Reflection

 The opportunity to be a cohort in the Atlantis program played a pivotal role in my graduate decision.  Having had the opportunity to live and work abroad in China, I really appreciated the opportunity to gain both an American and European perspective on Trans-Atlantic security issues.  I hope that as the program develops it will help me to better understand European society and will help me to develop a new way of approaching United States and European Security Issues.  I look forward to developing new working relationships, friendships and having the opportunity to explore Europe! 

2011-2013 Students

Top Row (left to right): Lindsey Spector, Emese Bӧrӧcz, Shannon Rosenberg, Karen Auble.

Bottom Row (left to right): John Rastler, Meghan Boesch, Dan Stratila.

Not Pictured: Jiayi Zhou.

Undergraduate Information:
BA English
The College of Wooster 2001

Recent Employment:
Nonprofit Health and Social Service Organizations in Cleveland, Ohio (Development Officer)

Areas of Interest:
NonProfit/Non-Governmental Organizations, Health and Development

Other Information:
Peace Corps Botswana (Technical Advisor, HIV/AIDS Capacity Building Project)

Reflection
After being in the workforce for a decade, I wanted a graduate program that would satisfy my desire to gain useful management tools and understand social issues in a sophisticated way. I hadn’t had much in the way of rigorous analytical training prior to Maxwell, and I’m definitely getting a good foundation in that here. I look forward to applying what I’ve learned in the MPA program to the additional research opportunities that the European MA program affords in social policy and development. As part of the first Atlantis cohort to go through Maxwell, Hertie and ISS, I also appreciate that we serve a unique role, helping to shape the program and add value for future students.

Meghan Boesch

Undergraduate Information:
BA Political Science
University of Massachusetts at Amherst 2011

Recent Employment:
UMASS Qualitative Data Analysis Program (Research Assistant)

International Relations Concentrations:
  • Global Development (Proposed Major)
  • Negotiation Conflict Resolution (Proposed Minor)
  • Africa (Proposed Regional Focus)

Other Information:
My time at Maxwell will be spent in preparation for a career in conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction in sub-Saharan Africa. I hope to devise and implement new ways of preserving the fragile political and economic gains made in war torn or chronically unstable nations. My academic interests include “failed” states, “dependent” economies, Dutch disease, AFRICOM, AGOA, the costs and benefits of utilizing regional trade agreements to increase bargaining power on the international market, the growing East Asian influence in the sub-Saharan Africa, the role of multinational corporations in developing nations, the impact of Western agricultural subsidies on developing economies, and small arms proliferation. The ongoing conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Somalia, and the Niger Delta are of particular interest to me. I dream that the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia will find peace and stability in my lifetime, and I hope to work with the United Nations Development Programme’s Crisis Prevention and Recovery Unit towards that end.

Reflection
I am thrilled to be one of the first students at Maxwell who will benefit from all the Atlantis program has to offer. As an undergraduate political science major at the University of Massachusetts, many of my professors spoke highly of the development studies programs at both the Hertie School in Berlin and the Institute of Social Studies in Rotterdam. Though I had the opportunity to attend ISS's world-renowned development studies program, I ultimately chose to earn my MA in International Relations at the Maxwell School. I now know that I made the right choice; I will earn two degrees at three of the best graduate schools in the world. I am more than confident that the collective education I receive at Maxwell, Hertie, and ISS will prepare me for a career in international development. Best yet, the Atlantis program's faculty and staff have been tireless in their efforts to tailor the Atlantis program to my unique professional interests. I look forward to spending a challenging and memorable year abroad in Europe!

Shannon Rosenberg

Reflection
Adding an international component to my graduate study will strengthen my professional networks and give me a competitive edge in my future career. The Atlantis Program also allows me to complement the practical skillsets of my Masters in Public Administration with the theory and perspective of a Masters in International Development Strategies. Many thanks are due to the fantastic Maxwell and European staff who have worked with us through this process. I look forward to next year's adventures with my Atlantis cohort!

Lindsey Spector

Undergraduate Information:
BA International Studies and Political Science, Minors: German, Spanish, History, Pre-Law
Nazareth College 2011

International Relations Concentrations:
  • International and Transnational Organizations (Proposed Major)
  • Global Development (Proposed Minor)
  • Europe (Proposed Regional Focus)  

Other Information:
Trans-Atlantic cooperation, non-governmental organizations, and multiculturalism.

Reflection
The Atlantis program is a perfect fit for me because it allows me to pursue graduate degrees in the United States and in Europe, my geographic area of interest, while helping me to further my German language study.  So far, I have enjoyed getting to know the other students in the program and appreciate how flexible the program is in accommodating all of our diverse interests.  I am grateful to the Atlantis Faculty for their assistance in finding a summer internship in London.  I have also enjoyed developing my German language skills with the other students.

Jiayi Zhou  

Undergraduate Information:
BA History
Berkeley

International Relations Concentrations:
  • Global Security (Proposed Major)

Reflection
The Atlantis program is a great opportunity to study public policy from a non-US perspective. I especially like how this program integrates development and security aspects, for understanding broader US-EU policies towards the rest of the world. While I originally worried that the program might not allow for more targeted focuses, the Master's thesis requirement, as well as the access to different professors at three universities, allow ample opportunity for us to specialize and conduct our own research. So far, everyone involved in the program has been extremely helpful and kind, and I'm very happy to be a part of the inaugural cohort.

John Rastler 

Undergraduate Information:
BA Political Science
University of Oregon 2005

International Relations Concentrations:
  • Foreign Policy (Proposed Major)
  • Global Security (Proposed Minor)
  • Europe (Proposed Regional Focus)

Other Information:
Western European Politics; Political Economy; Non-state nationalism; Political Culture; Sports and Politics

Reflection
The Atlantis program presents a great opportunity to deepen my understanding of transatlantic issues, familiarize myself with development topics, and gain skills in public management.  My academic interests include transatlantic security, political economy of the developed world, renewable energy and environmental policy, and comparative parties and political systems.  Through the Atlantis program, I aim to become a savvy and well-rounded foreign affairs professional who can work effectively in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.  I look forward to meeting the faculty and students at the Hertie School of Governance and the International Institute of Social Studies.

Emese Böröcz 

Undergraduate Information:
BA in International Studies at Corvinus University with a focus on European Integration (2011)

International Relations Concentrations:
  • Negotiation, Conflict Resolution (Proposed Major)
  • Global Markets (Proposed Minor)
  • Europe (Proposed Regional Focus)

Recent Employment:
Assistant Director of the Common Sense Society Budapest

Other Information:
Emese has studied abroad in Switzerland and interned at the US Desk in the Foreign Ministry of Hungary.  She is an accomplished bridge player and enjoys skiing.

Reflection
When I first applied to the Hertie School in Berlin, I didn’t know about the Atlantis Program, but at the last minute this exceptional opportunity presented itself. I couldn’t have found a better combination of universities, since I always wanted to experience American higher education and wanted to live in Germany after the eight years I’ve spent at a German high school in Budapest. I appreciate the content and form of this program which enables great opportunities for academic development, networking in three countries and a competitive dual degree at the end. It’s also reassuring to have seven other fellows who will experience the frequent relocation with me and we’ll hopefully create a very coherent first group of Atlantis students after all!

Dan Stratila 

Undergraduate Information:
BA Political Science
Universitatea Babes Bolyai / WWU Münster 2011

International Relations Concentrations:
  • Global Security (Proposed Major)
  • Global Development (Proposed Minor)
  • Europe (Proposed Regional Focus)

Other Information:
International security after 1989 and 9/11. Eastern European integration into the transforming global security environment.

Reflection
Participating in the Atlantis program was my first choice when I applied for several MA programs in early 2011. It was my first choice mainly because it offers a study experience in the United States. Studying in the U.S. is not only a great experience because of high quality education but as a scholar of international relations it seemed also highly important to me to gain a profound insight into the most powerful nation on the planet. Moreover my area of focus is international security with an emphasis on the European role. Thus the program offers exactly what I was looking for due to two additional European semesters at top institutions.