Atlantis

Ed Strong, UNICEF’s C4D Team

I was an intern for UNICEF for the spring semester in 2021.  I worked in the C4D team, which stands for Communication for Development.  More specifically, I was a member of a small team working on a USAID grant specifically for the incorporation of Social Sciences into Community Engagement (SS4CE).  The central focus was the incorporation of community engagement principles into UNICEF protocols for interaction with target communities.  That meant working with local actors, listening to community concerns, focusing on minority or underrepresented voices in the community, providing expertise and direction but also listening to ensure that community concerns are address rather than ignored.

My work was interesting and rewarding. I helped review results from a survey about the use of social science in community engagement which had been filled out by responders from academia, government positions, NGO’s, Civil Society’s, and UN organization.  I created graphs and charts to help visualize quantitative answers and provided analysis of qualitative responses. 

Ultimately, my main project with C4D was to help create a strategy for knowledge management (KM) for the department.  The UN has recently released a global strategy for KM covering from now to 2025.  My work was to create a plan to begin the process of bringing C4D into compliance with the global KM goals.  I built a base of KM resources and worked to develop the strategy and begin implementation.

Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree Program
The Maxwell School
The Hertie School of Governance

Madeleine Williams, UNCEF’s Public Partnerships Division

For my internship, I was fortunate enough to be offered a six-month fellowship with the UNICEF Public Partnerships Division (PPD) in their Africa, MENA, and South-South triangular Cooperation Team. The PPD works to strengthen UNICEF’s position as a partner of choice among governments and inter-governmental actors for children’s rights around the world.

Madeleine Williams

My work as an intern consisted of assisting in the development and implementation of advocacy engagement plans with African leaders from African Member States on education and nutrition. As well as financial analyses from Power Bi platform, social media strategizing, and supporting in any way that was needed. One project I was especially proud of being a part of was assisting in the Mental Health Webinar with the SSTC team. I was able to communicate professionally and effectively with higher ups and form the external invitation and graphic card that was sent out to all the permanent missions. The range of the work they have given me has been invaluable to learning and understanding diplomacy in an international sphere in the context of Africa.

This is how fund the atmosphere at UNICEF can be even in a remote setting.

Although I have been fully remote for the entire internship, the atmosphere within my all-but-one female work team has been inspiring, fulfilling, challenging, and engaging to work with. I not only would love to one day continue working with UNICEF, but this internship has solidified my interests in working at an NGO and has showed me the importance and impact of humanitarian action.

A zoom meeting with the UNICEF Intern group! This group is a great way to interact and network with other interns and learn from colleagues working in UNICEF.

Madeleine Williams is in her second year of studies in the Atlantis program. This program allows her to complete an MAIR degree from the Maxwell School in Syracuse, New York and an MPP from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.

Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree Program
The Maxwell School
The Hertie School of Governance

Henry Mau: Berlin, du bist so wunderbar

“Berliiiiiiiiiin, du bist so wunderbar” is the title of a famous song in Germany: “Berlin, you are so wonderful”. After having lived in Germany for about a semester now, I can safely say: It’s true!

In fact, it’s true for a reason that might sound puzzling at first: Berlin is probably the least German city in the country. It’s chaotic, unjudgmental and never sleeps. The “Berliners” are a very special kind: Always in a rush like that businessman who just bumped into you on the streets in Manhattan but at the same time as alternative and relaxed as surfers in Huntington Beach. The city has this sort of authenticity that one can hardly find anywhere else. It’s a vibrant cultural melting pot, a historical city, both a battleground of history and symbol for the union of Germany if not also Europe as a whole. Myself a German, the mere fact of being able to now get to live there is truly exciting!

German Budestag at night
The German Bundestag (parliament) on the 9th of November, for the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Resolution, at a venue where 3o years ago was the „death zone“ between East and West Berlin.

Apart from the uniqueness of Berlin, which quite frankly I find difficult to put in the right words, the city also offers exceptional academic and professional opportunities. With seven other students, I take part in the Atlantis-program: As double-degree students, we spend our first year at Maxwell and the second one in Berlin. Being able to experience both the US and Germany, America and Europe, Syracuse and Berlin, adds a priceless value-added to my studies of, well, international relations, that I could otherwise have never acquired.

Henry Mau and colleagues
Henry Mau and colleagues attending the Pearson Global Forum on Conflict.

I started to work part-time at Save The Children (shout-out to Prof. Jeb Beagles in Syracuse, without whom I’d probably never have gotten the position!), and thereby managed to get myself into position towards a post-academic career in the humanitarian sector.

All in all, I am thankful for the opportunity that Syracuse University offered me, and I would encourage anyone to give it a shot and apply to the Atlantis-program: In Berlin, you get to spend a year that you will never forget!

Henry Mau is a student in the Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree Program, where he is wrapping up a Master of Arts in International Relations at the Maxwell School in Syracuse, NY and a Master of Public Policy at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. He also interned at the Council of Europe through SU’s Strasbourg Center in summer 2019.

Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree Program
The European and Global Internship Program in Brussels
The Maxwell School
The Hertie School of Governance

Henry Mau, In the heart of Europe

Sören Reischert’s Intense & Rewarding Internship in London

Last summer, I interned with Quiller Consultants, a communications and reputation management agency based in London, UK. It was the fourth and last internship of my integrated professional year. Previously, I have worked for the Singaporean logistics company YCH, the global C-suite consultancy Teneo in Dublin, and the communications agency Newgate in London.

Quiller was formed in 1998 by John Eisenhammer, a former journalist with The Independent and Jonathan Hill, a former British civil servant.  Originally, the company was set up as a specialist public affairs (PA) agency. I joined Quiller during a period of fundamental organisational change. In recent years, an increasing number of agencies in the PA and PR sphere have realized that clients prefer a “one-stop-shop”. That is to say that clients prefer to work with one agency on all fronts rather than working with several agencies on a project basis. That is why Quiller has changed both its outlook and organisational structure.

The new CEO hired a group of recent graduates and young professionals from diverse backgrounds. In the office, which consists of around ten staff members, an impressive nine languages are spoken. This allows the team to work with clients from around the globe. In addition, the company can now advise its clients not only on public affairs but also on more corporate projects. Currently, the client base includes leading global brands from the retail, financial, nutrition and energy sector.

Sören Reischert with the London Skyline
Sören Reischert with the London Skyline

Despite having joined Quiller on a temporary contract, I received the title of Junior Consultant. The main difference between a regular intern and a Junior Consultant is that the latter also works directly with clients. In this sense, my job at Quiller came with more responsibilities but also more freedom than my previous roles. My tasks at Quiller  included media profiling, general research, creating presentations, transcribing interviews, and preparing briefings.

My internship with Quiller was very intense, yet very rewarding. Being able to attend more client meetings meant that my work felt relevant and intellectually stimulating. Working in a smaller team was a key advantage at Quiller. It meant that my contributions had a bigger impact and I was able to be more  involved in projects.

Classic London double decker
Classic London double decker

I was also delighted to see that it tied in seamlessly with my studies in International Relations and Public Policy. I have always been convinced that a multidisciplinary education has many advantages and it is encouraging to see that my expectations are fulfilled so early on in my career.  It has confirmed my belief that being professionally successful in today’s world means working across borders and connecting experts from all disciplines.

Sören Reischert is an Atlantis student, completing an MA International Relations degree at the Maxwell School in Syracuse, NY and a Masters in Public Policy at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. 

Sören checking out the Shard
Sören checking out the Shard

Soren Reischert in London
Soren Reischert in London

Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree Program
The Maxwell School
The Hertie School of Governance

Federico Ohle Deepens Understanding of EU

As part of the seven weeks I spent in Brussels, I interned at the European Neighbourhood Council (ENC), a think tank which focuses on fostering dialogue between EU member states and EU neighboring countries – especially including both European and non-European civil society actors – in an effort to strengthen a common EU foreign policy framework and Neighborhood Policy (ENP).

ENC roundtable event with members of think tanks, government bureaucrats & officials, etc. from Central Asian states.
ENC roundtable event with members of think tanks, government bureaucrats & officials, etc. from Central Asian states. Also, the EU’s Special Representative to Central Asia, Ambassador Peter Burian

Through the tasks and projects I was assigned at ENC, I was able to further deepen my knowledge of the internal institutional functioning of the EU and its policy making process. Hoping to one day become a practitioner in the field of international politics and a policymaker at the EU level ideally working for the European External Action Service (EEAS), I found it especially useful, for example, to become closer acquainted with the fundamentals of the EU’s foreign policy framework and its substance and to conduct research on the Central Asian region and the EU’s strategy in the area.

Also, by attending either ENC-organized events or other talks around Brussels, I had the opportunity to listen to, meet and network with very interesting experts from other think tanks and professionals from the EU institutions.

ENC organized panel discussion on EU accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia.
ENC organized panel discussion on EU accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. Panel discussants: Mr. Clive Rumbold, Deputy Head of the Western Balkans Division at the European External Action Service (EEAS), Ms. Marta Szpala, Senior Research Fellow in the Central European Department at the Centre of Eastern Studies (OSW), Mr. Srdjan Cvijic, Senior Policy Analyst at Open Society European Policy Institute (OSEPI) and ENC’s Managing Director, Samuel Doveri Vesterbye. Also pictured in the audience: H.E. Suela Janina, Ambassador of Albania to the EU, and Mr. Vlatko Stankovski, Deputy Head of the Republic of North Macedonia to the EU.

Additionally, as part of the Program, SU Abroad also organized weekly talks with professionals from the foreign service and public diplomacy fields and other European think tanks (including US foreign service officers, a former NATO spokesperson and EU officials). These talks were a great addition and complement to the internship, and expanded my personal knowledge on issues of EU politics and the Union’s policy approach to them.

My favorite among these SU Abroad-organized events was our visit at the EEAS, which is basically the EU’s Foreign Ministry and the headquarters of EU diplomacy and an agency where I hope to be employed someday in the future.

All of this was framed in the vibrant, stimulating and fun city of Brussels (with a Washington D.C.-like atmosphere by day and the charm of a European capital by night) and the country of Belgium, which is so rich in culture and whose cities and towns (or abbeys, where the famous and delicious trappist beer is brewed) are definitely worth exploring.

Federico Ohle is a student in the Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree Program, where he will complete a Master of Arts in International Relations at the Maxwell School in Syracuse, NY and a Master of Public Policy at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. While studying in Berlin, Federico is further interning at the German Council on Foreign Relations.

Celebrating an ENC colleague’s birthday
Celebrating an ENC colleague’s birthday with the rest of the team at a tapas bar near the office in the Chatelain neighborhood

Federico Ohle (L) and Maxwell classmates and Brussels Program participants Michaela Eagan and Johnathan Medina during a trip to Bruge
Federico Ohle (L) and Maxwell classmates and Brussels Program participants Michaela Eagan and Johnathan Medina during a trip to Bruges organized by Syracuse University

Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree Program
The European and Global Internship Program in Brussels
The Maxwell School
The Hertie School of Governance

Henry Mau, In the heart of Europe

My name is Henry Mau and I spent my summer working for the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. But hold on: What exactly is the Council of Europe? Often confused with “something from the European Union”, the CoE is actually not affiliated to the European Institutions. In fact, it is older (70 years) and has more members (48), including Russia and Turkey. It was the CoE that came up with the European flag and its anthem. Ever since its founding, the CoE has been operating in the fields of Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. The most notable institution that is part of the CoE is the European Court of Human Rights, where every citizen within the CoE’s jurisdiction can appeal to. But this is just, let’s say, the professional side of my journey in Strasbourg.

Henry Mau at the Council of Europe
Henry Mau with friend Emanuela, visiting the European Parliament. A living example of the cultural exchange that Europe stands for.

On a more personal note, moving to France for the summer let me experience the vibrant cultural melting pot that the so-called “European Capital” really is. Strasbourg, the largest city in France’s Alsace region, is a battleground of Europe’s bloody history and at the same time an uplifting symbol for the union of Europe. The European Union, a guarantor for peace among its member states for more than 70 years, is arguably one of the greatest achievements of humankind, a textbook example for intercultural understanding.

Myself an Italian-turned German, the mere fact of being able to cross the Franco-German border without stopping, let alone passport controls or an actually visible border check point, is just one of the countless benefits that the European Union provides for its citizens. But it certainly is enough to preserve the flame in my heart burning for the European integration project.

Henry Mau is a student in the Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree Program, where he will complete a Master of Arts in International Relations at the Maxwell School in Syracuse, NY and a Master of Public Policy at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.

Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree Program
SU’s Strasbourg Center
The Maxwell School
The Hertie School of Governance

Sören Reischert Takes a Year for Professional Experience

Being on the Atlantis program, a partnership between Syracuse University and the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, means that studying at Maxwell only formed the first half of my postgraduate studies. But instead of finishing my studies in Germany immediately after completing my coursework in Syracuse, I decided to take a year out in order to gain some more professional experience. The first of three planned placements took me to Dublin, Ireland where I worked as a research assistant in Teneo’s strategy team.

Sören Reischert at Teneo Networking Event

Teneo is an international advisory firm integrating the disciplines of strategic communications, investor relations, financial advisory, corporate governance advisory and political & policy risk advisory among others. As part of my role, I worked on a wide range of projects and my tasks included everything from stakeholder analysis over media monitoring to pitching press releases to Irish national newspapers. One of my favorite tasks was certainly participating in brainstorming sessions at the beginning of new projects. Teneo’s approach to making business ties in exceptionally well with my studies in Public Policy and International Relations. This is because Declan Kelly, the founder and CEO of Teneo, has always understood that being successful in today’s world means working across borders and connecting experts from all disciplines.

Former Irish Prime Minister John Bruton (right) discusses Brexit with British public servants, Irish business representatives and Teneo employees

Teneo also offered brilliant networking opportunities as the company has offices all around the world and works with the world’s biggest and most influential companies. I even had the opportunity to meet some leading Irish and European politicians as well as international sports personalities. Lastly, Dublin is a great city full of friendly people and interesting history.

I would encourage everyone who is thinking about a professional year to do so, as it brings invaluable experiences and enables you to approach the second year of your studies with a new perspective and clearer understanding of where your degree can take you. My next step will lead me to London where I have two more placements in communications firms lined up.

Soren Reischert is a MAIR/ATL student in the Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree program completing the MAIR degree from the Maxwell School in Syracuse and an MPP from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. He formerly interned at YCH Group in Singapore and is currently interning at Quiller Consultants in London.

Quick chat with players of New Zealand’s Rugby team, the All Blacks, during a photocall

Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree Program

The Maxwell School

The Hertie School of Governance

Sören Reischert, Hard Business Talks in Singapore

Kevin Oswald Explores European Energy Diversity at Student Conference

Kevin Oswald is a recent alumni of the Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree program, completing an MAIR degree from the Maxwell School and an MPP from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. He also completed internships at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Washington D.C. and Agora Energiewende in Berlin during his studies.

Kevin Oswald at ESC 2018

From March 29 to 31, 2018 I had the opportunity to participate in the European Student Conference (ESC) 2018 at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. ESC is a conference organized by European Horizons that brought together 100 undergraduate and graduate students from universities across the United States, Europe and Asia with distinguished academics and seasoned policy-makers in order to address some of the challenges confronting the European Union.Prior to the conference, students from different parts of the world and with different academic backgrounds, had been divided into groups, according to their knowledge and interests, in order to deal with the following challenges in six workshops related to: Energy, Technology, EU-China, Democracy, National Sovereignty and Security. Each group then made an effort to develop policy recommendations with regard to their topic and during the conference those proposals by the students were discussed with decision-makers and renowned academics. This year, ESC hosted representatives from business, politics and diplomacy, such as the former President of the European Parliament, Enrique Barón Crespo, as well as several academics from US universities.

Enrique Barón Crespo at ESC 2018 speaking during the opening session in the auditorium of Yale University

As a student enrolled in the transatlantic ATLANTIS dual-degree Master program in International Relations and Public Policy offered by the Maxwell School and the Hertie School of Governance, I am particularly interested in foreign and security policy as well as in energy and climate policy. Therefore, I took part in the energy workshop and together with fellow students worked on the issue of the EU’s dependency on energy imports, particularly natural gas, in order to meet its demand. Given the fact that a high proportion of imports is concentrated among relatively few partners, the security of the EU’s natural gas supplies may be threatened. Our team provided a solid analysis of the status quo and presented several policy recommendations with the primary goals to diversify supply sources (new pipelines, interconnectors, LNG etc.) and to utilize soft tools, which, for instance, might require setting up an EU Energy Diplomacy Task Force to deal with delicate pipeline projects such as Nord Stream 2.

I was impressed with the expertise and dedication of our group and look forward to seeing our recommendations being published in the Review of European and Transatlantic Affairs, a journal that will be distributed to university libraries across Europe and the U.S., as well as to European decision-makers.

In sum, ESC 2018 has been a wonderful experience and I truly enjoyed the opportunity to work with fellow students that all have a passion for the EU. In addition, I hope to become part of the international ESC network that links thinkers and leaders from both sides of the Atlantic and beyond.

Energy Working Group at ESC 2018

Kevin Oswald Interns at the German Embassy in Washington, DC

Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree Program

The Maxwell School

The Hertie School of Governance

Liad Roytfarb Gains European Experience in Berlin

Liad Roytfarb is a 2018 graduate of the Atlantis Program – a dual degree program between The Maxwell School and The Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. 

This fall I embarked on my second Masters degree program as part of the ‘Atlantis’ Transatlantic Dual Degree program. This is a joint program, shared between the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, Germany. Following an incredible experience in Maxwell, I expected the transition to Berlin to be a daunting experience, but one I was keen to face in order to further expand my academic horizons.

Liad Roytfarb.

Three aspects in this transition have made this experience incomparable to any degree program I could have taken, offered by other schools. First, the diversity of the coursework offered at Hertie very successfully complements the Maxwell MAIR program, which focuses mainly on the US. In keeping with the nature of the Atlantis program, I pursued a Masters in Public Policy at Hertie, and the coursework offered there was naturally mostly EU focused. It presented opportunities to study with international authorities, including former German Ambassador to the US Wolfgang Ischinger and Former Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion at the European council László Andor. Since my background is from neither of these regions, this was a great and fascinating mix of two new worlds.

Second, the Hertie School, together with the city of Berlin, offer many professional opportunities. I was lucky enough to be invited to the 2017 World Health Summit where I attended numerous panels. Furthermore, I was assigned as a rapporteur in the “Global Health Security Engagement in Conflict” workshop and reported directly to the chairs of the workshop. Other fascinating events and workshops that I was able to attend included Transparency International and the Munich Security Council. All these enabled me to meet and learn from important policy makers and engage with topics I learned in the classroom.

Liad Roytfarb at the 2017 World Health Summit.

Third, of no lesser importance for my personal satisfaction was the fact that throughout this journey I was part of a group of eight students; together we completed an intensive, fruitful and enjoyable year at Syracuse and went on together to Berlin. Without these fellow students, this entire experience would surely have looked different, at least in the social sphere. The camaraderie we formed has been astonishing – it enabled us all a swift and smooth transition, and an unforgettable experience.

Liad Roytfarb Works in Technology Accelerator at DoD

Atlantis Program at Maxwell

Maxwell Students Make a Difference in Nepal

Rachel Penner was searching for a summer internship in 2015, when a staff member recommended that she connect with Beau Miller, a 2010 MPA graduate and the Executive Director of a development NGO in Nepal known as Aythos.

Beau was excited to take Rachel on board with Aythos to work on post-earthquake recovery. Upon arrival in Nepal, Rachel was thrust into the earthquake recovery efforts using her specialty in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) to serve devastated villagers outside of Kathmandu.

Two Maxwell students, Jeffrey Pu and Trace Carlson, followed in Rachel’s footsteps and interned at Aythos in 2017. As an MPA student, Jeff first had to complete the MPA Workshop with a team of fellow students for the U.S. Department of Justice designing a human rights and human dignity course for foreign police. After wrapping this project up, Jeff hopped on a plane to Nepal. Upon arrival, Aythos put Jeff to work doing program evaluation for one of their projects by designing and distributing a survey to local villagers. After two months working for Aythos, Jeff found himself taking another long haul flight to Berlin, where he is currently finishing his MPP at the Hertie School of Governance as part of the Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree Program.

Jeffrey Pu in Nepal

Trace Carlson won a Foreign Languages and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS) from the Moynihan Institute’s South Asia Center. With this fellowship, Trace journeyed to India to study Hindi, but was most interested in applying his academic knowledge to the field. After reaching out to Beau, Trace found himself heading to Nepal to conduct research on kiwi fruit agriculture for Aythos. Immediately, Trace found it very eye opening to compare the gap between research and field implementation. One had to be flexible and ready for anything. He once had to carry five kilograms of potatoes down a mountain for a village family, just because they asked him to.

Local Aythos staff receive feedback on kiwi fruit cultivation

On February 22, Beau, Rachel, Jeff, and Trace all came together on a Skype presentation for SU students interested in interning at Aythos. All agreed that it was one of the most fulfilling experiences of their lives and were completely humbled by the kindness and generosity of the people in Nepal. They fondly remembered backpacking into villages after encountering washed out roads—while dealing with leeches on the way—only to find countless cups of tea pushed on them upon arriving. While students spent about half their time in Kathmandu, they genuinely felt the impact of projects while working in the villages.

An Aythos staff member talks to a farmer. Women’s empowerment is a goal of the organization, since many Nepalese men go abroad to work leaving women to manage farms and businesses independently.

Maxwell’s partnership with Aythos fulfills the goal of professional degrees by creating graduates who are resilient and ready to enter a career upon graduation. According to Beau Miller, “If you can work in Nepal, you can work anywhere.”

Temple in Kathmandu

Maxwell’s MAIR Degree

Atlantis Transatlantic Dual Degree

Nepal Connections:

Trace Carlson Conducts Research in Hindi

Students Work with Nepalese Communities in Earthquake Recovery

Ashley Saulcy Works on Political Transition in Nepal – Part 1

Ashley Saulcy Works on Political Transition in Nepal – Part 2

Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu

Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu