Liberal Studies AT GEORGETOWN In this issue — DLS Welcomes 14 New Candidates Commencement 2007 Handicapping the Presidential Race Robert Manuel: Serving a Higher Purpose Volume 5 Number 2 Director’s Notes Welcome to the Liberal Studies Program and our new quarters. First the School of Continuing Studies moved to 3307 “M” St. back in the winter. A new Assistant Dean for the Bachelor’s program has his office there as well. His appointment was due to the fact that an extensive review of the B.A.L.S. program last year spear-headed by Dean Robert Manuel led to a number of significant revisions in that program. The Assistant Dean, Vincent Kiernan, is now responsible for managing the students in the B.A.L.S. as well as the program changes. Until early June the Graduate Liberal Studies program, the Master’s of Liberal Studies (M.A.L.S.) and the Doctorate of Liberal Studies (D.L.S.), remained in Poulton Hall. Both degree programs are now established in the Intercultural Center in Suite 225, on the second floor. We hope you will come visit. The four members of the staff will be happy to welcome you. This is a much more central location: easier for students coming and going to class, the Registrar’s office, the Library, etc. We are glad to be here. As we begin the fall semester, there are 406 candidates for the Master’s degree and 36 for the Doctorate. Dr. Chester Gillis is the Director of Doctoral Studies and their major advisor. In late June, the D.L.S. candidates organized a meeting with a speaker (one of their own) and a reception so they could get to know one another. (You will see pictures in this magazine.) The Liberal Studies Program is planning an evening session for current M.A.L.S. students and alums as well as the students in the D.L.S. for Sept. 18, 2007. On that occasion, Dr. Ronald Johnson and Dr. Abby Johnson will describe and discuss their new book on the Congressional Cemetery called “The Genesis of A Book: From Idea to Production” and a reception will follow. I hope to see you all there. And, another special event coming this fall, at the suggestion of M.A.L.S. alums and faculty Sara Frueh and Mike Duggan, is the launch of a Philosophy Roundtable, a series of evening dinner discussions bringing together a small group (about 10 people) of graduate students and alumni and faculty. These conversations about philosophical questions that affect everyone’s lives will be held on campus, sponsored by the Graduate Liberal Studies Program, dinner with a nominal fee of $10 per person. The first Roundtable, led by Dr. Frank Ambrosio, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown and Liberal Studies faculty member, is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 26. Participants will explore “The Good Life.” If you ‘d like to receive more information about the Roundtables, please send an email to [email protected]. Enjoy your summer! Sincerely, Phyllis O’Callaghan, Ph.D. Director, Liberal Studies Degree Program 2 Liberal Studies AT GEORGETOWN DLS Welcomes 14 New Candidates Upon their acceptance in the spring of 2007, 14 new students entered the Doctoral of Liberal Studies (D.L.S.) degree program. These scholars join the program’s 22 current students in pursuing the first Doctorate of Liberal Studies degree in the United States and Canada. Their personal backgrounds and proposed research demonstrate the broad appeal of the Liberal Studies program, the diversity of its student body and the current-day relevance of a values-based education. Biographical sketches of the new candidates, arranged alphabetically, follow. Massimo Ambrosetti new international global role of Howard D. (Dave) was born in Padova, Italy. He the Asian rising power. BeloteBelote, a colonel on active duty graduated cum laude with degrees in the U.S. Air Force, currently in Law and Political Science from Nina Assefi resides in serves as the Chief, Combating the university in his hometown. McLean, Va. A U.S. citizen of Weapons of Mass Destruction He also attended courses at the Iranian descent, she has spent (CWMD) Division, Strategic Plans University of Bologna, Karl- much of her adult life in London and Policy Directorate, Joint Staff, Albrecht Universitaet in Kiel, Ecole and Washington, D.C. She takes Pentagon. He provides oversight Nationale d’Administration in Paris pride in being a life long advocate of strategic guidance, plans, and at the British Civil Service for the rights and well-being of the policies, and doctrine relating to College (Oxford). In 1991, he mentally challenged. Nina holds a Department of Defense CWMD joined the Italian Foreign Service. B.A. in business administration and activities and represents the Joint As a career diplomat, after three economics from Richmond College Staff in CWMD-related interagency years at the Ministry of Foreign in London and earned a M.A.L.S. and international venues. A native Affairs (Asia-Pacific desk, EU- degree from Georgetown Univer- of Virginia Beach, Va., Dave has external relations desk), he was sity. Her research focused primarily commanded at squadron and posted to Beijing (1994-1999), on the role of religion in public group level. He holds a B.A. from NATO-Brussels (1999-2002). In the affairs which led her to concen- the University of Virginia and 2002-2006 period, he worked as trate on the capability of religion master’s degrees from Embry- Counselor in charge of the parlia- as a factor in conflict and conflict Riddle Aeronautical University, Air mentary relations in the Cabinet of resolution. Her D.L.S. research University, and National Defense the Italian Minister of Foreign interests lie in examining the University. He has published Affairs. In 2005, the Alma Graduate interaction of diplomacy and articles on military strategy, School of the University of Bolo- theology in the contemporary era. airpower theory, space policy, and gna offered him the position of She is particularly interested in civil-military relations in a number Professor of European History. He exploring the contemporary role of of professional journals, and will is now First Counselor (political religion in international law, in the focus his D.L.S. research on affairs) in the Italian Embassy in defense of human rights, its governmental organization and Washington. His D.L.S. research dedication to the pursuit of social cross-cultural communication in will focus on the shaping of justice, and its influence in non- the current geopolitical environ- contemporary China’s national violent movements across the ment. identity in the perspective of the globe. 3 Members of the D.L.S. classes of 2005 and 2006 welcomed the class of 2007 at an introductory session and reception on June 22 at the Alumni House. William (Bill) Costanza Angeles and Texas. His D.L.S. of returning to academia and is a Chicago native who received research plans to focus on a cross- immersing himself in the literature his B.S. degree in psychology from cultural examination of the and art of the ancient Greeks and the University of Illinois psychological and sociological Romans. His doctoral thesis is at Champaign-Urbana. He received factors that influence an expected to examine the reception his M.A. in international individual’s susceptibility to recruit- of the Roman poet Ovid as a relations from American University ment by terrorist organizations. portal into Medieval and Renais- in Washington, D.C. He formerly sance worldviews. served as an operations officer in Bob Dodds is a native the Directorate of Operations of New Yorker who now lives in Ben GustafsonGustafson, a native the Central Intelligence Agency for Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of Buffalo, N.Y., currently resides in over 24 years before retiring in of Yale College and Yale Law Arlington, Va. He holds a B.A. in 2004. As an operations officer, he School. He also holds a master’s history from Georgetown, and designed intelligence collection degree in taxation from NYU Law master’s degrees in education strategies in the areas of counter- School. After a brief stint on Wall (University of Rochester), public terrorism, counter-narcotics, Street, he spent his entire profes- administration (Syracuse Univer- weapons of mass destruction, sional career as an international sity), and international relations telecommunications and strategic tax lawyer with Mobil Corporation. (Syracuse University). Mr. technologies. From 1996 to 2004, He has traveled extensively abroad Gustafson is currently the Senior he served as a counter-terrorism engaging in commercial negotia- Health Development Officer in the officer, which included assisting tions and dispute resolution with Office of HIV/AIDS at the U.S. foreign governments in enhancing various government entities, Agency for International Develop- their indigenous counter-terrorism particularly in Asia, Africa and the ment, and has spent the past six capabilities. He has lived in Central Middle East. In the process, he has years as a senior policy analyst in a America, Latin America and Central gained considerable insight into number of federal agencies, includ- Asia. He currently works as a the cultures of various developed ing the Department of Health and national security consultant with and developing nations, as well as Human Services, the Department the Abraxas Corporation. He is the roles of large multi-national of Education, and the White also an award-winning playwright corporations. Since retirement, he House Budget Office. Prior to his whose plays have appeared has been enrolled in the M.A.L.S. federal career, he worked as a in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los program, fulfilling a life-long dream social studies teacher in Rochester, 4 Liberal Studies AT GEORGETOWN N.Y., an English as a Second Lan- working secure funding in support Republics and Africa that were guage teacher in Seoul, South of the College’s $80 million capital developing their economics and Korea, and a Director of Education campaign.