At the April UW Global Community Conversations gathering鈥攈eld the first Tuesday of each month at the UW Club鈥擵ice Provost for Global Affairs Ahmad Ezzeddine welcomed Stephen Meyers, Associate Director of the (JSIS). The monthly series brings together faculty from across the University who are engaged or interested in global work. They are a welcoming and conversational space to meet colleagues, share food and drink, and connect around the many ways global perspectives show up in our work.
Meyers shared how the Jackson School鈥檚 interdisciplinary approach鈥攔ooted in the social sciences, humanities, and professional fields鈥攑repares students to lead in an increasingly interconnected world. JSIS offers six undergraduate majors, 17 minors, 10 master鈥檚 programs, and a Ph.D. program, all designed to help students understand global systems and engage with real鈥憌orld challenges.
Spring Break in Washington, D.C.: A front鈥憆ow seat to foreign policy
Meyers highlighted a new experiential learning program, Spring Break in Washington, D.C., which he led last month with 25 undergraduate students. The week鈥憀ong immersion introduces students to the institutions, people, and processes that shape U.S. foreign policy.
鈥淚t鈥檚 quite packed and quite intensive,鈥� Meyers noted.
Over the course of the week, students met with:
- Congressional staffers from the Washington State delegation to learn how subcommittees, budgeting, and legislation influence foreign policy鈥攁nd how Washington state perspectives are brought into national decision鈥憁aking.
- Foreign Service officers at the U.S. Department of State, who described how policy is implemented on the ground.
- Leaders at the Pentagon, where students heard about evolving defense priorities.
- International organizations, including the World Bank and the European Union Delegation to the U.S., to understand how global institutions partner with or influence the United States.
- Think tanks such as the Atlantic Council, where students explored how research shapes policy debates.
- NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the HALO Trust, to see how civil society organizations advocate, monitor, and respond to global issues.
A key feature of the program is the inclusion of young professionals鈥攐ften Jackson School alumni鈥攐n every panel. 鈥淲e want students to see people who are just one or two years ahead of them,鈥� Meyers said. 鈥淚t helps them imagine what these careers look like.鈥�
Interest in the program has grown rapidly: 50 students applied for 23 spots in its pilot year; this year, 75 students applied.
Because many JSIS students have never been to Washington, D.C., Meyers sees the program as a way to broaden their sense of possibility. 鈥淲e want our students鈥� voices鈥攇rounded in interdisciplinary training and deep cultural understanding鈥攊n the rooms where decisions are made,鈥� he said.
Task Force Capstone: A culminating professional experience
Meyers also described the Jackson School鈥檚 long鈥憆unning Task Force Capstone, now in its 43rd year. Every International Studies major participates in this intensive, winter鈥憅uarter policy simulation, which culminates in Week 10.
Each Task Force centers on a pressing global issue. This year鈥檚 topics included:
- Averting war between Taiwan and China
- Protecting biodiversity in the deep seas
- Counteracting China鈥檚 space diplomacy and leadership in international space law
- Addressing the use of drones in warfare amid gaps in international law
- Indigenous rights in a warming Arctic
Students spend the quarter researching their topic, producing a 100鈥憄age policy report, and preparing a formal briefing. Their work is then evaluated by external experts鈥攖his year including an Air Force Major General, a U.S. Navy Vice Admiral, a former U.S. Ambassador to Algeria, and Fellows from the Council on Foreign Relations.
For many students, it is the most challenging and transformative experience of their degree.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e not turning in an essay to a faculty member,鈥� Meyers explained. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e presenting to people who are used to asking hard questions. It鈥檚 an hour and a half of defending their work鈥攁nd seeing how everything they鈥檝e learned comes together.鈥�
Preparing students for impact
Across both programs, Meyers emphasized a shared goal: helping students understand the landscape of global careers and identify where their skills and interests align.
鈥淲hen students come into our major, many imagine the State Department,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut there are so many other opportunities they might be better suited for.鈥�
Through immersive experiences, mentorship, and exposure to real鈥憌orld policy environments, the Jackson School is building pathways for students to contribute to global problem鈥憇olving鈥攚hether in government, NGOs, international organizations, or emerging fields.
We look forward to spotlighting additional UW faculty in the coming months who are interested in sharing their work and continuing the conversation with the group.