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.

This December, Ekaterina Kurbangaleeva graduates with two Master's degrees in Global Affairs and Global Commerce and Policy. Both programs have been invaluable, but Global Affairs holds a special place as the starting point of her academic journey at George Mason University and the source of her earliest support. Through Global Affairs, she participated in the Diplomacy Lab led by Dr. Hughes Rinker, implemented at Mason for the first time in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, received her first academic award, the High Impact Grant, and served for a year as the program’s representative to GAPSA, her first volunteer leadership role in the United States. After graduation, Ekaterina plans to continue her research, work as a political analyst, and share her knowledge widely. She has already taken the first step: this spring, she was accepted as a Visiting Scholar at the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University. Ekaterina would like to thank all professors and instructors she worked with in the Global Affairs program, especially Dr. Courtney Hughes Rinker, Dr. Byunghwan “Ben” Son, Dr. Smith, and Virginia Holm, who has always been near, along with many others who contributed to her success.

Yul Hee (Keira) Lee is Manager of Faculty Affairs at George Mason University Korea, where she works closely with academic leadership to support faculty development, governance, and the faculty life cycle. She holds an MA in Global Affairs with a specialization in Global Culture and Society, and a BA in International Relations from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. During her time at Mason, Keira particularly enjoyed the GEO study abroad program, where she had the opportunity to engage deeply with faculty, fellow students, and the local academic community under the guidance of Professor Iccha Basnyat. With over 11 years of experience in higher education and international administration, her research interests focus on representation, gender, and organizational culture with a special emphasis on the Korean context. Keira is committed to fostering inclusive academic communities and advancing global engagement. She is grateful to her advisor and program director, Cortney Hughes Rinker, for supporting her academic journey, and she plans to continue developing her studies through the PhD program at Mason.

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.