T H E U N D E R G R A D U AT E E X P E R I E N C E
HOW WILL YOU SERVE THE WORLD?
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WHAT IS “FOREIGN SERVICE”?
You might think that The Walsh School of Foreign Service was created to train diplomats for the U.S. Foreign Service. It was not. We are the oldest school of international affairs in the United States, founded in 1919—five years before the U.S. Foreign Service. For SFS, “foreign service” has never been about a single career path. It is an approach to engaging with the world. We give students a foundation to understand global challenges and to have impact in the world. We confront innovative ideas with the realities of practice in classrooms where academics and practitioners are equally at home. And we instill in all our students a commitment to service in both the private and public sectors. At SFS, we ask: How will you serve the world?
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SFS BY THE NUMBERS
1,400 SFS UNDERGRADUATES IN DC
250 860
SFS UNDERGRADUATES IN DOHA, QATAR
SFS GRADUATE STUDENTS
16 18 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES FOR STUDY
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AVAILABLE CERTIFICATES OF SPECIALIZATION
28,000 SFS ALUMNI LIVING IN 120 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES FOUNDED:
1789 1919 GEORGETOWN
WALSH SCHOOL OF FOREIGN SERVICE
24
CURRENT AMBASSADORS
6
CURRENT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
4
PRESIDENTS
8
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS MAJORS
2
INTERNATIONAL CAMPUSES (ITALY AND QATAR)
541 SFS FACULTY
128 413 FULL-TIME FACULTY
ADJUNCT FACULTY WORKING IN THEIR FIELDS
“
I learned to thrive in diverse settings and embrace cultures, languages, and histories not my own. I learned how to be a critical thinker, passionate communicator, and world adventurer. The SFS is outstanding in its ability to meld and empower students, staff, and faculty from tremendously diverse backgrounds, uniting them around common principles of intellectual curiosity and academic excellence. SAM DULIK ’13
”
RYAN SUDO ’17 CIRCLED THE GLOBE
through six nations and four continents—from the Andes of Peru to Norway and Australia— to do fieldwork on indigenous education policy. He won the Circumnavigator Grant, given annually by SFS and the Circumnavigators Club Foundation.
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WHAT SETS SFS APART
F
oreign Policy magazine ranks SFS at the
THE SFS ADVANTAGES ARE:
Why? Our history, our faculty and our
OUR HISTORY: A CENTURY OF IMPACT ON WORLD AFFAIRS
top of U.S. international affairs schools.
method—all inspired by our mission—combine
to create a program like no other in a city like no
OUR LOCATION: IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THE GLOBAL CROSSROADS
of policy, diplomacy, security, development, and
OUR FACULTY: BOTH TOP SCHOLARS AND LEADING PRACTITIONERS
global affairs program, blending liberal arts and
OUR METHOD: LEARNING ROOTED IN PROBLEM-SOLVING
other. Washington D.C. is the global crossroads business. SFS is the premier multidisciplinary the realities of practice.
OUR MISSION: A COMMITMENT TO SERVICE GROUNDED IN JESUIT VALUES
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“
SFS opened my eyes to the world. I learned how interconnected everything was: politics, economics, and religion to name a few. It expanded my understanding of how the world works and set me on a lifelong quest for knowledge. JEFF MEYER ’74
”
DEVIKA RANJAN ’17 ON THE INDIA-PAKISTAN BORDER
used drama and dance to build community and develop financial independence for women living in conflict and poverty in her role as a Davis Projects for Peace Fellow.
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T H E S F S A D VA N TA GE
OUR HISTORY: A CENTURY OF IMPACT ON WORLD AFFAIRS
The First U.S. School Dedicated to International Affairs
T
he School of Foreign Service was created at the end of a violent
global conflict—World War I—
with a bold mission that is as relevant
today as it was then. “Unprepared as we
were for war,” said our founder Edmund A. Walsh, S.J., “we are resolved never to be unprepared for the peace.” SFS has
trained generations of men and women
who have shaped world events, not only in diplomacy and politics, but also in
commerce, finance, law, and the media— all with a global perspective.
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“
There are so many ways to have an impact on the world. SFS prepared me to have an informed position on the issues surrounding the refugee crisis in Syria, which is the subject of my first documentary film. Georgetown provided me with a global perspective while I was filming on the grounds of a refugee camp, seeing what has become the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time. What I’m doing today is exactly what I was studying at SFS—but now it’s playing out in the real world. REILLY DOWD ’13, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER
”
JEFFREY DELAURENTIS ’76, CHARGE D’AFFAIRES
at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, keeps a photograph on his office wall of his predecessor, Willard Beaulac ’21, the very first SFS graduate. Beaulac served as U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and Cuba, where DeLaurentis runs the embassy.
One Hundred Years of Impact
S
FS has educated presidents and kings, ministers and ambassadors, CEOs and
relief workers, entrepreneurs and artists—all focused on making an impact on the world. They are living and working in more than 120 countries. At SFS,
diplomacy was never a skill just for diplomats but a critical foundation for leaders and problem-solvers in every walk of life.
T H E U N D E R G R A D U AT E E X P E R I E N C E
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T H E S F S AD VA N TA GE
OUR LOCATION: IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THE GLOBAL CROSSROADS
U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SUSAN RICE IN GASTON HALL
with Professor Victor Cha, where she delivered an address on the future of U.S. policies toward the Asia Pacific. She returned inthe 2016 for an “exit interview” Matthew Quallen ’16, inside U.S. Supreme Court, where he worked as a intern doing historical research during his time at SFS. with SFS Dean Joel Hellman.
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“
Nowhere on earth do you have such a globally-focused curriculum linked to a capital city where so many luminaries, practitioners, and thinkers regularly come to engage with their peers and students alike. ERIC LIGHTFOOT ’08
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Learning by Doing in the Very Best Classroom: Washington, D.C.
G
o to a class on international security in the morning and to an internship at the Department of Justice in the afternoon. Study international economics
from Monday to Thursday and head to the Federal Reserve on Friday to do
research on capital flows. Pursue an international development concentration during the semester and apply your skills to a World Bank project over the summer. Georgetown’s
D.C. location offers unparalleled access to multilateral and U.S. government institutions, nonprofit organizations, embassies, think tanks, and international firms. About 95% of SFS undergraduates get an internship in Washington—with an average of three internships per student.
World Leaders on Campus Georgetown is a global platform for the world’s leaders and thinkers in a city that attracts them like no other. Every week brings a dizzying array of visitors who are
shaping global affairs. At SFS, we make sure that students not only get to hear from
world leaders, but also get to engage with them in classrooms, small group discussions, and meet-and-greets.
T H E U N D E R G R A D U AT E E X P E R I E N C E
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T H E S F S A D VA N TA GE
OUR FACULTY: BOTH TOP SCHOLARS AND LEADING PRACTITIONERS
PROFESSOR SCOTT TAYLOR, DIRECTOR OF THE SFS AFRICAN STUDIES PROGRAM has authored four books and acted as consultant to USAID, the World Bank, and the Carter Center. He also leads students on an annual spring break trip to Rwanda.
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It’s rare to hear of a place where you can study world history with those who helped shape it. Having direct access to so many prominent figures in U.S. and world politics was an incredible experience in my SFS education and one that made a huge difference in the way I learned, the values I developed, and the path I chose after graduation. ALEJANDRA VILLARREAL WEISS ’08
”
Experience As Well As Expertise
W
restle with drought prevention strategies in Maharashtra, India with a
scholar who spent a decade working in Sri Lanka. Discuss international
regulation of space exploration with a scientist operating the Rover vehicle
on Mars. Present a policy memo in a simulated national security crisis to a former
Secretary of State. Resolve a trade dispute among nations with a leading expert on the World Trade Organization.
As scholars, the SFS faculty—over 120 strong—ranks in the top five among all U.S. universities in publications and faculty awards. They offer cutting edge research and
substantive knowledge covering every continent and issue. They help students to build
the core inter-disciplinary skills necessary to unpack complex global issues and to foster cross-cultural understanding.
As practitioners, SFS professors bring real-world experience into the classroom.
They apply innovative ideas to the complexities of practice. They structure classroom
assignments to simulate high-level decision-making. They mentor students, advising on career paths and building networks.
Policymakers and media outlets turn to SFS professors for their analysis, insight, and expertise. SFS students get a front-row seat to global decisionmaking.
T H E U N D E R G R A D U AT E E X P E R I E N C E
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International Affairs from Day One T H E S F S A D VA N TA GE
OUR METHOD: LEARNING ROOTED IN PROBLEMSOLVING
T
he SFS program combines a comprehensive liberal arts
education with a focus on international affairs. The core
curriculum teaches critical thinking, writing, and analysis to
give every graduate the skills to understand the world. Classes and
seminars in international affairs prepare students to confront global problems and consider their solutions.
Interdisciplinary Study and Research SFS classes combine disparate areas of study into seminars that
force students to think beyond category. First-year students join
15-student “proseminars” that delve deeply into a topic of global
significance. “Lab” classes look at complex global problems and feature partnerships with government and private institutions. Students work with faculty mentors through research fellowships and develop skills
Eight Majors A curricular dean guides each student in one of eight cross-disciplinary majors:
CULTURE AND POLITICS GLOBAL BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS INTERNATIONAL HISTORY INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
of scholarship during SFS-sponsored research conferences.
Specialization and Language Study Students choose from eight cross-disciplinary majors (left) in their second year. Students can minor in one of 16 different languages or specialize in a particular region or focused
theme through one of 18 certificate programs in such areas as International Business Diplomacy, Muslim-Christian Understanding, and International Development.
Global Engagement and Field Experience SFS offers more than theory. A Regional and Comparative Studies
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
major may use cultural awareness and language skills to help Syrian
REGIONAL AND COMPARATIVE STUDIES
might tackle a consulting assignment for a Swedish multinational client.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
refugees integrate into local communities. A Global Business student
Alternative spring break programs send students to villages in Ukraine and Belarus to uncover forensic evidence from the Holocaust with the Center for Jewish Civilization or to Rwanda to witness the lessons of post-conflict development with the African Studies Program.
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“
I’ve presented original research. I’ve worked in major institutions with serious scholars—at Brookings, the Library of Congress, the United States Supreme Court. I’ve served as the CEO of a small corporation, and I met the Pope, all by virtue of being a student here. In the process, I’ve acquired the abilities to search for evidence, analyze, think, and argue independently. I’m confident that wherever I end up, SFS will have given me a full toolbox.
”
PHOTO CREDIT: STEVE PETTEWAY
MATTHEW QUALLEN ’16, MARSHALL SCHOLAR
MATTHEW QUALLEN ’16 AT THE SUPREME COURT where he worked as an intern doing historical research. Matthew graduated as a Marshall Scholar.
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T H E S F S A D VA N TA GE
OUR MISSION: A COMMITMENT TO SERVICE GROUNDED IN JESUIT VALUES
LUIS SORTO ’18 TUTORS AND MENTORS
immigrant youth who live in Washington, D.C. as part of the DC Schools Project. Luis received a Newman Civic Fellowship in 2016 for his work after being nominated by Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia.
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Learning at SFS is a moral endeavor, something that enriches you as an individual and equips you, as well as obliges you, to give something back to your community for the benefit of all. SFS produces true leaders as a result.
”
TANYA JAEGER DE FORAS ’93
Pursuing a Better World
“W
omen and Men for Others” is the guiding principle of Georgetown
and the core of the SFS ethos. SFS educates and inspires students to
be committed and compassionate practitioners on the world stage. We
wrestle as much with questions of principle as we do with practice.
Our curriculum does not shy away from tough moral questions. Our program offers a
wide range of opportunities to put ethics into practice around the world, in the capital, and across our own D.C. neighborhoods. Our global student body ensures that our
classroom conversations foster empathy of diverse cultures and different viewpoints. At SFS, service means applying the whole range of tools from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in pursuit of a better world.
T H E U N D E R G R A D U AT E E X P E R I E N C E
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SFS IS AT THE HEART OF A LEADING GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
One Georgetown Community
G
eorgetown University combines schools of liberal arts, medicine, law, business, nursing and health, graduate
studies, and international affairs into a single, world-
renowned community. The competitive application process yields
bright and creative Hoyas who bring their passions to campus, to classrooms, and to the world.
Our 230 year-old campus—where Healy Hall and Copley Hall share the green with Lauinger Library and its Potomac River
view—gathers students from around the world. We learn and study together here on “The Hilltop” in Washington, D.C.,
but there is more. Perusing the outdoor market for fresh bread and ethnic food on Red Square is a fair weather lunch ritual.
Catching the Hoyas running through a Division One basketball game makes your heart race. Or maybe you prefer a stroll with
friends past the Lincoln Memorial at dusk. There are drama and dance performances, coffee shops and sandwich stops, and even a bulldog named Jack you’ll want to meet.
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From the Dean
W
hen I joined the Walsh School of Foreign Service as the Dean in 2015, I was proud to become part of an incredible legacy. How
many schools can claim that they have changed the face of the 20th century? And our influence continues to grow. Our alumni and faculty have been at the center of critical global issues for a century. From world wars to global terrorism, from building the global economy to addressing global poverty, from reducing nuclear risks to addressing climate change, SFS has been in the vanguard contributing solutions to global problems. The SFS values are my values. I combined a career in academia with years of service at The World Bank, working on the most complex development challenges in dozens of countries around the world. I have seen the difference an inspiring education can make—one that challenges students to confront the theories they learn with the complex realities of practice. SFS combines the best of a liberal arts education with a thorough grounding in the real world, guided by professors who bring both academic and professional expertise to the classroom. What I find most exciting about SFS is that we attract students who want to have impact in the world. Our name reflects our commitment to service. SFS will prepare you to serve the world in any field you choose, whether in the private, public, or nonprofit sectors. In a world where nearly every profession is inherently global, the education we provide at SFS could not be more relevant. Now it’s your turn. If you are motivated to have impact on the world, then SFS may be for you. You will be joining a long line of women and men who chose to make a difference. You will be part of a network and a history that spans every continent and culture, that is not afraid of any challenge. Join the legacy!
Joel S. Hellman, Dean
Join the Legacy The Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University welcomes applications from all students, regardless of nationality, or financial need. For more detailed information on SFS, the admissions process, and SFS students, faculty, programs, and events, please visit sfs.georgetown.edu.
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