M.A. candidate Lisa Sorush has been awarded the Madeleine Albright Scholarship, part of the prestigious Great Statesman Scholarship program at IWP.
Lisa Sorush is a conflict analyst specializing in South and Central Asia, with a particular focus on Afghanistan. She serves as an assistant professor at Women Online University and is also an advocate, author, and writer. Her work has been featured in several publications, including the Foreign Service Journal. Lisa is fluent in Farsi/Dari and Pashto and has a working knowledge of Urdu and Arabic.
She is currently pursuing an Executive M.A. in National Security Affairs at The Institute of World Politics. She also holds an M.S. in Conflict Management from the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego and a B.A. in Political Science from California State University, Fullerton.
After graduation, Lisa hopes to serve in foreign service or national security, applying her academic training and personal experience to global peace and security challenges.
She commented:
I am deeply honored to receive the Madeleine Albright Great Statesman Scholarship, made possible by the generous support of The Jackman Family. Your contribution not only alleviates a significant financial burden but also enables me to fully focus on my education and professional development, while also spending meaningful time with my family. I am sincerely and profoundly grateful for your generosity.
As an Afghan woman who has lived through war and displacement, I know firsthand how forces beyond our control can disrupt lives and derail dreams. While Afghanistan continues to draw global attention, those of us working in the fields of conflict and security understand that uncertainty is often part of the journey. Through my education, I am learning to adapt, persevere, and lead with resilience.
While I celebrate this scholarship, my heart remains with the countless girls in Afghanistan—many with dreams even greater than mine—who are now barred from higher education and stripped of opportunity. They have not stayed silent. They continue to fight for their rights and seek allies who believe in them. I draw strength from their courage and urge you to continue doing the same.
As students, we face many challenges, especially when it comes to securing the resources needed to succeed. But we are also deeply fortunate. We are acquiring the knowledge, skills, and networks necessary to promote peace and security worldwide. Please continue to invest in students like me. We promise to turn this opportunity into action in defense of our homelands and in service to global security, no matter the obstacles ahead.
A very special thank you to The Jackman Family for their generous donation to empower the next generation of students in public service and leadership.
More information on The Great Statesman Scholarship program may be found here.
