Scott Cullinane (’12) is teaching a course in International Relations & Development for The School of The New York Times as a part of a two-week summer program for high school students.
The program, which is primarily journalism-focused, attracts high-performing students. Scott is teaching for two sessions of the program, back-to-back in July.
This is the third year that he has taught this course, but it is the first year that the program has been held in person again following the Covid pandemic. This summer, the program is hosted at the Georgetown University campus.
Scott’s work experience – including seven years working with the U.S. Congress, serving as an election observer with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and working as Executive Director of the US-Europe Alliance – is reflected in his teaching. In his course, he covers the people, policies, and processes having to do with international relations and development. He brings in guest speakers, including from organizations like the State Department, the Intelligence Community, and USAID to describe to the students how international relations works in practice, not just in theory. Scott ensures that the students hear about the unique way that Washington approaches international issues.
Scott’s IWP experience has inspired him to help his students focus on how to write for policymakers, which is different from academic writing. “That was a skillset that I was first introduced to and learned at IWP and used in my career in D.C.,” said Scott.
After some intense study in the classroom during the first week of the program, Scott uses the second week to incorporate site visits to such places as Capitol Hill, the office of the United Nations, and a foreign embassy. The students are given the opportunity to see what the “real” D.C. looks like, as opposed to what they may have seen in fictionalized shows.
“The students are eager to participate and learn from this program,” said Scott. “It’s a fun experience to teach them.”