BMW Center for German and European Studies Annual Report 2015-2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
Letter from the Director
4-5
Academics and Admissions
6-7
Faculty Updates
8-11
CGES at 25: Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the BMW Center
12-15
Year in Review: BMW Center Events, 2015-2016
16-17
Alumni Spotlight
18-19
Professional Development at MAGES
20
CGES in the News
21
BMW Center Partners: A Word of Thanks
| 3
Letter from the Director Greetings from the BMW Center for German and European Studies in the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. It gives me great pleasure to present the 2015-2016 Annual Report. Every year is unique, but this past year was special. We celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Center’s founding with major events in Munich and Washington, D.C., which provided wonderful opportunities to connect with alumni, showcase the great work of the Center, and highlight our effective partnerships with BMW AG and the DAAD. Our graduate program also reached an important milestone: the 19th graduating class in the Center’s history took the number of MAGES alumni over the 400 mark. The pages that follow will provide more information about these significant accomplishments, and give you a sense of the challenges and objectives that lay before us as we move forward under new SFS leadership firmly focused on the School’s centennial anniversary in 2019. 2015-2016 also ushered in noteworthy developments among the faculty and the staff. The Center received authorization to create and fill a sixth core faculty position; the search concluded successfully with the appointment of Dr. Charlotte Cavaillé, who will join the faculty in January 2017. With the creation of this new faculty line, Georgetown University has fulfilled the last major outstanding obligation to BMW AG, as defined by the terms of the 1996 gift agreement. Dr. Abraham Newman has agreed to serve a three-year term as Director of the Mortara Center for International Studies; Abe will remain a member of the BMW Center core faculty, and continue to teach the IR core course in the spring. At the staff level, we experienced nearly complete turnover during the year, with the departures of Tyler Lopez, Phoebe Wood, and, most recently, Julia Sylla. Each performed wonders for the Center, and together – along with Assistant Director Christina Ruby, who stays on with a steady hand on the wheel – they formed a fantastic team. In their places, new and extremely capable colleagues have joined the Center staff: Robyn Selsor (Program Assistant), Michelle Dimino (Events and Communications Coordinator), and Carolina Solms-Baruth (Supervisor of Academic Programs). I’ll conclude on a personal note, one that nevertheless highlights the strength and impact of the BMW Center. In June, I received word from the German Ambassador here in Washington, D.C., that I had been awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by the German President. This is a great personal honor, one that I accepted with profound gratitude and humility. But I know deep down that any positive contributions I’ve made to German-American and transatlantic exchange in academia and education have come about because of the existence of this wonderful institution established a quarter-century ago, and more to the point, because of the amazing people – faculty, students, staff, alumni, and friends of the Center – who have passed through its doors. It has been a privilege to lead the Center these past fourteen years. Sincerely yours,
Jeffrey J. Anderson Graf Goltz Professor and Director BMW Center for German and European Studies
4 |
Academics & Admissions
The Master of Arts program in German and European Studies (MAGES) prepares students to be leaders in transatlantic relations and European affairs. Unique among international affairs graduate programs, the MAGES degree features a strong interdisciplinary curriculum, dedicated world-class faculty, small class size, and professional development opportunities designed to prepare graduates to become leading professionals in government, non-governmental organizations, international business, or academia. The application cycle for the Fall 2016 entering cohort of MAGES degree candidates saw a decline in the number of applications submitted, but the strength of the applicant pool remained high. These trends are consistent with the overall trends seen by APSIA schools and competitor programs. The incoming MAGES class (shown at right) consists of 20 accomplished students who come from 13 U.S. states as well as Canada, France, Germany, Slovakia, and South Africa. We look forward to seeing all they will achieve during their two years at the BMW Center. To encourage applications for the upcoming admissions cycle, the Center has taken strategic steps toward increasing international outreach, engaging with high potential groups in the Washington area, and establishing new funding opportunities for applicants. Admissions representatives from the School of Foreign Service and the MAGES program actively recruit applicants through participation in graduate school fairs in key cities across the country as well as in major European capitals, including Brussels, Paris, and Berlin. Over the past two summers, CGES has been pleased to continue our strong parternship with Cultural Vistas by hosting a group of over 100 incoming and outgoing Congressional Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) grantees on the Georgetown campus for information sessions on the MAGES program. Additionally, the BMW Center has organized an annual summer event specifically targeted at undergraduate interns in Washington who are interested in international careers and graduate study. Consistent with previous years, international students comprise 20 percent of the incoming MAGES class. As part of our continuing efforts to encourage international applications to the M.A. program, the BMW Center has entered into a partnership with Fulbright-Schuman in Belgium. Through this initiative, the BMW Center is committed to matching funds secured by successful applicants to the Fulbright-Schuman Program for EU Citizens who will enroll in the MAGES program. EU citizens who are granted up to 6 months of funding from Fulbright-Schuman will receive a matching one-fourth scholarship from the BMW Center (for a total of approximately $24,000), and EU citizens who are granted 7 or more months of funding from Fulbright-Schuman will receive a matching one-half scholarship (for a total of approximately $48,000, which equates to a full scholarship). This exciting partnership is the result of groundwork laid by Julia Sylla, our former Supervisor of Academic Programs, and finalized by her successor, Carolina Solms-Baruth.
| 5
MAGES Class of 2018 at a glance...
6 |
Faculty Updates
Core Faculty Jeffrey Anderson
Graf Goltz Professor and Director Research interests: comparative politics/comparative political economy of Europe; European integration Latest publication: “Modell Deutschland: From the Bonn to the Berlin Republic,” in The Routledge Handbook of German Politics (London: Routledge, 2015).
Abraham Newman
Associate Professor; Senior Editor, International Studies Quarterly Research interests: international regulation, data privacy, European Union, financial regulation, foreign bribery, homeland security Latest publication: “Deciding to Defer: The Importance of Fairness in Resolving Transnational Jurisdictional Conflicts,” with Asif Efrat, in International Organization 70 (2), 2016.
Katrin Sieg Professor
Research interests: German cultural studies, European culture, contemporary theater and performance, feminist and queer studies, critical race studies Latest publication: “Toward a Civic Contract of Performance: Pitfalls of Decolonizing the Exhibitionary Complex at Brett Bailey’s Exhibit B,” in Theater Research International 40:3, Fall 2015.
Anna von der Goltz Associate Professor
Research interests: twentieth-century German and European political and cultural history; the politics of myth, memory, and commemoration; political activism in East and West Germany; the transnational 1960s; conservative movements; oral history; the history of generations Latest publication: “Attraction and Aversion in Germany’s ‘1968’: Encountering the Western Revolt in East Berlin,” in Journal of Contemporary History 50.3, 2015.
Holger Wolf
Associate Professor Research interests: German economy, European economy, history of money and finance, exchange rate regimes.
| 7
Prince of Asturias Distinguished Visiting Professor
Jorge Garcés
Research interests: comparative social policy in Europe as it pertains to aging and social innovation and the increase of efficiency and effectiveness of long-term care policies
DAAD Visiting Assistant Professor
Mario Daniels
Research interests: history of science and technology, history of knowledge, concepts of national security and how they have influenced the production and international dissemination of scientific-technological knowledge Latest publication: „Brain Drain, innerwestliche Weltmarktkonkurrenz und nationale Sicherheit. Die Kampagne der westdeutschen Chemieindustrie gegen Wissenstransfers in die USA in den 1950er Jahren,“ in Vierteljahreshefte für Zeitgeschichte 64:3, 2016.
Adjunct Faculty
Cornelius Adebahr
Research interests: EU-Iran relations, EU-U.S. collaboration toward enhanced security in the Gulf region
Spencer Boyer
Research interests: national and international security, transatlantic relations, European and Eurasian affairs, U.S. public diplomacy and public affairs, international organization affairs
Richard Kuisel
Research interests: modern French history, twentieth-century European history, the Americanization of Europe
Gale Mattox
Research interests: transatlantic relations, German foreign and security policy, NATO and European security, U.S. national security, Syrian refugee migration and integration
Leonard Schmieding
Research interests: immigrants from German-speaking Europe to San Francisco in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, their food cultures and their cultural performance of ethnic identities
2016 Faculty Announcements Graf Goltz Professor and BMW Center Director Jeffrey Anderson was honored with Germany’s only federal civilian decoration, the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, by the German President. Associate Professor Anna von der Goltz was awarded a Kluge Fellowship from the Kluge Center at the Library of Congress for her current book project, “The Other Side of 1968: Activism of the Center-right in West Germany’s Age of Campus Protest.” The BMW Center is pleased to announce that we will welcome our sixth core faculty member, Assistant Professor Charlotte Cavaillé, in January 2017. Dr. Cavaillé is a political economist who recently received her Ph.D. from Harvard University and will be teaching a course on “Immigration and the Reshaping of European Politics.”
German Ambassador Peter Wittig presents Dr. Jeffrey Anderson with the Officer’s Cross during a ceremony at the German Embassy in July 2016.
The BMW 8 |
Center at 25 Twenty-five years ago, the rubble of the Berlin wall was being cleared, Germany was on the path to unification, and Europe was looking to expand eastward. Twenty-five years ago, Georgetown University’s BMW Center for German and European Studies was established and supported by a ten-year grant from the German government and administered by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). At the close of the decade, BMW AG’s endowment gift secured the Center’s fundamental mission for the twenty-first century: to educate future generations of transatlantic leaders. Throughout the anniversary year of German unification and the Center’s founding, the BMW Center for German and European Studies organized innovative, reflective programming to contemplate the challenges facing the transatlantic relationship, and to celebrate the Center’s first twenty-five years.
| 9
On October 16, 2015, the BMW Center community gathered to commemorate its founding at an anniversary gala held at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
10 |
Munich Conference In June 2015, the BMW Center began its 25th anniversary celebrations at BMW’s strikingly beautiful exhibition center, BMW Welt, in Munich, Germany. In honor of the anniversary year of German unification and the BMW Center’s founding, BMW AG and the BMW Center for German and European Studies convened a program in June 2015 to explore innovative approaches to the challenges facing the transatlantic relationship in the next quarter-century.
Among the distinguished speakers were the BMW Center’s Dr. Jeffrey Anderson and Dr. Abraham Newman; Prof. Kurt Biedenkopf of the International Law Institute; Dr. Werner Weidenfeld of Ludwig-Maximilian University; Tony Douglas of BMW Group; and Dr. Michael Schäfer of the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt.
The full-day conference was titled “25 Years of German and European Studies on the Hilltop,” and included three expert panel discussions that focused on diverse and pressing issues surrounding higher education in a virtualized world, sustainable mobility and its impact on the global marketplace, and the transatlantic partnership’s role in easing world tensions.
MAGES alumni and affiliates from across generations and around the world came together to participate in the conference and celebrate the anniversary of the Center. Attendees connected with one another and the Center’s broader international community during our formal reception, traditional Biergarten luncheon, and tours of the BMW Welt and the BMW Museum.
| 11
25th Anniversary Gala On October 16, 2015, the BMW Center community gathered to commemorate its founding at an anniversary gala held at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The BMW Center celebrated its 25th anniversary with a gala event in the stately Great Hall of the Library of Congress in October 2015. The event commemorated both the founding of the Center in 1990 as one of three DAAD North American Centers of Excellence and the extraordinary $10 million endowment gift from BMW at the end of our first decade, which has enabled CGES to become a global leader in educating future generations of transatlantic leaders.
One of the highlights of the occasion was the announcement by Georgetown University President Dr. John J. DeGioia that the BMW Center library would be named in honor of the late Johanna Quandt, who played an instrumental role in the BMW gift to the university.
The evening was above all a tribute to the BMW Center’s enduring mission. It was fitting that the celebration brought together many of the the individuals whose vision, foresight, and expertise led directly to the creation of the Center; university and external partners whose support has been invaluable in establishing the Center as the leading institution of its kind; and the program faculty, staff, alumni, and students who have shaped the Center over the past quarter-century.
Year in Review:
12 |
Special Events Series: “Europe and Its Others” Each year, the BMW Center’s flagship lecture series theme is determined by the faculty with the aim of organizing speaker events that complement the academic pursuits of MAGES students and provide important impulses for intellectual dialogue on European affairs and the transatlantic relationship within the School of Foreign Service. This year, the Center’s special events theme was “Europe and Its Others.”
FEATURED LECTURES: • • • • • •
Dr. Geoff Eley, University of Michigan: “Europe in the World, 1914-1940: Race, Colony, Empire” Dr. Alec Hargreaves, Florida State University: “Enemies Within? The Othering of France’s Muslims” Dr. Hanno Balz, Johns Hopkins University: “Taking Over the Red: How a Color Became the Icon of Communism” Dr. Marie Mendras, Sciences Po: “Russia’s Ambivalent Relation to Europe: Attraction, Frustration and Dependence” Dr. Joyce Mushaben, University of Missouri - St. Louis: “Farewell to the ‘Welcoming Culture’? Angela Merkel and the European Refugee Crisis” Dr. Maria Stehle, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville: “Europe’s Others in Cinema: The Politics of Intimacy in ‘Unveiled’ (2005) and ‘Abendland’ (2011)”
“Global Germany” Conference
“Transnational Relations” Workshop
On December 14, 2015, the BMW Center convened an interdisciplinary workshop in coordination with the Center for German and European Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, to explore contemporary Germany in the context of the 25th anniversary of unification and the 25th anniversary of the founding of the DAAD Centers of Excellence in the United States. The program, “Global Germany,” featured panelists from six international universities and facilitated dialogue within the DAAD center network around key themes and pressures reshaping the transatlantic relationship and contemporary German society and culture.
In early February 2016, CGES Associate Professor Abraham Newman organized a two-day workshop titled “Transnational Relations in the Transatlantic Relationship.” During their time on the Georgetown University campus, eleven participants from four countries presented working academic papers focused on the transatlantic relationship through the lens of transnational relations. The conference was framed and motivated by the growing economic and political interdependence in the transatlantic sphere and how interdependence shapes specific aspects of politics.
2015-16 Events
| 13
6th Herbert Quandt Lecture The Herbert Quandt Distinguished Lecture Series was established in honor of Herbert Quandt, who was instrumental in taking BMW to enduring international success in the post-war period. Alongside his business accomplishments, Herbert Quandt was a generous and far-sighted philanthropist who was keenly interested in fostering dialogue and increasing mutual understanding within and among nations. The Quandt Lecture series was conceived to honor and advance these noble ideals. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, CGES partnered with the Hanns-Seidel Foundation and the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation for the 6th Quandt Lecture. The lecture, “The 25th Anniversary of German Unification: A Conversation with Two Architects,” was delivered on October 1, 2015, by Dr. Theo Waigel, Former German Federal Finance Minister and Honorary Chairman of the CSU, and Robert Zoellick, Chairman of Goldman Sachs’ International Advisors. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 30, 1989, East and West Germany were formally unified on October 3, 1990. Both speakers played decisive roles in the unification process: Dr. Waigel as architect of the monetary union within Germany and “father of the Euro,” and Zoellick as chief U.S. negotiator in the “2+4 negotiations” that restored full German sovereignty. The close and trusting relationship between the U.S. and German administrations at the time made this possible. Considering the challenges of our times, there was much insight to be gleaned from the key players in this historic process.
“Zero Hour Revisited” Lecture Series
FENCE Events & CLS 21 Simulation
This 2015-2016 lecture mini-series, sponsored by the DAAD North America, looked afresh at 1945 as a pivotal movement in postwar history. CGES Associate Professor Anna von der Goltz invited to Georgetown scholars who recently completed major works on 1945 to address questions about rupture and continuity in German and European history and the ways in which experiences of wartime continued to shape Europe’s reconstruction. Guest lectures were presented by: Dr. StefanLudwig Hoffmann (University of California, Berkeley), Dr. Nicholas Stargardt (University of Oxford), and Dr. Robert Gildea (University of Oxford).
The BMW Center has maintained active status in the French Embassy Network of Centers of Excellence (FENCE) since 2012. In 2015, CGES welcomed two scholars of French history to deliver guest lectures in its “Post-1945 Reconstruction in France” FENCE event series. Additionally, Georgetown and MAGES student teams participated in the FENCE “Civil Liberties & Security in 21st Century Europe Taskforce Simulation” competition, researching and developing policy positions on counterterrorism, freedom of expression, and mobility. The winning team of Georgetown students was awarded a paid study tour to Paris in June 2016, where they were ultimately named the winners of the international competition.
14 |
20th Annual Transatlantic Policy Symposium
In its 20th year, the Georgetown University Transatlantic Policy Symposium (TAPS), organized by MAGES graduate students, gathered expert panelists and graduate students from around the world to examine European identity and security through both internal and external lenses. “Divided Europe: Straining the Limits of Unity” opened with a keynote speech by the Honorable Henne Schuwer, Ambassador of the Netherlands, and for the first time, the TAPS program included a panel composed entirely of accomplished MAGES alumni, who discussed issues of “European (In)Security” to close out the day.
TAPS 2016 Speaking Program Keynote Address: The Honorable Henne Schuwer, Ambassador of the Netherlands to the United States “Confronting External Forces: Europe in a Global Context” • Salvatore Berger, Sciences Po • Jakub Hlávka, RAND Graduate School • Sarah Unbehaun, Georgetown (MAGES/MPP ‘17) / Hertie School of Governance • Elisabeth Winter, Freie Universität Berlin Moderated by Dr. Abraham Newman
“Challenges from Within: Navigating Internal Divisions” • Luke Devenish, College of Europe • Fatlum Gashi, Central European University • Amaleia Kolovos, University of Denver • Silvia Merler, Johns Hopkins University Moderated by Dr. Katrin Sieg
“United in Diversity or Fortress Europe? Tackling the Evolving Migration Crisis” • Dr. Philipp Ackermann, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany • Klaus Botzet, Delegation of the European Union to the United States • David DiGiovanna, U.S. Department of State • Dr. Elzbieta Gódziak, Georgetown University • Dr. Demetrios Papademetriou, Migration Policy Institute Moderated by Dr. Jeffrey Anderson
“European (In)Security: Addressing External Threats and Pressures” • Motria Chaban, International Republican Institute • Thomas Cunningham, U.S. Department of State • Peter Engelke, Atlantic Council • Brent Goff, Deutsche Welle Moderated by Dr. Eric Langenbacher
| 15
Keynote Lecture: Dr. Thomas de Maizière “Our transatlantic partnership lies at the heart of much of our success in the fight against terrorism in recent years.”
On May 18, 2016, the BMW Center was honored to welcome Dr. Thomas de Maizière, Federal Minister of the Interior of the Federal Republic of Germany, for a lecture titled, “Countering Terrorism: Transatlantic Approaches to a Global Crisis.” The dean of the Walsh School of Foreign Service, Dr. Joel Hellman, offered introductory remarks and moderated a question and answer session that enouraged participation from Georgetown graduate students.
Distinguished Guest: King Felipe VI of Spain On September 17, 2015, the BMW Center welcomed King Felipe VI (MSFS ‘95) and Queen Letizia of Spain back to Georgetown during their four-day visit to the U.S. to open the first Joint Meeting of Spanish Scientists in the United States. Organized by the Association of Spanish Scientists in the United States (ECUSA), the Prince of Asturias Chair at Georgetown University, the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FEYCT), and the Embassy of Spain, this inaugural meeting welcomed more than 200 Spanish scientists, entrepreneurs, and academics. Jeffrey Anderson and King Felipe VI of Spain during his visit to Georgetown.
16 |
Alumni Spotlight
MAGES alumni live and work in 23 countries around the world.
MAGES alumni pursue diverse career paths in a variety of sectors.
Select MAGES Alumni Employers
CGES Alumni Association 2015-2016 Board Members Co-President: Hanne Dalmut ‘12 Co-President: Nili Yossinger ‘12 Board Member: Barbara Wolf ‘07 Board Member: Paul-Martin Foss ‘06 Board Member: Devin Horne ‘15 Board Member: Brad Kelly ‘15 Board Member: Christopher Meissner ‘07 Overseas Coordinator: Christopher Porter ‘98
Note from the CGESAA President The Center for German and European Studies Alumni Association (CGESAA) is pleased to report another successful year of programming in 2015-2016. We kicked off the year with our 1st Annual Town Hall, an opportunity for the alumni community to provide feedback and suggestions on the Association’s career and mentorship activities and social gatherings. In addition to supporting the Center’s 25th anniversary celebrations, the CGESAA also hosted two very successful career-oriented events: the 4th Annual Explaining MAGES event, where volunteer alums provided guidance to current MAGES students on how best to market their degree; and the 2nd Annual Dis-Orientation: Leaving the Hilltop, an open forum for alums to share insights and advice on career development, financial management, and staying connected with the CGES community. This year’s events drew a record number of participants from the student and alumni communities and we will continue to focus on mentorship opportunities in the coming academic year, including new skills-based workshops for mid-career alums. The CGESAA will also welcome two new board members, Ashley Rainey Donahey ’11 and Katherine Shea ’16, as we extend a heartfelt thank you to outgoing co-President Hanne Dalmut ‘12 and Board Member Barbara Wolf ‘07 for their vision and dedication to the CGES community. -Nili Yossinger ‘12
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Amazon American Friends of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Asia Pacific Committee of German Business Atlantic Council Bank of New York Mellon BMW Capstone Strategic Center for European Policy Analysis Convergent Energy and Power Deutsche Bank Deutsche Welle TV DLS Engineering Federal Communications Commission Federal Aviation Administration Office of International Affairs Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Google International Trade Administration McKinsey & Company Michael J. Fox Foundation Ministry for European Union Affairs NASA National Security Council Pearson RAND SAP T. Rowe Price University of Kent at Brussels School of International Studies University of Massachusetts U.S. Department of Commerce U.S. Department of State UNICEF United Health Group USAID VentureBeat
| 17
“Only if you ‘get’ Europe can you ‘get’ the world. No other region is as complex and challenging from a business perspective as Germany and Europe, and the ability to be successful there makes me able to be successful in China, India, Brazil, or anywhere else.”
Zachary Wynne ‘07 Lead Consultant, APTCO
“At BMW, I feel lucky that I can use my passion for the brand to contribute to the company’s success while giving back to my academic community, as my MAGES experience has been invaluable to my personal and professional development. By sharing passions for transatlantic relations, foreign policy, global trade, and Oktoberfest, members of the MAGES community form a tight-knit family and all contribute to the program’s continuous success in distinct ways.”
Prane Wang ‘13
Product Planning Specialist, BMW Group “My CGES M.A. prepared me for my first real-world policy job working for the European Parliament in Brussels. Georgetown also gave me the academic foundations to pursue a Ph.D. at Central European University in Budapest. These experiences and studies, in turn, are what enabled me to enter -- and thrive in -- a career teaching at a professional policy school that requires both policy expertise and academic depth.”
Lorinc Redei ‘03
Lecturer & Graduate Adviser, University of Texas - Austin “I most recently served as senior policy adviser to two mayors and as chief of staff to a city commissioner in the city of Portland, Oregon. Skills I polished at the Center, including research skills, clear, cogent writing, and cross-disciplinary thinking, served me well in these roles. My studies at the Center provided an excellent foundation for many opportunities, both those directly connected to Germany and Europe, and others that were not. The Center’s relevance in my life continues to resonate 21 years beyond graduation.”
Hannah Kuhn ‘95
Former Chief of Staff, City of Portland (OR)
18 |
Professional
The BMW Center is committed to assisting students in various aspects of their job search and career exploration prior to graduation. Students have unrestricted access to the Walsh School of Foreign Service’s Career Development Center for career guidance, as well as a dedicated CGES Supervisor of Academic Programs, Carolina Solms-Baruth, for feedback on resumes, cover letters, job hunting, and interviewing skills. CGES also organizes events throughout the year to help students stay on track with their professional development and regularly invites alumni and other professionals to campus to network and speak on panels about their careers. BMW Center programming complements that of the Walsh School of Foreign Service, which also hosts several information sessions on prestigious fellowship and job opportunities such as the Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship Program, the Presidential Management Fellowship, and the U.S. Department of State, as well as sessions to support M.A. students considering pursuing a Ph.D.
2015-2016 Professional Development Event Highlights • • • • • •
“How to Market Your MAGES Degree” — Alumni met with the incoming MAGES class to offer presentations and advice on explaining the value of the MAGES degree to potential employers “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” — Second-year students shared their summer internship experiences with first-year students and the BMW Center faculty and staff Okupational Oktoberfest — First-year students learned how to craft their career narratives with the director of SFS Graduate Career Services Speed Networking — Alumni met with students to give an overview of career opportunities in Washington, D.C. JumpStart January — Second-year students met with the Graduate Career Development Center for panels on job search strategies across a variety of sectors Life After MAGES — Alumni offer advice on the personal and professional transition period following graduation
Internships & MAGES Signature Internship Program MAGES students are encouraged to hold internships while at Georgetown, especially during the summer between their first and second years of study. In 2015-2016, about 70 percent of students elected to complete an internship abroad, securing placements in Germany, France, Italy, Denmark, Kosovo, Ukraine, and Palestine. CGES is grateful to the SFS Dean’s Office for supplemental support for MAGES students’ summer internships, which are funded primarily through the BMW Center’s Flynn Summer Grant program. Recent internship host organizations have included:
In conjunction with select employers, CGES administers the MAGES Signature Internship Program. The program gives the Center an opportunity to strengthen partnerships within the transatlantic community while making leading internship experiences available to our students. Through the Signature Internship Program, CGES provide employers with high-quality pool of graduate student interns on a regular basis. In turn, employers provide interns with valuable work experience and mentorship opportunities to enrich their professional and academic development.
• • • • • • • •
In 2015-2016, participating employers in the MAGES Signature Internship Program included: BMW Group in Washington, D.C., and Munich, the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning in Paris, SAP in Berlin, and the Bank of New York Mellon in Frankfurt.
Bertelsmann Foundation CNN International Federal Communications Commission German Marshall Fund Government Accountability Office Smithsonian Institution U.S. Department of State U.S. Department of Commerce
Development
| 19
“During the three months of my internship, I published analyses on regulatory and procurement issues for IT companies and prepared briefings, letters, and speeches for SAP executives on topics including TTIP, data security, and tax policy. I learned a tremendous amount about current IT debates in Germany and the United States, IT and data policies in the EU and BRIC countries, and the overall structure of lobbying and government relations in the EU. Many of my briefings were used in high-level meetings between SAP board members and government officials. Although SAP is one of Germany’s largest companies, I genuinely felt like I was a valued member of the team. I also established a lasting professional relationship with Caroline King, a MAGES alumna who was my supervisor during the internship.”
Jessica Mercado ‘15
“My internship with BMW’s Government Affairs Division at their headquarters in Munich was a unique opportunity to work for a German-based, global company directly in business-government relations. My interest in seeking a career in private sector communication was developed over the course of my two years at MAGES and highlighted by my internship experience with BMW. I was able to experience the global reach of the company, particularly as they respond to the changing dynamics of the 21st century within the automobile sector, a core industry in the robust German economy. Through connections I made during my internship, I will be joining BMW’s Corporate Communications Division after graduation, where I will be assisting their corporate statements and financial publications team.”
Ryan Millerick ‘16
“Interning in the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of International Relations offered me the opportunity to put the knowledge and skills I gained in my first year of MAGES into practice. I got to meet with cultural ministries and U.S. diplomats, complete country profiles, and accompany international visiting leaders on museum visits—all opportunities that I was prepared for, thanks to my coursework in public diplomacy, history, and culture. I had a perfect ‘museum geek’ internship right at the intersection of culture and politics, a clearer idea of my dream career, and daily free rides on the historical National Mall carousel—all ingredients for a perfect summer!”
Meghan Reidy ‘17
20 |
CGES in the News
In 2015-2016, CGES faculty members and researchers were published and quoted in numerous journals, magazines, and online publications. We invite you to visit the links below to read a sampling of their work, and to visit our website — cges.georgetown.edu — for more information on the latest scholarship from the BMW Center for German and European Studies.
Dr. Jeffrey Anderson was featured in an edition of the “SFS On Topic” video series, where he spoke on the implications of the Brexit referendum vote for the European Union and the future of transatlantic affairs. Professor Jeffrey Anderson published two U.S. News pieces: “Germany’s Populist Insurgency Parallels the Rise of Donald Trump in the US” and “Brexit Leaves Europe Intact But Britain in Decline.” He was also quoted in web articles for Deutsche Welle, and was featured in an interview in the DAAD LETTER alumni magazine. Associate Professor Abraham Newman was published in International Organization, Journal of European Public Policy, and Business and Politics. He additionally published web articles for Financial Times, Foreign Affairs, and World Politics Review. Professor Katrin Sieg published an article titled, “Toward a Civic Contract of Performance: Pitfalls of Decolonizing the Exhibitionary Complex at Brett Bailey’s Exhibit B” in Theatre Research International. Associate Professor Anna von der Goltz published an article titled, “Attraction and Aversion: Germany’s ‘1968’: Encountering the Western Revolt in East Berlin” in the Journal of Contemporary History. Incoming Assistant Professor Charlotte Cavaillé was profiled by the School of Foreign Service. Speaking about her approach to teaching, she remarked: “Political science training, and social sciences in general, are about turning data into tractable questions. Our lives are filled with fascinating social science puzzles, but you need to know where – and how – to look for them.”
A Word
of
Thanks
| 21
The BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University would like to extend special thanks to our partner organizations for their ongoing support. To the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for their founding grant 25 years ago and their continued financial support and partnership today. Interviewed on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the worldwide DAAD Centers, BMW Center Director Dr. Jeffrey Anderson reflected: “The centres that the DAAD has created are an example of supply creating demand: you have a very far-seeing government and the DAAD investing in higher education around the world... I stand in awe of the generosity and the wisdom of the commitment that the German people through their government and by extension the DAAD have made to the centres... [which] provide a critical mass of scholarly attention and also student interest in a very important region of the world.”
To the BMW Group for securing the existence of the BMW Center for German and European Studies with a $10 million endowed gift in 1996. Thanks to this gift, nearly 90% of students in the M.A. program in German and European Studies receive merit scholarships to study at Georgetown. The BMW Group shows its continued commitment to our students by providing internships through our Signature Internship Program in Washington, D.C., and Munich, Germany, as well as through collaboration on events highlighting the transatlantic partnership.
We would also like to acknowledge: the Embassy of France in the United States for recognizing the BMW Center as a French Center for Excellence; the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the United States for ongoing collaboration on events centered on the transatlantic relationship; and the Embassy of Spain in the United States, the Spanish Ministry of Education, and the Endesa Corporation for their commitment to activities highlighting Spain and Spanish scholarship through the Prince of Asturias Chair. We are grateful for such meaningful support of the BMW Center’s mission.
EMBASSY OF SPAIN WASHINGTON
SPAIN
FOREIGN CULTURAL
COOPERATION
BMW Center for German and European Studies Walsh School of Foreign Service Georgetown University 3700 O St. NW Intercultural Center Suite 501 Washington, DC 20057 (202) 687-5602 cges.georgetown.edu