School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University

09/03/2026

Meet Georgetown’s “Chief Encouragement Officer.” 👋

Robert Lyons (G’26) has spent 15 years helping students, faculty and colleagues thrive through his work as director of academic programs and operations for Georgetown University Asian Studies.

Along the way, he’s supported 400+ graduate students, traveled the globe, earned his Doctor of Liberal Studies from Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies—and recently took up breakdancing.

“I’m just really grateful for all the folks I’ve gotten to know. Everyone is gifted in different ways, and I enjoy getting to learn about the expertise and gifts of others in my role,” Lyons says.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4igOPSx

When Robert Lyons (G’26) isn’t directing academic programs and operations for the Asian Studies program, he’s seeking out new achievements and hobbies.

08/31/2026

Join us in welcoming the 2026-2027 fellows of SFS’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy (ISD)!

Drawing on decades of experience across diplomacy, national security and public service, this year’s cohort brings real-world expertise into the classroom—helping students connect global events, policy and practice.

Stop by ISD’s Open House to meet the new fellows in person on Thursday, September 17, from 3:00–4:00 p.m. in ICC 700.

Read more about the fellows and the perspectives they’ll bring to Georgetown this academic year:

ISD fellows bring decades of diplomacy and military experience to the classroom, helping students connect theory to practice and prepare for public service.

08/28/2026

This summer, TJ Barczak (SFS’29) and Sabrina Gomez (SFS’27) gained hands-on experience in diplomacy through internships at U.S. and Mexican embassies. Barczak interned with the U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile, where he explored the intersection of international trade and diplomacy. Gomez worked in the Embassy of Mexico’s consular office in Washington, DC, connecting detained and incarcerated Mexican nationals with legal services while developing a deeper understanding of empathy and advocacy in diplomatic work.

“Every day I immersed myself into the nuances of the Chilean market and the world of trade, gaining a better understanding of how diplomacy is not only done in the negotiation room,” Barczak says.

Read more:

Learn about a senior who fielded urgent calls for the Mexican embassy and a first-year who tracked down trade leads for the U.S. in Santiago.

08/26/2026

Welcome back to the Hilltop, Hoyas! Wishing everyone a fantastic start to the new academic year—we are thrilled to have you here! 📚☀️

08/24/2026

Last week, over 150 SFS Georgetown Alumni joined Dean Joel Hellman over Zoom for a Fast Break with Professor Victor Cha on President Trump’s decision to scale back joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises.

Cha discussed the exercises’ importance for military readiness and deterrence on the Korean Peninsula, the administration’s rationale for the move and what it could mean for regional security and prospects for renewed U.S.-North Korea diplomacy.

Designed for SFS alumni, Fast Break is 30 minutes of instant analysis from SFS professors on the most important topics of the day.

Watch now on our YouTube channel:

In this Fast Break, SFS Dean Joel Hellman and Professor Victor Cha ...

08/24/2026

Happy Monday, Hoyas! Today, our incoming SFS undergraduate class gathered in Gaston Hall for the Dean’s Information Session. The event kicked off with welcoming remarks from SFS Dean Joel Hellman and Professor Joanna Lewis, vice dean of undergraduate affairs. Dean Hellman then moderated a dynamic student panel featuring Ophelia Bentley (SFS’27), Kate Halabi (SFS’27), Beverly Holton (SFS’29) and Rai Hasen Masoud Kharal (SFS’27), who explored what sets an SFS education apart.

During the panel, Bentley reflected on lessons learned from student-faculty research, Halabi discussed cultural immersion during study abroad, Kharal offered insights as an international student and Holton shared how she secured an internship on Capitol Hill in her first year.

What are you most looking forward to at SFS? Let us know in the comments ⬇️

08/23/2026

Luca Vozzi (MAES’27), a graduate student in the BMW Center for German and European Studies (CGES), turned experience in German and European affairs into a dream internship with BMW Group’s government affairs team in Washington, DC, this summer. Drawing on his Georgetown studies and experience in German politics, he gained hands-on experience navigating the intersection of business, government and global trade.

“BMW is well-known. It operates in so many markets, and I always wanted to learn more about how German and European carmakers handle the current challenges and competition the industry is facing,” Vozzi says.

Read more:

Meet three Hoyas working and learning from some of the world's largest brands this summer as they prepare for their future careers.

08/21/2026

Welcome to the Class of 2030! This afternoon, new SFS undergraduate students and their families gathered in the ICC Galleria for a welcome reception, where they had the opportunity to connect with advising deans and hear remarks from SFS Dean Joel Hellman.

“The path ahead of you will not be easy. It never is when there’s so much at stake. But you’ve already made the bold choice to come to a school with a mission dedicated to international affairs. And with that decision, you are proving to us that this generation will not back down from the challenges ahead of us,” Hellman said.

Thanks for joining us, and we’re so happy to welcome you into our SFS community!

08/21/2026

On the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, we remember those whose lives have been forever changed by terrorism and honor their memory.

Revisit our conversation with SFS Professors Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware (SSP’19), co-authors of “Gods, Guns and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America.” In their book, they examine the long and complex history of far-right terrorism in the United States, exploring white supremacist accelerationism, leaderless resistance, conspiracy theories, nationalism and white supremacy.

Winner of the 2025 Airey Neave Memorial Book Prize, the book offers important context for understanding political violence in America and the forces that have shaped it.

Read more:

Authors Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware answered seven questions to help explain the longer, larger context surrounding the Charlie Kirk assassination and the environment of political violence present in U.S. culture and life.

08/20/2026

This fall, Jennifer Ayarkwa (MLAS’28) steps back into the classroom as a student after almost four years of teaching. Entering the Master of Arts in Latin American Studies program (Georgetown CLAS), Ayarkwa brings a background that includes studying abroad in Spain and teaching English across Spain, North America and South America.

“I'm looking forward to finding creative ways to think and learn again,” Ayarkwa says.

Read more:

Meet Jennifer Ayarkwa (G’28), an incoming master’s candidate in Latin American Studies at Georgetown.