Graduate Program in International Political Economy and Development

As the Fall 2023 Semester started, Fordham’s newest IPEDers spent Friday morning with 2nd Year IPEDers, Program Director Dr. Henry Schwalbenberg, and Associate Director Dr. Donna Odra. They spent the morning getting to know one another after a picnic at the New York Botanical Garden, playing games like speed dating and IPED cohort bingo. It was a great day to make new friends and to spend the last days of summer in the gardens! Learn more about Fordham IPED Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, & Youtube!

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Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is a humanitarian organization that operates globally, dedicated to serving the poorest and most vulnerable communities in times of crisis and development. Established in 1943 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, CRS works tirelessly to promote human dignity and social justice. With a strong commitment to Catholic social teaching, CRS provides emergency relief, healthcare, education, and sustainable development programs to improve the lives of millions of people affected by poverty, natural disasters, conflict, and other challenges. Through partnerships and community empowerment, CRS strives to build resilience, promote self-sufficiency, and create lasting positive change in the lives of individuals and communities worldwide. Fordham IPED Program and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Celebrate 25 Years of Partnership On March 9th, the Fordham IPED program proudly celebrated a momentous milestone: 25 years of partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS). This collaboration has been instrumental in providing countless students with invaluable practical experience in a wide range of development issues. As the second largest employer for IPED students, CRS has offered over 80 students and alumni incredible opportunities through this fruitful alliance. At the celebratory ceremony, Professor Henry Schwalbenberg, the esteemed IPED Director, skillfully moderated the event while sharing the program’s mission and highlighting its work alongside CRS. The ceremony boasted an impressive lineup of guest speakers, including Rev. John Cecero S.J., the Vice President for Mission Integration and Ministry at Fordham University, His Excellency Archbishop Gabriela Caccia, Pope Francis’ Representative to the United Nations, Mr. Sean Callahan, the President & Chief Executive Officer of CRS, and Mr. Matthew McGarry, the Senior Director for For Development at CRS, who is also an alumnus of Fordham IPED Class of 2004. Furthermore, the event featured two captivating musical performances by IPED ’24 students Saujan Khapung and Evan Osgood, which added a touch of elegance and artistry to the celebration. Their enchanting melodies resonated throughout the venue, creating a memorable and inspiring atmosphere for all in attendance. Find out more about IPED Program: Program Website: https://www.fordham.edu/academics/departments/international-political-economy-and-development/graduate-program-in-international-political-economy-and-development/ Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF8YRp8vAa5JP0Tf6n_wa4w Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FordhamUniversity

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Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Briefing for IPED Students: Global Affairs and Career Opportunities On April 11th, IPED students had the incredible opportunity to visit the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and attend a special briefing led by Dr. Zongyuan Zoe Liu, an esteemed expert in international relations and diplomacy. The CFR, renowned for its non-partisan approach, plays a crucial role in fostering understanding of global affairs and the foreign policy choices confronting not only the United States but also countries worldwide. Dr. Liu, a fellow for international political economy at the CFR, brought a wealth of experience to the table, particularly in East Asia (with a focus on China and Japan) and the Middle East (with a specific emphasis on Gulf Cooperation Council countries). During the briefing, IPED students engaged in an in-depth conversation with Dr. Liu, exploring various aspects of globalization, including the intricate dynamics of China-US relations and the De-dollarization of the dollar within the context of the BRICS alliance. Following the enlightening session, the students had the privilege of meeting with Megan Cheng, the Assistant Director of Human Resources at CFR, for a valuable Q&A session. This interaction provided an excellent opportunity for the students to gain insights into potential career paths within the organization and receive guidance on enhancing their job applications. The discussion with Ms. Cheng was immensely beneficial, offering students practical advice on how to navigate the competitive landscape and position themselves for success in the field of international relations. The visit to the Council on Foreign Relations not only exposed IPED students to cutting-edge research and analysis but also broadened their perspectives on global issues and opened doors to future career possibilities. The firsthand engagement with experts like Dr. Liu and professionals like Ms. Cheng enriched their educational journey, equipping them with the knowledge and resources needed to make a meaningful impact in the world of international affairs. Immersive Visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art: IPED Class Explores Global Economic History As part of their International Economic Policy class, the IPED students embarked on a captivating afternoon visit to the renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art. Guided by the knowledgeable Dr. S, the students were treated to a curated tour that beautifully connected the themes explored in their classroom discussions to the world of art and culture. During the visit, the students had the opportunity to reflect on and delve deeper into the topics they had covered in class. The rich history of the Chinese silk trade unfolded before their eyes as they examined exquisite textiles and learned about the political and economic implications of this ancient industry. The intricate details and craftsmanship of Chinese pottery further captivated their attention, allowing them to appreciate the significant role ceramics played in shaping cultural and economic exchanges throughout history. Additionally, the students explored the tea trade in Britain, examining artifacts and artworks that illuminated the profound impact of this trade on global commerce and cultural exchange. By experiencing firsthand the beauty and complexity of art, the students gained a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of economics, politics, and culture. The visit enriched their understanding of the global economic history, while also fostering a sense of curiosity and intellectual growth. It allowed them to transcend the boundaries of the classroom and explore the world of art as a powerful lens through which to analyze and interpret complex economic concepts. The visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art proved to be an inspiring and transformative experience for the IPED class. It brought their academic studies to life, igniting a passion for the exploration of diverse perspectives and fostering a multidimensional understanding of international economic policy. The insights gained and the connections made during this visit will undoubtedly continue to influence their academic and professional pursuits, equipping them with a broader worldview and a nuanced understanding of the intricate interplay between economics, history, and culture. Find out more about IPED Program: Program Website: https://www.fordham.edu/academics/departments/international-political-economy-and-development/graduate-program-in-international-political-economy-and-development/ Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF8YRp8vAa5JP0Tf6n_wa4w Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FordhamUniversity

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Friday, April 28th, IPED students ’24 had a fun day in Brooklyn. We started our day early morning with a ferry ride at East 90th Street that took us down the East River, passing by the iconic Roosevelt Island. We got off the ferry in Brooklyn and walked through Brooklyn Navy Yard and DUMBO neighborhoods. We then headed toward Brooklyn Bridge and Pebble Beach and we decided to take a fun ride on Jane’s Carousel that was followed by lunch, ice cream, and more walking. It was a great time to connect with each other, and to take a break from the busy semester.   

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By Addison Poffenberger – Fordham IPED ’24 The Fordham Road Business Improvement District (BID) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to foster the growth and vitality of the local businesses in the Fordham Road community. The BID provides technical and business support for businesses who may not have training in specific areas, employs a sanitation team who is responsible for cleaning up the district, and puts on local community events such as the fall Fordham Festival and the holiday Sparkling the Heart of Fordham events. The organization receives ample funding via an assessment, which is a small tax that all businesses within the BID pay so that they may receive the benefits that the BID provides. The BID does not just serve businesses. Consumers and residents of the neighborhood benefit from the BID’s maintenance of public spaces, such as Bryan Park, the various community events that are put forward, and the BID’s constant lobbying to the city in a bid to divert city resources to the neighborhood as needed. We are a small team, with just four staff including myself. But, having a small team creates a very tight-knit sense of community and my coworkers are one of the best parts of working here. They are all incredibly friendly, devoted to their work, and enjoy having discussions (and sometimes heated debates) because everyone’s opinion is valued. I provide support creating direct connections between the BID and its businesses to ensure that our resources reach those who need them. Most recently, I have spearheaded the launch of our “Fordham Bucks” program. The BID paid to give out over 100 $25 gift cards that are eligible to be spent only at local businesses within the Fordham neighborhood who choose to sign up. Over 10 businesses signed up for the program and gift cards are being rolled out to Fordham residents in need. I also write our monthly newsletter that goes out to all of our members, giving them information on upcoming events and various funding opportunities they could make use of. Next on the docket will be creating a new map of the district. The current one we have dates back to 2018, and based on my surveying of the district, almost ⅓ of the businesses in the area have closed down and had a new store open up since then. In a move completely unprecedented in the BID scene, the Fordham Road BID has started a community coalition called Fordham Forward. The goals of the new organization are to bring together various community partners in an attempt to pool resources and more efficiently tackle the problems facing the neighborhood. Through this initiative, I have been able to make valuable connections with other organizations such as the Street Vendor Project, the Office of the Bronx Borough President, and the Bronx Community Health Network. This coalition allows us to serve beyond simply our constituency of businesses and provides an avenue for us to provide the community at large access to our resources in order to give back to the people who make Fordham Road such a bustling center of commerce.All in all, this internship has provided me with valuable career experience, as I have been given the opportunity to really show what I can do. It has also given me invaluable insight into the inner machinations of city government and how the public sector operates when it comes to policy and handling community issues. It also feels good to know that my work is helping the community to prosper.

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On November 17 and 18, our IPED cohort ’24 traveled to Washington DC to attend career-organized events by various organizations. We started the first day with a visit to Catholic Relief Services (CRS) where we were introduced to different areas of work in international development, and emergency response. Welearned about the International Peace and Development Prestigious Fellowships, and how we can prepare for the application process.  Then, we had lunch with alumni representatives from the International Trade Administration (ITA) who shared with us their journey with the government work, challenges in the global market, and their work with foreign trade partners. They discussed different career prospects as well as tips about Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) Program, which is highly recommended for students interested in government career lines.  In the afternoon, we had a career session with United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The panelists spoke about their work with USAID and their career journey abroad. We had a very productive discussion about different career trajectories and opportunities.     In the evening, we had a wonderful alumni networking dinner. Many alumni from the DC area joined to connect and talk about their IPED experience, career prospects, and work abroad. It was a fun and fruitful networking dinner that introduced us to a wider circle of the IPED community. On the second day, we visited the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).  At the MCC, we were briefed on the agency’s unique approach to promoting economic growth and reducing poverty which was followed by a very dynamic discussion around the role of the MCC and countries’ choice for development grants. At the CSIS, we discussed the organization’s role in conducting research and providing analysis on a range of global issues, including security, economics, and energy. We also met with the HR representative at CSIS who answered our questions about the job market and gave us tips on how to boost our job applications. At the USDA, we learned about the agency’s work in supporting sustainable agriculture and food security around the world. We also learned about the USDA’s efforts to promote trade and economic development. At the end of the session, we also had a dynamic Q&A with the speakers about their career paths, the organizations’ work, and potential opportunities thatwe can apply to. Overall, the career trip provided us with a valuable experience to learn from alumni who are now working in these organizations and to gain insights into the career paths and skills required to succeed for some of the top government development organizations in Washington D.C.  We left with a greater understanding of the challenges and opportunities in this field and a sense of excitement and inspiration for our future careers.  

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On March 22, Fordham IPED program held its annual Alumni Network Night at Lincoln Center campus. During the event, four IPED alumni, Ira Weinstock ’82, Jason Lynch ’10, Will Spisak ’14, and Angeli Diamante-Burnes ’18 were invited to speak and share their career journeys. Following the panel, Language Immersion Study Awards, Arrupe Field Placements, and Public Service Field Placements were awarded to current IPED students for their fellowship summer grants. Faculty, current students and IPED alumni from different sectors and background had a great time connecting and sharing experiences and stories.

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Fordham IPED students had the pleasure of visiting the United States Mission to the United Nations (USUN), which serves as the United States’ delegation to the United Nations. Among others, they were received by individuals with roles such as Political Advisor and Counselor of Public Affairs. During their briefing, they learned about how USUN operates, its objectives, and the roles everyone has to ensure USUN is effective in advancing US priorities internationally. Students received tips and tricks from the USUN employees on how to obtain a job at USUN, the UN and its agencies, and other foreign services postings of the US government. The employees of USUN had rich careers and expansive networks which they openly shared with Fordham’s IPED students to help them obtain their future careers.

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By Saujan Khapung – Fordham IPED 2024 Spes Nova’s mission is to help promote sustainable and inclusive development of the working poor in the world’s poorest regions through access to low-cost capital, overseas markets, and insurance products. Spes Nova which literally translates into “New Hope” in Latin, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit which was launched by a small academic team within Fordham University but operates wholly independent from the University. Spes Nova also delivers global, skill-driven knowledge, and hands-on experience to students through the collaboration of an extensive global network of academic institutions and artisans. Spes Nova has partnered with Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali, St. Thomas Aquinas College, and ITESO – Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara and works with artisans from Bolivia, Mexico, and Kenya.  I currently work in the role of Graduate Assistant at Spes Nova. My primary responsibility is to ensure the smooth functioning of the organization. I liaise between Spes Nova, Partner Universities, and Artisanal Partners, ensuring effective and timely communication. I provide the necessary logistic support and information to Universities Partners and Artisanal Partners. Student members from the undergraduate mainly undertake the activities of Spes Nova. I supervise and coordinate with the Spes Nova members and delegate organizational responsibilities. Meetings are held once a week, where I update the members on the organization’s progress and discuss plans and activities for the future. The primary activities of Spes Nova include sales events where we sell artisanal products. With the Vice President of Spes Nova, I plan and coordinate the sales events and make sure that the sales events go smoothly. I organize products and accessories required for the sales beforehand. I also ensure that the inventory and financial transactions are recorded and updated for each sales. I am also responsible for managing the e-commerce website of the organization. This includes updating the online inventory, updating the website by adding new and archiving past Spes Nova members, and overall making sure that the website is up and running. I am also responsible for placing new product orders. After receiving new products, I organize them with the help of Spes Nova’s inventory team. I add the latest products to the website as well. This involves doing product photography of new products if required, updating the cost breakdowns of the products, and finally uploading it to the website. I am also responsible for the financial management of Spes Nova. I manage and keep records of the financial expenditures and revenues of Spes Nova. Saujan is currently on a Presidential Scholarship at Fordham University’s M.A. in International Political Economy and Development (IPED). To learn more about Fordham IPED, visit our website. Also, click here to read more about Spes Nova internship from our previous year student.

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By Kendall Ogle My internship at University Neighborhood Housing Program (UNHP) has proven to be a veryrich and formative experience. UNHP was formed to create and preserve affordable housing inthe northwest Bronx community, and this work takes several forms. There are staff memberswho provide direct assistance to Bronxites who seek housing and financial services, others whofocus on compiling data and research to influence policymakers, and still others who managethe quality and services of the buildings in UNHP’s affordable housing portfolio. As an intern, Ihave the unique opportunity to contribute to a variety of projects and learn from the diversestrengths and insights of the entire UNHP team. As a result of the skill set that I bring to UNHP, I have been given extra responsibilities in thecommunications and development areas of the organization. My day-to-day workload mightinclude grant applications and reports, newsletter development, social media management,website maintenance, writing blog posts, or speaking with clients seeking financial services orassistance with housing lottery applications. Since UNHP was founded in 1983 in partnershipwith Fordham University, 2023 is the celebratory 40th anniversary year for the organization. Asa result, our team is planning several special events and an extensive fundraising campaign. Iam very active in publicizing these happenings to UNHP partners and donors, and I feel verylucky to be working with the organization during such a joyful moment in its history. More than anything, I am grateful to be working with a team of extremely kind and intelligentindividuals at UNHP. Nonprofit organizations often attract passionate, intentional, and drivenstaff members, but this group of people is exceptional in their commitment to their organizationalmission and their kind consideration of each other. I have been able to learn more about theBronx community, build stronger workplace relationships, and further develop my skill set underthe leadership and guidance of the wonderful team at UNHP. I am very thankful to the IPEDdepartment for creating the opportunity for me to partner with this extraordinary organization asa Coverdell Fellow and look forward to maintaining this relationship in the years to come.

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