ALUMNI NETWORK

Our alumni network includes nearly 20,000 alumni around the world. We organize a variety of opportunities for students and alumni to interact and forge professional relationships as members of this exclusive network of global professionals. You can start connecting with other alumni and classmates by requesting to join the American University School of International Service group on LinkedIn. Click here to request to join. For more on SIS alumni, click here.

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The MIS Program has private social media accounts exclusively for MIS Students, Alumni, Staff, and Faculty.

One great benefit of joining the MIS LinkedIn Group is that you have the ability to message other members of the group without being connected. Interested in the work of one of MIS’s students or alumni? Message them to ask how their experience with MIS shaped their career path!

The MIS Students and Alumni Group on Facebook is a great way to connect with your fellow students and learn about events and opportunities as they are created. Feel free to post the interesting things you are working on, or events you want to attend! Some alumni who wish to remain active with the program have also posted opportunities and promote the efforts of students amongst their networks through this platform.

NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS

See below a list of recent recipients of prestigious national awards.

Presidential Management Fellows (PMF)

  • Steve Elliott (MIS ’18)
  • Nathan Leigh (MIS ’15)
  • Georgina (Murata) Cunningham (MIS ’14)

Boren Fellowships

  • Joshua Nezam (MIS ’17)

Tillman Scholars

  • Melissa Mangold (MIS Candidate)

MIS PROGRAM AWARDS

The MIS Program has three awards that it gives annually to its graduating students. The categories are:

  • Outstanding Academic Performance
  • Notable Service On or Off Campus
  • Notable Professional, Practical, or Policy Contribution*

*This award is specially reserved for students in the IST Partnership Track.

2019 Winners

The Outstanding Academic Performance Award was given to Byron Ramirez who maintained an impressive 4.0 GPA while balancing full-time employment as a management and strategy consultant. His background and expertise, which includes a PhD in Economics and Political Science, greatly enriched classroom discussions on the theory and application of Microfinance, Financial Inclusion, and FinTech.

 

2018 Winners

The Outstanding Academic Performance Award was given to Erica Van Deren (MIS ’18) who maintained a 4.0 GPA over 24 credits and a number of very rigorous courses. Outside of the classroom, Erica was very engaged in the design of her program and very eager to apply the knowledge she learned immediately. Erica challenged herself in the program, acquiring knowledge and skills fast while excelling in her job as a Senior Program Manager at World Vision USA.

The Notable Service On or Off Campus Award was given to John Austerman who was reappointed for a second term on the St Mary’s County Ethics Commission and was also appointed for the St Mary’s Economic Development Commission of Maryland. His service focused on the proper application of St. Mary’s County Public Ethics Ordinance, and the development, revision, or replacement of the county’s comprehensive economic strategy. The mix of his experience, past leadership, great recommendations, and master’s level education convinced the selection committee of John’s contributions.

2017 Winners

The Outstanding Academic Performance Award was given to Johanna Royo (MIS ’17) who in addition to maintaining a strong GPA, went above and beyond basic degree requirements to take advantage of university opportunities, and excelled in them. She studied a semester abroad in Bonn, Germany, and drove to campus from North Carolina three separate times to take three skills institutes that addressed important skills to round out her degree.

The Notable Service On or Off Campus Award was given to Katlyn Murray (MIS ’17) who was an outstanding student in the executive program. In addition to her studies, she led an effort to raise money to help rebuild Ulithi communities in Micronesia after Super Typhoon Maysak struck the atoll damaging or destroying most buildings on the islands. Katyln actively fundraised for the Micronesian Conservation Coalition and was successful in bringing in more than $15,000 that allowed a shipment of materials to be delivered to the people of Ulithi in April 2017.

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Zachary Levy (MIS ’17)SIS Social Innovation Fellow Zachary Levy first heard of the SIS Social Innovation Fellowship by reading through one of the MIS Newsletters. When he realized that the program requirements aligned nicely with his work as the Operational Technology Advisor to the US Army Asymmetric Warfare Group, he immediately applied. Participating in this fellowship allowed him to take a fresh look at his work projects. “I enjoyed finding ways to target my efforts to meet the fellowship requirements, and the opportunity to mentor my fellow students at SIS,” he said. To meet both his fellowship and degree requirements, he worked with Professor Ben Jensen to explore the Hacking for “X” initiative that comes from BMNT, one of the top 25 veteran-founded startups in the US. He hopes to work with Dean Goldgeier to bring this project to SIS. He plans to graduate from the MIS program in the summer of 2017.

Zachary George (MIS ’17)- Journal of International Service Symposium Presenter– On Friday, April 14, 2017, Zachary George presented his paper “Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Ensuring US Naval Excellence in the South China Sea Through Analysis of the 1982 Falklands War” at the Journal of International Service’s (JIS) 2017 Symposium. He was one of three selected to showcase his work. If you would like to read his paper, it can be found on the JIS Website.

Fayeq Wahedi – Journal of International Service Symposium Presenter– On Friday, April 20, 2018, Fayeq presented his paper on the impact of Beijing’s 2008 Olympics on China’s public diplomacy efforts at the Journal of International Service’s (JIS) 2018 Symposium. He was one of three selected to showcase his work. More information about the Symposium can be found on the JIS Website.