International Relations Online at American University

We were honored to welcome His Excellency Ambassador Koy Kuong of the Royal Embassy of Cambodia, Washington DC and members of his team to American University's School of International Service. Ambassador Piper Campbell, Chair for the Department of Foreign Policy and Global Security; Dr. Claudia Hofmann, Executive Director for Online and Executive Programs; and members of our admissions team, Rebecca Coughlin and Claudia C. Blount, joined the conversation, which centered on academic opportunities for diplomats, as well as the Embassy's upcoming preparations for ASEAN Day in August 2026. We look forward to continue building on this relationship!

When MAIR student Mariana Perdomo Puente published an essay on Venezuela's 2014 protests through Criollistán, her advocacy blog, she didn't expect her professor to read it. He did — and reached out to ask if her work could be featured.

We asked Mariana about her advocacy work outside the classroom and what graduate school has added to work she was already doing — and asked Professor Dengler what he found when he read her essay.

How One MAIR Student’s Advocacy Work Found an Audience at SIS, Starting With Her Professor Advocacy work outside the classroom and SIS faculty connections with online students.

Congratulations MAIR and MIS Spring 2026 graduates!

Public Service Appreciation Week is here!

SIS IR Online Programs is offering a 50% tuition scholarship to eligible applicants who COMPLETE their application THIS WEEK for an upcoming MAIR or MIS Online cohort. Get admitted, and you’re automatically considered. No extra steps. APPLY THIS WEEK! 🔗ironline.american.edu

If you’ve spent your career in government, military service, nonprofits, diplomacy, international development, or public policy — these programs were built with you in mind.

Public Service Appreciation Week is here!

SIS IR Online Programs is offering a 50% tuition scholarship to eligible applicants who COMPLETE their application THIS WEEK for an upcoming MAIR or MIS Online cohort. Get admitted, and you're automatically considered. No extra steps.

If you've spent your career in government, military service, nonprofits, diplomacy, international development, or public policy — these programs were built with you in mind.

🔗 APPLY THIS WEEK! https://ironline.american.edu/

Ambassador Piper Campbell joins the SIS Online and Executive Programs Speaker Series this May!

Ambassador Campbell has worked across Southeast Asia, conflict environments, and senior diplomatic roles. She'll be talking about what foreign policy actually looks like in practice — negotiation under pressure, crisis response, interagency coordination, and the day-to-day realities of representing the United States abroad.

We hope you can join us!

Tuesday, May 20 | 1:00–2:00 PM ET | Zoom (Virtual event only)
REGISTER HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/diplomacy-in-practice-negotiation-crisis-management-us-foreign-policy-tickets-1987519424100?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

This event also marks the launch of our new Security & Foreign Policy concentration, available this fall in the MAIR and MIS programs.

Read more: https://www.american.edu/sis/departments/online-and-executive-programs/new-security-foreign-policy-concentration.cfm

Diplomacy in Practice: Negotiation, Crisis Management, & US Foreign Policy Ambassador Piper Campbell draws on her experience across Southeast Asia, conflict environments, and senior diplomatic roles.

Congratulations to Professor Alessandra Zielinski on receiving American University's 2026 Outstanding Teaching in an Adjunct Appointment Award!

This award recognizes adjunct faculty who bring originality and innovation to their teaching — and who bring the weight of significant professional experience into the classroom alongside it. Prof. Zielinski has done exactly that for SIS students, and this recognition is well earned.

Please join us in celebrating her! 👏



See complete list of the 2026 University Faculty Award Recipients: https://www.american.edu/provost/communications/april-1-2026.cfm

🇺🇸 Celebrating America's 250th Anniversary

SIS IR Online is launching the 250 Years – Public Service Award — a 25% tuition scholarship available to incoming MAIR and MIS online students who have a background in public service. Available for Summer 2026 and Fall 2026 enrollment.

Whether you've served in the military, worked in government, are a first responder, or dedicated your career to nonprofit or civil society work — we want to invest in you.

📋 Eligible backgrounds include:

— Military service (active duty, reserve, National Guard, veterans, spouses & dependents)
— Federal, state, or local government
— AmeriCorps or Peace Corps
— Nonprofit & NGO work
— First responders
— Community & public service

👉 Reach out to our admissions team: [email protected]

Learn about the programs: https://ironline.american.edu/

📣 You're invited to the next session in our Spring 2026 Speaker Series!

THE ARCTIC IS MOVING TO THE CENTER OF GLOBAL SECURITY — but how much do we really understand about what's happening there?

This session offers a rare chance to go beyond the headlines with someone who spent over three decades operating in the region. From the key players shaping Arctic affairs to the extreme conditions that define what's actually possible, you'll walk away with a clearer, more grounded understanding of one of the world's most strategically important spaces.

We hope you can join us!

🗓 EVENT DETAILS

🎙 Guest Speaker: Matthew T. Bell, Jr., Rear Admiral, USCG (Ret.), Dean of the School of Arctic Security Studies, Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, Department of Defense

📅 Date: Thursday, April 2, 2026

🕛 Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM ET

👉 Register: https://bit.ly/2026_SISOnline_SpringSpeakerSeries