IWP and Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas are celebrating one year of a partnership in national security and international affairs education.
The agreement, signed in January 2020, states that Benedictine students and alumni who are accepted to IWP’s M.A. programs will receive guaranteed scholarships of $2,200 per semester, in addition to any merit-based scholarships already available to general applicants. This partnership scholarship only requires part-time enrollment, allowing each recipient to get a jump start on their professional careers.
Other benefits to Benedictine students include reserved placements in IWP’s internship program and the opportunity to apply for early admission to IWP’s graduate programs.
To aid in the growth of our partnership, Benedictine has been advertising these opportunities to its students and alumni to ensure they are able to take full advantage. The two schools also plan to arrange for student group visits and faculty lecture exchanges.
Several students from Benedictine have already studied at IWP: Joe Humphrey, Lucas Miller, Christiana Reasor, David Maxwell, and Baris Ersoy.
Baris, who graduated from IWP in December 2016, commented: “As a graduate of Benedictine College and The Institute of World Politics, I can confidently say that both institutions were founded on the same premise: that there exist moral truths and that there are values worth fighting for. Benedictine College taught me that moral value systems and the practice of statecraft are intertwined. The IWP taught me how different instruments of statecraft can be used in concert, and that idealism and realism must be balanced by prudence. As an immigrant who views America as the last, best hope for humankind, I chose Benedictine College and IWP precisely for their institutional focus on the moral and the philosophical aspects of American statecraft. As an aspiring public servant, the lessons I have learned from these two great institutions will always inform my worldview and guide my decision-making.”
Benedictine graduate David Maxwell (IWP ’15), who is currently working as an analyst for the Department of Defense, said: “My decision to attend IWP was directly influenced by my experience at Benedictine College. Two of the best things Benedictine has to offer is a core curriculum rooted in the Western tradition, as well as a strong community of purpose driven students. When I told my academic advisor that I was interested in a career in National security, she immediately recommended IWP as a place that would enhance my education at Benedictine. IWP’s core curriculum and its emphasis on viewing current affairs through the lens of the Western philosophical tradition, as well as its small and close-knit student body, embodied both of the things that had made my experience at Benedictine College so formative. My education at Benedictine was an excellent preparation for IWP, giving me the grounding to appreciate IWP’s rigorous core curriculum and to get the most out of it. At Benedictine, regardless of your major, you will learn the foundations of the ideas that shape our civilization. At IWP, you learn how those ideas can, do, and should shape foreign policy in practical terms from top-notch scholar-practitioners. Both schools played and indispensable role in preparing me for my career in national security, and I’ve consistently found that the students I know who have attended both schools have all done very well in their careers in this field.”
IWP Vice President for Graduate Recruitment Tim Stebbins commented: “IWP is thrilled to be a part of this partnership with Benedictine College. IWP’s central mission of educating the next generation of leadership in intelligence, diplomacy, and national security is greatly strengthened by this endeavor, as is our mutual commitment to American values and their defense. Thanks to this, Benedictine alumni are now able to take better advantage of the unique education offered by IWP.”