International Affairs

EWU McNair Scholar Malachi Chukwu Accepted to Washington State University PhD Program

02/23/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Malachi Chukwu Graduate School Acceptances 2021 WSU

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Malachi Chukwu! Malachi has been accepted by the Political Science PhD Program at Washington State University with full funding. Malachi Chukwu is an International Affairs and Political Science major at Eastern Washington University with an emphasis on global security. He is interested in researching the effects of development on Sub-Saharan Africa, the connections between development, environmental degradation, and conflict in this region, and potential policy and implementation solutions.

Malachi completed his 2019 summer research Economic development in the Global South: A case study of Niger Delta, Nigeria under the mentorship of Dr. Majid Sharifi. Malachi presented a poster of his research at the 2020 EWU online Symposium. In 2020, Malachi participated in the Laney Graduate School Summer Opportunity for Academic Research (LGS-SOAR) Program at Emory University under the mentorship of Dr. Emily Gade at the Oppressions and Resistance Lab. Alongside other students he numerically coded recently declassified data to understand activities between state actors and non-state actors during the Troubles in Northern Ireland from 1971-1973.

The EWU McNair staff are so excited for Malachi and we know he'll do amazing things at whichever program he decides to attend! Click here to read more about Malachi or his research.

EWU McNair Scholar Gloria Bravo Awarded Jeffers Chertok Memorial Scholarship

06/11/2020 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Gloria Bravo Scholarship Announcements 2020

Congratulations EWU McNair Scholar Gloria Bravo! Gloria was nominated by her departments and has been selected by the College of Social Sciences to receive the Jeffers Chertok Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is in honor the life of Dr. Jeffers W. Chertok, who worked at EWU for more than 34 years and left a legacy of scholarship, generosity, and genuine care at the university and beyond. Gloria is majoring in International Affairs with a socio-economic concentration, while also minoring in Chicano Studies and Spanish. Gloria’s research is centered on the United States' hegemonic role within the Western Hemisphere, particularly how US foreign policy impacts Latin American and Caribbean nations as well as the region. Gloria has received the honor of presenting her work at the Pacific Northwest Political Science Association Conference, The Student Research and Creative Works Symposium at Eastern Washington University (2019), and the Venezuelan Crisis Panel: Coup d'état or Libertad, as a Student Panelist at EWU. She also presented "Economic Sanctions Reproduce State Sponsored Repression, Human Rights Violations and Violence: A Case Study of Venezuela" at this year's EWU Virtual Symposium (2020) and was the Director of Elections for EWU’s student government in 2019-20.

We're so proud of Gloria and excited to see her hard work recognized!

EWU McNair Scholars Continue Summer Research Despite COVID-19

06/11/2020 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Summer Research Continues Despite COVID-19

Soon after the shelter in place began in Washington state, EWU McNair started hearing reports from our colleagues that summer research internships were being cancelled across the country. We cringed knowing that several of our students had received prestigious summer research internships or were still waiting to hear back from those they'd applied to. Fortunately, through innovation and flexibility, all of our EWU McNair Scholars will be able to engage in summer research!

EWU McNair Scholar Malachi Chukwu was accepted by Laney Graduate School Summer Opportunity for Academic Research (LGS-SOAR) Program at Emory University. EWU McNair Scholar Wendolyn Martinez was accepted into the Junior Summer Institute in Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) at the University of Michigan. Both will both do virtual research internships at these institutions this summer! In addition, new McNair Scholar Aulane Mplouli was accepted into the Ohio State University (OSU) research internship, which was cancelled due to COVID-19; however, she was invited to a summer webinar series by OSU to help prepare her for graduate school. She will also complete a summer research internship at EWU. In addition 16 other EWU McNair Scholars (new and continuing) will participate in the EWU McNair Summer Research Internship through online learning and coaching.

EWU McNair is grateful to all of the professors willing to continue to mentor students and support them through their summer research internship despite these harrowing times. Mentors for the summer of 2020-2021 include: Dr. Rebecca Brown, Dr. Brian Buchanan, Dr. Judd Case, Dr. Kevin Decker, Dr. Edwin Elias, Dr. Yao Houndonougbo, Dr. Camille McNeely, Dr. Gina Mikel Petrie, Dr. Susan Ruby, Dr. Jillene Seiver, Dr. Majid Sharifi, Dr. Lindsey Upton, Dr. Michael Winer, and Dr. Aryn Ziehnert. Check out our Spring Gathering page to learn more about our scholars and mentors!

Gloria D. Bravo selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship

05/26/2020 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Photo of Gloria Bravo next to text congratulating her with red textured border.

Congratulations Eastern Washington University student Gloria D. Bravo! Gloria has been selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and awarded a summer research internship. McNair Scholars must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and are first generation college students and low-income and/or underrepresented students. They are selected for their promise as scholars and commitment towards attaining a PhD.

Originally from Brewster, WA, Gloria obtained her Associates of Arts and Sciences from Wenatchee Valley Community College before transferring to EWU. She is majoring in International Affairs with a socio-economic concentration, while also minoring in Chicano Studies and Spanish. Gloria’s research is centered on the United States' hegemonic role within the Western Hemisphere, particularly how US foreign policy impacts Latin American and Caribbean nations as well as the region. Primarily utilizing a constructivist approach, she analyzes US diplomatic, economic and military tactics used to advance the region’s peace and security, or lack thereof. By her junior year, Gloria completed two research projects: Understanding the Venezuelan Crisis within the Broader Context of US Intervention in Latin America and Reframing the Immigration Debate in the Era of Trump: Migrant Caravans from Central American Nations. As of Spring 2020, she is working on an ongoing third project: United States Economic Sanctions Reproduce State Sponsored Repression, Human Rights Violations and Violence: A Case Study of Venezuela.

Other research interests include: Pan-American migration crises, the deterioration of US asylum\refugee laws, the implications experienced in Latin\ Caribbean nations due to US neoliberal trade and economic policies, the US regime of sanctions directed toward non-compliant nation-states and other forms of coercive statecraft, the capturing of human rights movements by the neoliberal humanitarian industry, the threat of US militarism and its historical interventionist tendencies towards its southern neighbors, traditionally regarded as the US’s “backyard,” the increasingly military-grade securitization of the Southern US border and other forms of state inflicted violence on vulnerable populations, as well as transnational environmental policies that promote national self-determination centered on sustainable research and development. As an EWU McNair Scholar, in the summer of 2020 Gloria will work under the mentorship of Dr. Majid Sharifi to continue her research.

Gloria has received the honor of presenting her work at the Pacific Northwest Political Science Association Conference (November 2019), The Student Research and Creative Works Symposium at Eastern Washington University (May 2019), and the Venezuelan Crisis Panel: Coup d'état or Libertad, as a Student Panelist at EWU (May 2019). Her work has earned her a Certificate of Excellence in Research, Leadership & Creativity from the Political Science Department and International Affairs Program at EWU. She also was the Director of Elections for EWU’s student government in 2019-20.

We're so excited to have Gloria join us as a McNair Scholar!

EWU McNair Scholar Abdulrazik Mohamed Awarded Dean Jeffers W. Chertok Honored Student Award

05/20/2020 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Abdulrazik Mohamed! Abdu has been selected to receive the Dean Jeffers W. Chertok Honored Student Award for the College of Social Sciences, International Affairs. This award is presented to exceptional students who have shown a commitment to their education by demonstrating outstanding academic achievement with a minimum of a 3.75 GPA in their previous four quarters and through leadership and service to the community. Abdu is the founder and president of the International Affairs Community club at EWU. He is the Chapter Vice President for the National Society of Leadership and Success where he helps support new members and train them on leadership skills. Outside of school, Abdu works with refugee youth who do not have families or parents in the U.S. For the last three years he has helped teach them independent living skills they need to navigate the US such as homework, cooking, transportation, and job searching. In addition, he's volunteered for World Relief, Habitat for Humanity, and for the Mobile Food Bank.

Beyond his exceptional community involvement, Abdu is a brilliant, hard working scholar. He is a senior at EWU majoring in International Affairs. Throughout his time at Eastern, Abdu has received the Clarence and Elizabeth Wynia Scholarship, the Robert and Randi Neilson Scholarship, two EWU McNair Summer Research Internships, and the Excellent Student Leader Award from the Department of Political Science and International Affairs. He has also been invited to lecture in several classes on his research on Darfur, refugee resettlement, and life in refugee camps.

As a McNair Scholar, Abdu has committed to attaining a Ph.D. To prepare for this, he completed two summers of research internships at EWU under the mentorship of Dr. Dorothy Zeisler-Vralsted. Abdu's research focuses on the conflict in Darfur and perceptions of that conflict. He has presented his research at multiple conferences including the 8th Annual International Symposium on Women and Genocide in the 21st Century: The case for Darfur and the Black Doctoral Network Conference, where he received an honorable mention for his poster presentation. To read more about Abdu and his research check out his webpage on the McNair site.

Abdu has been accepted into the Masters in Global Governance, Politics, and Security at American University, the Masters in Peace and Justice Studies at San Diego University, the Masters of International Affairs program at Penn State University, and the International Relations PhD program at Florida International University with full funding. Penn State awarded Abdu a Director Scholarship providing significant funding for two years. Moreover, Abdu was selected for a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship, this provides funds to help cover institutional costs and a subsistence allowance, which Abdu can take to any university! Abdu plans to attend Florida International University in the fall of 2020.

McNair is so proud of Abdu and all of his hard work. We know he will have a continued powerful impact on academia and on the global community as he pursues a graduate education and beyond!

EWU McNair Scholar Abdulrazik Mohamed Accepted to PhD Program at FIU

05/18/2020 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Photo of Abdulrazik Mohamed next to text announcing his acceptance to grad school, red confetti in the background

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Abdulrazik Mohamed! Abdu has been accepted into the PhD Program in International Relations at Florida International University with full funding! Abdu has previously been accepted by 3 prior Masters Programs at San Diego University, American University, and Penn State where he also received funding. Abdu is a senior at Eastern Washington University majoring in International Affairs. To prepare for graduate school Abdu completed two summers of research internships through the EWU McNair Program with mentor Dr. Dorothy Zeisler-Vralsted researching the conflict in Darfur and perceptions of that conflict. He has also presented this research at conferences in 2018 and 2019. To read more about Abdu and his research, check out his page on the EWU McNair website.

We are so proud of Abdu and excited for his next steps towards attaining his PhD!