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Over the weekend of February 21–23, 29 undergraduates interested in the field of international security gathered for the second Public Service Weekend hosted by the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University in partnership with the nonprofit Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Program. The inaugural Public Service Weekend took place in 2023 and focused on policy communications.
This year’s attendees—sophomores, juniors, and seniors—who represented 24 different universities across 15 states and Puerto Rico, engaged in an agenda packed with distinguished speakers, workshops, and discussions centered around the weekend’s theme of international security. The programming is typical of the world-class research, scholarship, and creative work taking place at George Mason that is recognized across the nation and around the world.
Friday evening’s program began with a welcome from Mark J. Rozell, dean of the Schar School, and Leigh Morris Sloane, member of PPIA’s Executive Board and managing director of the Institute for Strategic Studies. Ellen Laipson, a Schar School professor, director of the Master of International Security program, and director of the Center for Security Policy Studies (CSPS), gave remarks about the importance of diplomacy in promoting international security. She then introduced the weekend’s keynote speaker, former U.S. Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley.
Abercrombie-Winstanley shared stories about her time in the U.S. Foreign Service, including being assigned to a large embassy in Cairo and being the first woman to serve as general consul in Saudi Arabia. She encouraged students to pursue public service, a vocation she relished.
“Being a diplomat is the best job in the world,” she said. “I did it for over 30 years and you can see my excitement even now. The ability to travel the globe and meet new people and form relationships is incredible.”
Clarissa Schwarz, an international security and law major at the Schar School, was impressed by the ambassador’s anecdotes and experience.
“The way she used subtle and strategic diplomacy to pave the way for integrating women in business and government was astounding,” she said. “She described a particular yearly conference starting with total segregation of men and women in different rooms, to women being in the room but segregated by partitions, to a fully integrated conference room. Her accomplishments amazed me.”
The next morning, students interacted with numerous members of the Schar School faculty, including Professor Laipson; Adjunct Professors Ben Fernandes (a 2020 graduate of the Schar School's public policy PhD program), Lee Roberts (a 2022 graduate of the Schar School's political science PhD program), and James Danoy; and Assistant Professors J. Luis Rodriguez, Philip Martin, and Ketian Zhang.
Leading off the day’s sessions, Fernandes, a U.S. Army colonel and former director of defense policy and strategy at the National Security Council, talked about the role of the military in diplomacy, the strategic use of force and military intelligence, and the ongoing need for good civil servants in government.
“It is really important to have nonpolitical, nonpartisan, civil servants who are just there to do the mission in the way that will bring the most benefit to the United States,” he said. “If you were to go back and look at why nations succeed and fail, I would argue that civil bureaucracies are what make good governments function. If you’re interested in civil service, there is no better time.”
Later in the morning, students in participated in a rapid-paced crisis simulation led by Roberts, a U.S. Army Strategic Intelligence Officer currently serving in the Joint Staff. He also serves as the crisis simulation faculty lead for the CSPS. Students were assigned to roles in different U.S. government entities and worked together to quickly come up with recommendations for the president based on a scenario involving possible Russian missiles in Venezuela.
“We don't want to see you making the same mistake twice,” Roberts said. After the first simulation led to unintended consequences, students heard feedback on their decisions and proceeded to round two.
“I am pleased to see you all making new mistakes,” Roberts assessed after the second round.
Mackenzie Woodhead, a senior economics major at Arizona State University, acted as a Department of Homeland Security liaison to the Department of Justice and as a member of an interagency working group during the simulation. She found the exercise challenging but rewarding.
“In fast-paced rounds of decision-making, I provided policy recommendations and worked with peers to reach an understanding of an evolving situation,” she said. “This simulation was a great opportunity to foster my ability to make choices under pressure and navigate complex trade-offs.”
For Karam Zein, a third-year student at the University of Virginia majoring in political philosophy, policy and law, the simulation was the highlight of the weekend.
“Having the ability to make calls to other foreign leaders and nations added to the simulation,” he said. “Also, having different roles within an agency was very interesting. It being fast-paced was also very fun and forced the participants to practice being concise.”
During lunchtime, students sat with faculty members to discuss topics including the Middle East, modern wars in Africa, migration and the Global South, and competition between China and the United States.
The afternoon session featured Danoy, the former daily intelligence briefer to President Barack Obama, who spoke about how to communicate security policy effectively. He talked extensively about the need to weigh information and sources carefully as well as the importance of building a rapport with leaders and being aware of what they already know so you don’t waste their time. He also emphasized personal and professional integrity and their worth.
“I don't know why I was picked to be the president's personal briefer, but I do believe it came down to values and integrity,” he said. “As an intelligence officer, you have to be willing to speak truth to power. You have to be able to tell it like it is. The role of the intelligence officer is to be objective and to provide objective assessments. You need to be as free from bias as humanly possible. You have to tell them the true situation whether you like it or not, whether they like it or not.”
Chinnu George, a junior political science major at Temple University, appreciated the opportunity to hear from leaders like Danoy who shared insights on pressing security issues and the changing landscape of international affairs.
“It was a remarkable experience to listen and learn from experts in intelligence and international and global security,” she said. “Their diverse experiences in these fields provided valuable insights on the challenges we face in global security today, from emerging threats to the dynamics of international cooperation.”
By the end of the weekend, students felt energized by all they had absorbed over the past two days.
“I'm hoping to take what I learned here back to my job, my internship, develop myself professionally and use it in real time,” said Yuliana Acuna, a junior studying international relations and Spanish at New York University.
“There is always more to be learned, even when you might think you are very informed about a topic or region,” said Zein.
The Public Service Weekend is just one way that the Schar School is investing in educating the next generation of public policy and international security leaders.
Interested in joining us? Learn more about the Schar School’s extensive programs, including the Master of International Security.