The Study of U.S. Institutes (SUSI) brings over 100 emerging international leaders from more than 20 countries to the U.S. for an immersive education program that spans several weeks. SUSI focuses on five global themes: civic engagement, economic development, religious freedom, closing the skills gap and public service. Once they’ve selected a theme to study, students are sent to one of five colleges, which included Bard College, the University of Massachusetts, Temple University, the University of Washington and the University of Nevada. The program culminated in Washington, D.C. with a symposium that allowed students to showcase all they had...

The U.S. Congress – Republic of Korea National Assembly Exchange Program is a unique program designed to broaden the perspectives of Korean and American young people on the legislative process, the history of U.S.–Korean relations and current economic, political and security aspects of the bilateral relationship. The program also provides the U.S. and Korean participants with firsthand experience of each other’s people and culture, and creates opportunities for participants to form long-lasting personal contacts. The following was written by Corbin Cerny, a participant of the program. South Korea remains an obscure place in the American mindset. Despite the many cases of...

The U.S. Congress – Republic of Korea National Assembly Exchange Program is a unique program designed to broaden the perspectives of Korean and American young people on the legislative process, the history of U.S.–Korean relations and current economic, political and security aspects of the bilateral relationship. The program also provides the U.S. and Korean participants with firsthand experience of each other’s people and culture, and creates opportunities for participants to form long-lasting personal contacts. The following was written by Leah Castleberry, a participant of the program. It was truly an honor to be selected as a member of the...

Hey there, we’re happy to see you. Maybe it’s your first time here, maybe you tune in every week; regardless- you’re here for some international affairs updates, and we have those for you. Let’s jump in. Foreign diplomats brace for Trump 2020 win Publication: POLITICO | By Nahal Toosi Here’s the scoop: Trump’s win in 2016 shook up U.S. foreign relations in a big way, and the expectation that he’ll win again could affect how allies and adversaries continue to approach negotiations with the U.S. Foreign diplomats are still feeling burned after assuming Donald Trump would lose in 2016...

Hey there, Meridian Readers! It’s the start of a new week, which means it’s time to catch up on all the happenings of the diplomatic community so you’re ready for any conversation that comes your way. Let’s dive in to this week’s #MeridianReads… Leaks are changing how diplomats talk Publication: The Atlantic | By Tom McTague and Prashant Rao With the Darroch scandal, WikiLeaks and the era of cyberwarfare, many diplomats have voiced concern that they are just one disgruntled colleague or successful hack away from the premature end of their careers. To avoid professional and personal destruction, several...