off-campus Research and Professional Development Opportunities. This will highlight all of our amazing Global Programs, the Maxwell-in-Washington program, and the vast resources and support available through the Maxwell School’s Offices of Career Development and Alumni Relations.

On-campus research opportunities and Certificates of Advanced Study (CAS) programs will also be highlighted on Wednesday afternoon when our students will hear from the Faculty Directors of various research centers and projects:  the Institute of National Security and Counterterrorism, the Program on the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration, the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs, the Transnational NGO Initiative, the Maxwell African Scholars Union, the South Asia Center, the Center for Policy Research and the Campbell Institute for Public Affairs.

Maxwell and Interdisciplinary Study go Hand-in-Hand:
And further highlighting the unique home that the Maxwell School provides for the interdisciplinary study of International Relations – students will be introduced to several faculty from throughout Maxwell’s social sciences disciplines each of whom plays an integral role in the experience of our IR students:  Dr. Mehrzad Boroujerdi (Political Science, Middle East Affairs). Dr. John Burdick (Anthropology), Dr. Micheal Ebner (History), Dr. Madonna Harrington Meyer (Sociology), Dr. William Horrace (Economics) and Dr. Jamie Winders (Geography). This session will no doubt highlight the vast array of courses and quality scholarship available here – as well as the many interdisciplinary lenses with which our students will be taught to view the complex and intricate issues facing a global citizenry.

What an exciting time! We are very pleased to welcome our new students!