On Monday, January 11th, the ’17s met to discuss the Economist. We decide we would all read a few of the articles in the magazine and discuss what we found interesting. At first, our discussion centered around the Syrian Refugee Crisis and EU policy toward this crisis. Then, the meeting took a turn and we began discussing the possibilities of an English exit from the EU and the possible implications.
-Nico Moscoso
January 19th, 2016- All the 2017 fellows in the CCGL met this morning for our first leadership breakfast of the new year. Led by Catherine Bowles, we discussed an article from the Harvard Business Review, which listed 8 steps to effect change. Then, the group was split into two. Group One took on the theoretical challenge of changing Norfolk Academy’s athletic culture develop a wining and sustainable football program. Group Two discussed how to make Norfolk Academy more environmentally friendly by encouraging NA students to recycle more. We look forward to the presentations next time we meet!
-Nico Moscoso
Monday morning, the 16’s kicked off the year with a fantastic and dynamic discussion on how they can leave an indelible mark on the IR Fellows and CCGL program. Faced with the realities of being second-semester seniors, the six Fellows want to employ the leadership traits that they have honed over the years and leave the IR Fellows, the CCGL and the school better than they found it!
The ’16 IR Fellows had an in-depth discussion about what they could do to mentor the younger cohorts and share their experiences and knowledge. They discussed plans for a bonding activity to be held later in the semester, in which all four groups of fellows would participate in leadership exercises while having fun at the same time. This event would revolve around an overnight event at Norfolk Academy. After the meeting, they all met with Dr. Rezelman in the Masters’ Commons to think of possible dates and to plan how to obtain permission and funding for the event. It was a great discussion and left everyone feeling a sense of empowerment and emboldened to act now to make tomorrow better.
Thomas Ferguson ’16
For our first meeting of the year, I picked an article with a topic that has been rampant in the news recently: the Syria conflict–specifically, Russia’s increasing presence in Syria. Our discussion revolved around the layers of delicate political tensions surrounding Syria as well as current perspectives on the situation from other Middle Eastern countries, the U.S., and Europe.
-Mila Colizza
Here is the link to the article I chose.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34330151
Getting off the train into Russia, I was tired. Along a white wall to my left, a nest of cables and cameras scanned every square-inch of the railway station. A short man sporting an impressive mustache kept his weary eyes locked on our group of high-school students. His security badge shined brightly on his chest as he turned to another somber looking woman at his side. Russia! I breathed in the brown city air.
All I needed was an ostentatious grey suit to play my role as 007. My eyes darted left and right. White license plate: E 003 py 90. Kalininsky District КАЛИНИНСКИЙ Р-Н. The people: somber and rigid.
As a group, we were all excited to explore. Our bus darted through the congested streets. Each vehicle moved through the roads without the slightest recognition of other objects. You either moved or got run over. Through the windows, we saw the city.
On one particular stop, we got off the bus to look at onions. Buses competed for parking space while tourists flashed and flailed their cameras. The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is one captivating architectural miracle. One inch tile squares cover every space in the churches interior. Millions and millions of tiles converge to capture divine imagery. The air is hot and humid as bodies push and prod to touch the church. We got back out and hunted down our bus. Taking a step back, I took a deep breath at the end and smiled. Mrs. Priddy snapped a photo, and we left. I’m happy I saw holy onions in Russia.
– Pablo Vazquez
The final day of the ’19 International Relations Fellows was one that everyone will remember. First waking up to a run around Theodore Roosevelt Island, we then slowed the pace to walking around Arlington Cemetery. To have have seen so many soldiers spread out in front of us was a memorable moment. We were given time to think by ourselves as we walked on this hallowed ground while thinking about what service and sacrifice means to us. We then headed to the house of the legends that raised our own Mr. McMahon. We gathered around the table and listened to someone wiser than we could ever guess, and stayed completely enraptured the entire time. To hear about some feats that Mr. McMahon the elder accomplished in his life was the best possible way to end a week of incredible opportunities. After seeing so much I can speak for myself and my other classmates when I say this was truly a changing experience and a wonderful start to a even more wonderful four years.
Ellie Thornton
Thursday was an exciting day for the 19’s. In the morning, we visited the Pentagon and were given a VIP tour by a special friend of Norfolk Academy. He told us about some of the history of the Pentagon and his views on U.S. involvement in the Middle East. We were also able to find the legendary purple water fountain and visit the hallway of the Secretary of Defense. We then paid tribute at the Pentagon Memorial in honor of the men, women, and children who died as a result of the terrorist events of 9/11. After the Pentagon, we enjoyed some Ethiopian cuisine from Keren’s restaurant in Washington D.C. After our hearty meal, we went to the Estonian Embassy where we were treated with a taste of Estonian diplomacy by Tanel Sepp. Mr. Sepp explained how Estonia plays it’s part in NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the EU (European Union). After the Estonian Embassy, we went to the hotel before heading off to Ray’s Hell Burgers where President Obama has enjoyed a meal on more than one occasion. This was especially interesting because one hungry Hispanic decided to order a massive milkshake and the Hot Mess and was unsurprisingly unable to finish it! Back at the hotel we played the drawing game before going back to our rooms and getting a good night’s sleep in anticipation for the day ahead.
– Alexander Burkett
Today we visited Buzzfeed, met two FSOs, and talked with Greg Priddy from the Eurasia group. In the morning we did a morning run (without Dr. Rezelman), which bonded us together as we jogged around Georgetown and saw the steps from the movie Exorcist. We then met with Ellie Hall, a journalist who works for Buzzfeed. She is an NA graduate class of ’07. She told us all about her job and described her many experiences and the stories that she covered, from ISIS to the British royal family. It was very interesting and inspiring to hear about her career and her past. We then spoke with Mary and Michelle, two State Department Foreign Service Officers. They summarized their experiences as diplomats explaining the state department’s cone system and exchanging stories about their travels through places such as Estonia. They described all their language training and even spoke some Estonian for us! It inspired us to hear about their cool stories and great travels. Lastly, we talked with Greg Priddy, part of the financial risk consultant firm Eurasia Group. He described his job and explained how he predicted future trends in other countries’ economies. Afterwards we even played a game with him, dubbed the drawing game. We all had a laugh as we admired our amazing drawing skills. Today was amazing and full of fun! I couldn’t ask for anything better.
– Brammy Rajakumar
Tuesday was surely not a day to forget for the IR Fellows of the class of 2019. The fellows were treated with the chance to sleep in and eat breakfast comfortably in the morning, a great way to start off a day. After breakfast, we headed to the Air and Space Museum at “The Mall.” This was especially cool because Dr. Rezelman and Coach McMahon were our private tour guides. After this we made our way to Georgetown’s campus for a delicious lunch at a famous restaurant that’s in a basement called “The Tombs.” We then made our way to meet retired Army Infantry and Special Forces Colonel David Maxwell. Colonel Maxwell, who works in the Center for Security Studies (CSS) is an expert on relations with North and South Korea. He told us stories about his five tours of duty in Korea and his adventures patrolling the Demilitarized Zone between the two nations. He shared with us his view for the potential outcomes of the conflict between North and South Korea and left us with a lasting impression of these two nations. After this, we went swimming at the hotel pool and enjoyed playing “Marco Polo.” For dinner, we went to a delicious German restaurant that was a childhood favorite of Coach McMahon’s called “Old Europe.” The Veal was outstanding! As we turn into our beds, we know that Wednesday could only be better than today, which is really saying something.
– Lawrence Bernert