Impact Stories

Dec 2023

RFG Celebrates the Holiday Season

The Robertson Foundation for Government hosted its annual holiday party for RFG Fellows, Alumni, and their families on December 16, 2023. The event featured awards for the best holiday sweater and most festive attire, along with a holiday photo booth! As part of the event, RFG Fellows and Alumni donated food items in support of […]

Impact Stories

Dec 2023

As City Diplomacy Grows, So Should Our Efforts to Engage Rural Communities in Foreign Policy

RFG is proud to recognize Mark Hoover (Fletcher 2015) as the winner of the Dr. Michael Schneider Professional Writing Award for the fourth quarter of 2023. His award-winning piece, which Mark coauthored with Gabrielle Fong and Holly Milburn-Smith, is titled, “As City Diplomacy Grows, So Should Our Efforts to Engage Rural Communities in Foreign Policy.” […]

Fellows in the News

Oct 2023

RFG Fellows Complete Summer 2023 Internships

RFG Fellows from the Class of 2024 completed a diverse set of robust summer internship and research projects this summer. These included RFG Fellow, Andrew Gasparini‘s (Maxwell 2024) time at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, where he engaged in interagency projects between the MCC and the Department of State. Melissa Alvisi, another RFG Fellow from the […]

Fellows in the News

Oct 2023

Summer Internship Spotlight: U.S. INDOPACOM

This summer, two Robertson Fellows traveled to Hawaii as interns in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Center. This program, which has partnered with RFG for several years, hosts students from across the United States to work for ten weeks under a combatant command dedicated to preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific. Olivia Parker (UMD 2024) worked […]

Impact Stories

Oct 2023

RFG Returns to the Blacks in Government Symposium

As part of RFG’s growing partnership with Blacks in Government (BIG), RFG leadership attended the 44th annual BIG Symposium, marking the second year in a row that a RFG staff member has participated in the event. The BIG Symposium is designed as an in-person training forum for both current civil service employees and students considering careers in the public sector. […]

Impact Stories

Sep 2023

Standards Environment in the Middle East and North Africa

RFG is proud to recognize Diana Hajali (Bush 2020) as the winner of the Dr. Michael Schneider Professional Writing Award for the third quarter of 2023. Check out her award-winning piece below titled, “Standards Environment in the Middle East and North Africa.” Overview The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has considerable potential value […]

Impact Stories

Jul 2023

Making the CHIPS Act Pay Off: How to Boost STEM Talent to Meet Industry Needs

RFG is proud to recognize Emily Ashbridge (Bush, 2023) as the winner of the Dr. Michael Schneider Professional Writing Award for the second quarter of 2023. Check out her award-winning piece below titled, “Making the CHIPS Act Pay Off: How to Boost STEM Talent to Meet Industry Needs.” This piece was originally published by the […]

Impact Stories

Jul 2023

RFG Joins with the Virtual Student Federal Service to Recognize This Year’s Top Virtual Interns

The Virtual Student Federal Service (VSFS) held their Virtual Intern of the Year Awards on May 31, 2023. In support of this event, the Robertson Foundation for Government partnered with the VSFS Program to highlight the important contributions of virtual student interns to Federal Government initiatives. As part of that support, RFG gave cash awards […]

Fellows in the News

Jul 2023

Chronicles of a Boren Fellow: Studying Swahili in Tanzania

In April 2023, RFG Fellow, JaKyah Beatty (UMD, 2024), returned from her travels abroad as a Boren Fellow studying Swahili in Tanzania. While abroad, JaKyah had the opportunity to learn a critical language, progressing from having no prior knowledge of Swahili to reaching an advanced intermediate fluency in the language after nine months of intensive […]

Impact Stories

Mar 2023

RFG Announces the Dr. Schneider Professional Writing Award

The Robertson Foundation for Government (RFG) is thrilled to announce the Dr. Schneider Professional Writing Award. This award recognizes the incredible contributions of Dr. Michael Schneider, who has served as a career advisor to RFG Fellows and Alumni for several years and whose talent and passion for writing has enriched Robertson Fellows’ understanding of global […]

Impact Stories

Mar 2023

RFG Hosts U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Careers Information Session

On February 6, 2023, RFG joined with representatives of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to host a careers information session for Robertson Fellows. The session began with a presentation by DFC Human Resources Specialists, Samantha Miller and Nicole Smith, which provided an overview of the agency’s  mission and work, recent recruitment efforts and […]

Impact Stories

Mar 2023

APSIA Hosts PISA Network Spring Training Workshops

On March 7-10, 2023, the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) hosted the 2023 Public & International Service Advisor (PISA) Spring Training Workshops, welcoming 80 new advisors to the PISA Network.  APSIA’s PISA Network brings together undergraduate and community college advisors across the United States to advance their understanding of the professions of […]

Impact Stories

Dec 2022

RFG Supports the International Career Advancement Program (ICAP)

The Robertson Foundation for Government (RFG) is proud to announce a recent partnership with the International Career Advancement Program (ICAP). ICAP is a professional development and leadership program for highly promising mid-career professionals from underrepresented groups in international affairs in the United States. It provides a support network, career advising, mentors, policy and research background, […]

Impact Stories

Sep 2022

RFG Seeks to Expand Internships and Academic Partnership Programs at USINDOPACOM and CFE-DM

In today’s quickly changing strategic landscape, RFG looks to expand its partnership with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) and the associated Center for Excellence – Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Assistance (CFE-DM) to meet real-world challenges impacting the region. As the Indo-Pacific has risen in strategic importance and climate shocks continue to fuel humanitarian crises worldwide, […]

Impact Stories

Sep 2022

APSIA Hosts Sixth Annual Diversity Forum Workshops

On July 16, 2022, the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) hosted a Diversity Forum Workshop for Students and Young Professionals as part of its sixth annual Diversity Forum Series. APSIA created the Diversity Forum Series in 2017 to inspire students and young professionals – and those who counsel them – to pursue […]

Impact Stories

Sep 2022

PPIA Hosts 20th Annual Public Service Expo and Career Fair

On Friday, July 15, 2022, the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Program hosted its 20th annual Public Service Expo and Career Fair. The virtual expo brought together more than 250 student attendees and over 60 exhibitors, including representatives from some of the nation’s top graduate programs in public policy and international affairs, as well […]

Impact Stories

Sep 2022

RFG Engages with Diverse High Schoolers & Undergraduates at Blacks in Government Symposium

RFG Chief Program Officer and Alumna, Sharon Swabb (UCSD 12), journeyed up to Cleveland, Ohio to speak with high school and undergraduate students as part of the Blacks in Government (BIG) 43rd annual symposium. This event was designed as an in-person training forum for both current civil service employees and students considering careers in the […]

Impact Stories

Sep 2022

RFG Promotes Professional Development with the Rosenthal Fellowship

RFG joined forces this summer with the Partnership for Public Service and its Harold W. Rosenthal Fellowship in International Relations to host a series of professional development programming for both RFG and Rosenthal Fellows who were interning this summer at a variety of government offices. This partnership, which has been ongoing for more than 10 […]

Impact Stories

May 2021

New Profiles in Public Service podcast

A new podcast from the Partnership for Public Service tells compelling stories about unsung public servant leaders.

Impact Stories

Mar 2021

The Soft but Unmatched Power of US Foreign Exchange Programs

As former Secretary of Defense James Mattis asserted, “If you don’t fund the State Department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition.” 

Impact Stories

Feb 2021

The Biden-Harris Administration Must Treat Fertility Treatment as a Matter of Reproductive Choice

Madison Chapman recently published an article on cancer treatment and fertility in Ms. Magazine.

Impact Stories

Jan 2021

Georgetown unveils resources to diversify syllabi and foster inclusion in higher ed

With support from the Robertson Foundation for Government, the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) launched a new resource portal on diversity, equity and inclusion in international affairs education.

Impact Stories

Dec 2020

A Year of Action for G2U Initiative

The Robertson Foundation for Government is a proud supporter of the Volcker Alliance’s G2U initiative, which addresses critical governance challenges by building regional networks of governments and universities to sustainably connect government’s hiring and research needs with local university capacity. In 2020, the alliance expanded significantly and today has five G2U sites—in Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles, North Carolina, and Pittsburgh.

Impact Stories

Sep 2020

Virtual Internship Program Saves the Day During Pandemic

Last May, as the novel coronavirus spread and government employees began to realize temporary shut-downs might extend into summer and beyond, an institutional partner of RFG at the U.S. State Department made all the difference for students.

Impact Stories

Sep 2020

New Fellowship Honors Barbara Bush

Two years following Barbara Bush’s passing in 2018, her memory is being honored by the Robertson Foundation for Government with the creation of The Women in Public Service Fellowship in Honor of Barbara Bush through the Texas A&M Foundation.

Impact Stories

Aug 2020

Democracy in the Middle East Roundtable

On July 27, the Robertson Foundation for Government and the Rosenthal Fellowship program co-sponsored a roundtable on “Democracy in the Middle East” featuring Shadi Hamid of the Center for Middle East Policy and Amira Maaty of the National Endowment for Democracy.

Impact Stories

Jun 2020

Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in International Relations Education

RFG is supporting the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) in its efforts to ensure that the emerging generation of public servants has a global mindset and an ability to address diversity, equity and inclusion in the practice of international affairs.

Impact Stories

Jun 2020

PLEN Trains Women for Global Policy Careers

A diverse group of 77 students from 26 colleges and universities joined PLEN’s first virtual seminar on Women in Global Policy in May, the largest group of participants in PLEN seminar history. The students hailed from 22 states and four countries, including Ghana and Pakistan.

Impact Stories

May 2020

US Leaders Should Heed Findings from the Final Report of the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service

In an open letter to the President and Congress, the Robertson Foundation for Government and other good government groups urged leaders to heed the findings of the Inspired to Serve report, released in March 2020.

Impact Stories

Apr 2020

RFG Supports Meridian’s Ambassador Connections

RFG partnered with the Meridian International Center to sponsor the Welcome to Washington reception on January 15, which honored newly-credentialed ambassadors.

Impact Stories

Feb 2020

Over 300 attend New Year Networking event!

On January 30th, the foundation hosted a New Year Networking event to kick off our tenth anniversary year. Intended as a cross-fellowship and multi-organization career networking event, it provided attendees with an opportunity to expand and enhance their professional networks and foster contacts and camaraderie to catalyze the sharing of resources, events and job information, to facilitate collaboration, and build a network of public service leaders across the dynamic range of public policy and government fellowships in our region.

Impact Stories

Nov 2019

NAPA 2019 Fall Meeting

RFG sponsored a session at this year’s National Academy of Public Administration 2019 Fall Meeting, “Improving the Development of Public Administrators for Global Work in the 21st Century” focused on how we can develop public administrators to be ready for global work and where there is still work to be done.

Impact Stories

Sep 2019

RFG sponsors 17th annual PPIA Public Service Expo

On July 12th more than more than 600 registered attendees and 80 exhibitors attended the PPIA Public Service Expo. The Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA) is a not-for-profit that has been supporting efforts to increase diversity in public service for 39 years. PPIA believes that our society is best served by public managers, policy makers, and community leaders who represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

Impact Stories

Jun 2019

RFG Fellow Kyle Fowler Honored by National Nuclear Security Administration

Kyle Fowler (Bush, Class of 2015) has been awarded the DOE NNSA 2019 Linton F. Brooks Medal for Dedication to Public Service. He was one of two early-career National Nuclear Security Administration employees to receive this award.

Impact Stories

Jun 2019

Announcing the 2019 Service to America Medals Finalists

From pathbreaking scientists to tenacious human rights advocates, meet the outstanding federal employees who are addressing the country’s greatest challenges. Meet the finalists, read the press release, and vote for the People’s Choice award.

Impact Stories

Apr 2019

Volcker Alliance announces first Government-to-University (G2U) councils

In the coming months, the Volcker Alliance will partner with government and university leaders in Austin and Kansas City to establish two inaugural “G2U Regional Councils.” RFG is a proud partner in the G2U initiative, which aims to catalyze a robust local marketplace that can sustainably connect government’s hiring and research needs with local university capacity.

Impact Stories

Jan 2019

APSIA Diversity Forum

In 2018 RFG supported the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) Diversity Initiative. APSIA launched its Diversity Forum series in 2017 to inspire students and young professionals — and those who counsel them — to pursue careers in international affairs.