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Bush School News Fall 2015

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Bush School News Fall 2015 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE BUSH SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICE • TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY FALL 2015 HAVING THIS KIND OF REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE “WHILE IN SCHOOL SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCES OUR STUDENTS’ EDUCATION. THEY SEE HOW GOVERNMENT AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OPERATE AND HOW IT RELATES TO THEIR CAREER CHOICES.” – EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE DEAN ARNOLD VEDLITZ HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BUSH SCHOOL’S GLOBAL REACH Since its founding, Bush School students, students took part in two months of intensive HUDSON SELECTED AS CARNEGIE FELLOW faculty, and staff have had an international field research for a study conducted by Dr. impact through internships, study abroad and Jessica Gottlieb in Senegal focusing on how Dr. Valerie Hudson, professor at the Bush impact of an aging population, the safety of language immersion programs, capstone projects, local elites influence voter behavior. Other School of Government and Public Service, generic drugs, and how attitudes are formed conferences, and other research endeavors. recent research has included work for Robert Texas A&M University, has received a 2015 among voters. During the summer of 2015, Bush School Bosch Stiftung, which culminated in a trip to Andrew Carnegie Fellowship. Hudson, who students could be found in twenty-one countries Germany, where students, led by Dr. Gabriela holds the George H. W. Bush Chair, is one The Carnegie award is the result of Hudson’s outside the US, including Argentina, Belgium, Thornton, presented their findings on trilateral of 32 fellowship winners chosen from 301 study of how the status of women within a China, Costa Rica, Jordan, Morocco, and Russia. relations among the US, Germany, and China. nominations and the only one from a Texas state’s social system affects its governance, university. Hudson is part of the inaugural security, and stability. Her research has shown Internationally, students served in internships Earlier in the summer, several Bush School class of a major annual fellowship program that marriage customs and the way households with the US Department of State (including students and faculty traveled to Europe, from Carnegie Corporation that will provide are created are the organizing principles of embassies in Peru, Singapore, and China), US including a trip to Italy led by Dr. Joseph support for scholars in the social sciences and a society, and as such they affect all other European Command, and the US Commercial Cerami. Dr. Chris Layne gave an invited lecture humanities. Designed to enable scholars to elements of a society and the degree to which its Service, among many others. Domestically, at the Dutch Foreign Ministry and also spoke devote between one and two years to research politics and economics are stable and resilient. Bush School students could be found within at a meeting co-sponsored by the University and writing, the program will provide up to An expert on international security and foreign a variety of organizations, including the US of Amsterdam and the Netherlands Atlantic $200,000 to each recipient. The overarching policy analysis, Hudson was named one of the Senate, US Department of Energy, US Drug Committee. Drs. Chris Layne and Gabriela theme for the 2015 fellowship program top 100 Most Influential Global Thinkers by Enforcement Agency, the Port Authority of Marin Thornton participated in a roundtable is Current and Future Challenges to US Foreign Policy magazine in 2009. She developed New York and New Jersey, and nonprofits such discussion on transatlantic relations in Democracy and International Order. Winning a nation-by-nation database on women, The as the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation and Amsterdam and gave lectures at the University proposals addressed issues that included WomanStats Project. the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute. of Bucharest. policing and race, big data and privacy, the “I greatly appreciate the support that will “Having this kind of real-world experience while During the summer of 2015, in order to enable me to further what I hope will be seen in school significantly enhances our students’ highlight the many ways the School is as path-breaking research linking the security education,” said Dr. Arnold Vedlitz. “They see having a global impact, the Bush School’s and status of women to national-level outcomes how government and nonprofit organizations Student and Career Services and the Office in stability, security, and governance,” Hudson operate and how it relates to their career choices. of Communications and External Relations said. We’re grateful to the many organizations that launched the #BushGoesGlobal social media provide this opportunity to our students.” initiative. The purpose of the initiative, which Bush School Dean Ryan Crocker, who will continue through the 2015-2016 academic nominated Hudson for the fellowship, noted Bush School students seeking to learn new year, is to showcase, share, and collect data on that she has a well-deserved international languages found opportunities to study the activities of students, faculty, and staff both reputation for innovative and relevant research. through language immersions around the at home and abroad. globe, including programs in China, France, “The Carnegie Fellowship is yet another Germany, Korea, Russia, and Spain. Popular Members of the Bush School community recognition of the impact Dr. Hudson’s work languages for study included Arabic, Mandarin participate in the social media initiative by has on important policy deliberations,” Crocker Chinese, Russian, and Spanish. The School posting pictures of themselves in their various said. “We are delighted to have the university’s provided a combined total of $214,500 in locations on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram first Carnegie Fellow on our faculty.”O additional internship and language immersion using the hashtag #BushGoesGlobal. The funding to assist students completing unpaid initiative will culminate with an interactive internships and immersions. map on the Bush School’s website that will feature photographs and information on the This past year, Bush School faculty and locations visited by Bush School students and students could also be found conducting faculty throughout the campaign.O research in international locations. A team of Dr. Valerie Hudson, 2015 Andrew Carnegie Fellow DEAN’S MESSAGE This fall marks the beginning of what promises to be another exciting year at the Bush School. During the summer, many of our students have been engaged in internships here in the US and abroad. Others have chosen to increase their facility in a foreign language through a language immersion program or to engage in research programs across the globe. Bush School students were in twenty-one countries this summer. These activities further enrich their academic experience and provide insights into the world they will enter upon graduation. I am happy to report that the Bush School continues to grow, not only in numbers but also in reputation and influence. In the past year, our students have received prestigious fellowships and academic awards, and the scholarly research conducted by our distinguished faculty and research institutes has been incorporated into public policy on significant issues facing the state and nation. Ryan Crocker, Dean Increasingly, our alumni can be found in key positions at various levels of government abilities to tackle these problems but also the and nonprofit management. It is clear that character and principles to lead in times of members of the Bush School community are uncertainty. Students leave the Bush School making a significant impact at all levels, from well prepared for careers in public service THE NATION AND THE WORLD ARE local government to the international stage. after taking part in competitive internships in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors; IN DESPERATE NEED OF THE KIND Again this fall, we have a record number of rigorous capstones with real-world clients; and “OF LEADERS THE BUSH SCHOOL students enrolled, a diverse group from various a rich classroom experience focused on critical backgrounds and countries around the world. thinking. The success former students achieve PRODUCES. THE PROBLEMS WE FACE This growth is due in no small part to our in their careers is further proof of both the ARE COMPLEX AND REQUIRE MEN distinguished faculty, who continue to be sought quality of students our school attracts and the after for their expertise and academic scholarship. quality of education they receive while here. AND WOMEN WITH NOT ONLY THE We are especially pleased to welcome Michael SKILLS AND ABILITIES TO TACKLE K. Young, the new president of Texas A&M I am confident that by building on our past University, as a member of our faculty. President successes and planning carefully and creatively THESE PROBLEMS BUT ALSO THE Young’s years of teaching and researching for the future, the School’s best years are ahead CHARACTER AND PRINCIPLES TO international law and human rights, as well as his of us. In everything we do we are guided by the broad experience in higher education, will bring a legacy of our namesake, President George H. LEAD IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY.” new perspective to the School. W. Bush, and his belief that public service is – DEAN RYAN CROCKER a noble calling. I eagerly look forward to what The nation and the world are in desperate need the future holds for a school that continues to of the kind of leaders the Bush School produces. produce remarkable leaders and scholars in The problems we face are complex and require public service.O men and women with not only the skills and LAYNE ELECTED TO INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP POSITION DR. LAYNE’S Dr. Christopher Layne, University Distinguished Press. He is a frequent contributor to a number ELECTION TO THE Professor of International Affairs and Robert M. of scholarly and policy journals as well as to “ISSS GOVERNING Gates Chair in National Security, at the Bush publications such as The Atlantic and The New School of Government and Public Service, Republic, and major newspapers such as the COUNCIL IS has been elected to the Governing Council of New York Times and the Washington Post.
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