School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University

The World Bank Group’s 2026 Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics (ABCDE), focused on “Jobs for the Next Generation,” will take place June 16-17 in Washington, DC.

This year’s program features Georgetown experts including SFS Dean Joel Hellman, Professors Steve Radelet, Charles Udomsaph and Thomas Banchoff, as well as Lisa Singh, director of the Massive Data Institute (MDI) in the McCourt School of Public Policy - Georgetown University.

Learn more about the conference: https://bit.ly/4vgL0QA

As AI reshapes the job market, Georgetown is expanding coursework and resources to help students develop both technical expertise and the ethical leadership skills needed to navigate its impact. Sabrina Gomez (SFS’27), a science, technology and international affairs major, has explored the intersection of AI, policy and ethics through courses examining issues such as bias, fairness and the use of AI in healthcare, criminal justice and national security.

Read more:

How Georgetown Is Preparing Students to be Leaders in AI - Georgetown University Through new programs, dedicated courses and faculty experts, Georgetown is preparing students to be ethical, human-centric AI leaders.

is in full swing! ☀️

On this (Georgetown University) we’re spotlighting students from the “Japan in Korea, Korea in Japan” Centennial Lab.

Last month, SFS Professor Christine Kim led students through both South Korea and Japan to examine the social, cultural and political history of their bilateral relations. The group visited various historical sites, including the island of Tsushima, a vital link between the two nations often called “ground zero” for their shared history.

Amanda Bell (SFS’28), a culture and politics major at SFS, was drawn to the course to study historical memory and colonial narratives. She valued examining how Korea and Japan’s past is depicted through museums and monuments in both nations.

“It’s one thing to read about history in articles and books. It’s a completely different thing to visit sites of historical importance and investigate what is said—and, more importantly, what is not said—about the key events that brought us to where we are today,” Bell says.

Happy , Hoyas! 🌏🌱☀️ Since 1973, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has recognized June 5 as a day of celebration to encourage awareness and action for the protection of the planet.

Revisit our Q&A on environmental policy with SFS Professor Marcus King, director of the Master of Science in Environment and International Affairs program (The Earth Commons). King discusses current U.S. environmental policy, the shift to renewables and the green movement’s evolution.

Read more:

Five questions about environmental policy for Earth Day | School of Foreign Service | Georgetown SFS Professor Marcus King answers questions about environmental policy for Earth Day.

Happy Pride Month, Hoyas! 🏳️‍🌈 SFS is proud to celebrate the achievements, history and impact of our LGBTQIA+ community members here at Georgetown and across the globe.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3MzmIwg

This weekend, Georgetown Alumni are making their way back to the Hilltop to celebrate 2026!

Last night, SFS hosted a reception in the Intercultural Center Galleria, where alumni and families got a chance to catch up and stroll down memory lane. SFS Dean Joel Hellman welcomed guests and thanked them for their continued support of the next generation of SFS.

We hope you enjoyed your time back and hope to see you again soon!

Here’s how some of our programs celebrated commencement this year 🎓✨

🇩🇪 Students, faculty and families in the Master of Arts in European Studies (MAES) gathered for a celebration at the German Embassy, hosted by German Deputy Chief of Mission Martin Thümmel. Other speakers included Dean Hellman, BMW Center for German and European Studies (CGES) Director Abraham Newman, MAES Director Eric Langenbacher and student speaker Jessica Hofmann (MAES’26).

♀️ The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) celebrated its new Gender, Peace and Security certificate alumni at the Mortara Center. To honor the graduates, GIWPS hosted a luncheon featuring remarks from Dean Joel Hellman; Ambassador Melanne Verveer, GIWPS executive director); Dr. Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana, and SFS Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Carla Koppell, GIWPS managing director.

🇮🇩 The second cohort of the Master in Diplomacy and International Affairs (MDIA) program, comprising twenty-nine students, completed their nine-month intensive degree in DC. They became the first MDIA class to join the Georgetown SFS Graduate Commencement ceremony. Earlier that week, the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy honored them at DACOR Bacon House, featuring remarks by Indonesian Ambassador Indroyono Soesilo.

🌍 Congratulations to the first graduating cohort of the Master of Arts in Migration and Refugees (MIMR) program! (Institute for the Study of International Migration)

Cheers to !

📸 Slide 1: Photo by Paul Sherman

Still reminiscing about commencement? So are we!

to SFS Dean Joel Hellman’s remarks at this year’s commencement ceremonies. Along with offering congratulations to the graduates, Dean Hellman underscored the importance of fostering empathy and understanding for the diverse global perspectives and cultures essential to addressing the world's most pressing challenges.

“This mission has now become your mission, and inspired by that mission, you give us all hope that we can get to a world where cooperation transcends borders, where justice tempers power, where evidence guides policy, and where human dignity is universal,” he said.

Watch here on our YouTube:

Dean Joel Hellman's 2026 Commencement Remarks | Georgetown School of Foreign Service The School of Foreign Service, the oldest school of international a...

SFS joins the Georgetown University community this in remembering and honoring those who gave their lives for our country. 🇺🇸

Today and every day, we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 🇺🇸

Congratulations to Anya Wahal (SFS’23) who has been awarded the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship, a prestigious graduate program at Stanford University that prepares students for global leadership. 🎉

Wahal joins five other Hoyas named Knight-Hennessy Scholars in recent years, including last year’s recipient Elena Sapelyuk (SFS’23). Since her first year at Georgetown, she has focused her research on water policy and its impact on vulnerable communities with limited access to clean water. At Stanford, she will pursue a J.D. and Ph.D. in water policy, continuing the work to bridge the gap between policymakers and the communities they serve.

Read more:

Alumna and Water Policy Researcher Wins Knight-Hennessy Scholarship - Georgetown University Anya Wahal (SFS'23) will pursue a law degree and Ph.D. in water policy as part of the prestigious scholarship program that prepares students for international leadership.