Two current IWP students, James Di Pane and Elizabeth Dillard, have been selected as recipients of the prestigious Rumsfeld Graduate Fellowship for the 2016-17 academic school year.
The Rumsfeld Foundation annually selects graduate students who have shown promise in policy or public service-related fields as candidates for their year-long program. In 2016 alone, the Foundation has awarded more than $300,000 to 20 of the top graduate students in the country. This year, two IWP students were chosen from a wide pool of exceptionally qualified applicants.
Both Elizabeth and James are pursuing an M.A. in Statecraft and National Security, one of five Master of Arts degrees offered by The Institute of World Politics. Both are also currently supplementing a rigorous course load with study-specific internships.
Elizabeth is interning in the Africa Bureau at the U.S. Department of State focusing on issues in Southern Africa including trade, development, and security. Prior to her time in Foggy Bottom, Elizabeth served overseas at U.S. Embassy Djibouti and subsequently completed a policy internship with the House of Representatives’ Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Upon the completion of her Masters, Elizabeth plans to pursue a career in diplomacy and national security.
James, who recently finished interning with the Metropolitan Police Department in its crime intelligence branch, has previously served as a research fellow to the Washington Regional Threat Analysis Center (WRTAC). During his time at WRTAC, James analyzed the threat terrorism posed to Washington, D.C. and forecasted specific types of attacks and targets that were most probable. Although never serving in the armed forces himself, James’ strong admiration for the military community has prompted him to join IWP’s Student Veterans Association. After IWP, James hopes to pursue a career in law enforcement or defense.
At 4:00 PM on Tuesday, June 14, 2016, James will speak at IWP on Indian naval strategy.
IWP staff and faculty, together with our President, Chancellor, and Board of Trustees all wish to extend our congratulations to both Elizabeth and James and their families.