MA Academic Achievement Global Affairs

Ibrahima is a graduating M.A. student who specialized in Global Conflict and Security in the Global Affairs department. Throughout his time in the program, he explored the intersections of intelligence, modern warfare, geopolitics, and international development; he drew insight from a wide range of courses—including Intelligence and National Security with Professor James Danoy, Nonproliferation and Arms Control with Dr. Sonia Ben Ouagrham-Gormley, Human Security and Globalization with Dr. Niklas Hultin, and the seminar abroad in Morocco led by Dr. Cortney Hughes Rinker. His most memorable experience at Mason was traveling to Morocco for the second time in an academic capacity and combining cultural immersion with scholarship in a way that brought more context and real-world applicability to principles that can often feel abstract or theoretical. After graduation, he will be joining UMD’s Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security Challenges as a Research Assistant supporting the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Upon completion of the program, he will join the federal workforce to support U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives. He is deeply grateful to his professors, peers, and especially his family for their unwavering support and encouragement.

youngrok Lim is a recent graduate of the MA program in Global Affairs at George Mason University, specializing in Global Governance and Public Management. Motivated by a deep concern over South Korea’s unprecedented low fertility crisis, he devoted his graduate research to exploring diaspora engagement policies as a strategic response to demographic challenges. His graduate studies were enriched by rigorous and insightful coursework. In particular, in-depth courses such as Population Policies/Politics and Immigration Policy/Politics broadened his intellectual horizons. Empirical courses like Applied Approaches in Diplomacy and the Capstone Research Seminar further deepened his scholarly thinking and research experience. His academic journey culminated in research on Diaspora Policy Progress amid Demographic Transitions in South Korea, China, and Japan. His academic progression not only refined his expertise but also prepared him to navigate the complexities of global issues with confidence and experience as a foreign service officer. He extends his heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Jennifer Ashley for inspiring his immersion in global affairs, to Dr. Cortney Hughes Rinker for her steadfast mentorship and support throughout his studies, and to Dr. Niklas Hultin for his invaluable guidance in completing his capstone research.