Students & Alumni

Everyone dreams of doing a job that they love.  Not everyone, though, is able to make this dream a reality.

Graduating from the Institute caused a rush of emotions when the time came to walk down the aisle. The Institute of World Politics, better known as IWP to its loyal staff, alum, students and fans alike, is more than just a graduate school for many of us. 

IWP has many exceptional students – but not many who are simultaneously moms, marathon runners, Army Captains, and full time graduate students. 

“Although growing up in Uganda had a major influence on my decision to pursue a career in the field of national security, 9/11 drove me finally to the conclusion that the best way to help my country was to contribute to its defense.  The events of that fateful morning were surreal, inexpressible, and incomprehensible. The…

IWP student Daniel Acheson has always been interested in history and politics. After traveling from his hometown of Port Angeles, Washington to Steubenville, Ohio to study these subjects at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, he decided that he wanted to continue his studies at a graduate level. He wanted both to deepen his knowledge of…

Cassandra Bales has always had a passion for international relations and diplomacy.  After two years at Cottey College in Missouri, where she was in the top ten of her class, Cassandra majored in international relations at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, which is located in Baltimore.  She graduated summa cum laude.

If you met the young and unassuming IWP student Mike Webber, you might not guess that he has already overseen 50 employees and a million dollar budget, traveled the world, and interned at the State Department, Department of Defense, and the UN. You would easily discover, however, that Mike loves to learn, particularly about history,…

I became interested in intelligence and national security while attending Fayetteville State University as an undergraduate student of political science. Towards the end of my senior year, I realized I wanted to pursue a career in the Intelligence Community…

Cyber-security is among today’s most critical national security issues. Fortunately for the United States, cyber-security is precisely where the passion and talents of IWP alumnus Robert Jones* rest. His accomplishments at the Department of Defense have led to official recognition by the Department for his “patriotic attitude and eagerness to ensure that his abilities are…

New IWP student Jubal Biggs brings a wealth of experience to his studies at IWP – he has fought terrorism in the Middle East even before 9/11, run for City Council in California, studied in Israel, and worked on Capitol Hill. What brought him to IWP? And what will he do next?