NEW EC Year-End Highlights

Operations, Events & Communications. Through the federal work-study program, and with the support of the Executive Circle, IIEP provided 20 students with meaningful professional experience while strengthening the Institute’s events, operations, communications, and outreach. Student staff are embedded in the day-to-day work of the Institute, gaining real office experience while helping IIEP deliver high-quality programming throughout the year.

Their work includes website updates, video editing, social media and email marketing, travel and catering coordination, guest registration, speaker correspondence, event Q&A, and on-site support for conferences, lectures, and roundtables.

Workplace Skills & Career Preparation IIEP pairs this work experience with practical professional development, including guidance on workplace etiquette, LinkedIn profiles, professional headshots, and event professionalism. As a result, IIEP students are recognized as a reliable and well-prepared team, trusted by other GW units and external partners for high-level event support.

With the support of the Executive Circle, IIEP provided 23 students with paid research assistantship opportunities that strengthened faculty research while giving students hands-on experience in academic and policy work. EC support is especially valuable because it gives IIEP the flexibility to hire advanced student researchers, including PhD students, whose training allows them to contribute at a high level. Their work supports faculty progress on grant proposals, publications, datasets, conferences, and new research partnerships.

Student research assistants support faculty with literature reviews, data collection, coding, GIS and mapping, archival research, interview preparation, bibliographies, manuscript support, and policy analysis. 

Projects include:

Water Insecurity in Washington, D.C. IIEP  research assistants supported Dr. Alicia Cooperman's study on water insecurity by conducting in-person surveys across Washington, D.C., interviewing residents about their perceptions of water quality, helping participants test their water, and logging results in collaboration with the University of the District of Columbia. The project gave students hands-on experience with field research, community engagement, and data collection while contributing to a study of water insecurity in a high-income urban context.

Women's Climate Activism. Two IIEP research assistants supported Dr. Renata Avelar Giannini’s research on women’s climate activism by translating Portuguese-language audio interviews with women in the Brazilian Amazon. The project gave students hands-on experience with qualitative research and multilingual fieldwork materials while supporting scholarship expected to inform journal articles, op-eds, and future grant proposals.

Quantitative Research & Working Paper Support. PhD research assistants supported faculty working papers and research projects across the Institute, contributing literature reviews, database construction, regression analysis, modeling, and technical review. For example, students supported Dr. Ajay Chhibber’s paper, A Variable Mark-up Model of Inflation in India, and Dr. Barbara Stallings’s work on China’s economic relations with Southeast Asia and Latin America.

Networking & Professional Preparation. Open to all students and recent alumni, IIEP helps students build confidence, meet professionals, and take full advantage of GW’s location in Washington, D.C. Students connect with Executive Circle members, local alumni, policymakers, and practitioners through small-group lunches, speed networking sessions, public events, and informal conversations. To help students make the most of these opportunities, IIEP provides networking guides, event tips, and practical preparation so they feel ready to introduce themselves, ask thoughtful questions, and explore a wide range of career paths. 2025-2026 Events include:

• IIEP-EXEC Student Networking Lunch featuring Executive Circle member Max Angerholzer
• IIEP-EXEC Student Networking Lunch featuring Executive Circle members Lisa Schroeter, Nick Pistentis, Erik Kiefel, Frank Wong, and Ranjani Sankaran
• IIEP-EXEC Student Networking Lunch featuring Executive Circle member Ranjani Sankaran
• IIEP-EXEC Student Networking Lunch featuring Executive Circle Co-Chair Lisa Schroeter
• IIEP-EXEC Student Networking Rounds & MIEP/IDS Reception featuring Executive Circle members and recent alumni from the Master’s programs in International Economic Policy and International Development Studies

World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings. In 2025-26, IIEP supported more than 200 students applying to attend the World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings by preparing recommendation letters and sharing practical guidance on what to expect, how to attend, and how to make the most of the experience.

The Annual Meetings bring together finance ministers, central bank officials, development leaders, academics, private-sector representatives, and policymakers from around the world to discuss the most pressing issues in the global economy. For students, attending offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from global decision-makers, observe international economic policymaking up close, and better understand the institutions shaping development, finance, and global governance.

Executive Circle meetings give members regular opportunities in the fall and spring each year to engage with IIEP in person and virtually, hear directly from Institute and Elliott School leadership, connect with students, and learn from faculty research on timely global economic issues. The meetings are often paired with receptions, lunches, and side events that create additional opportunities for conversation and connection.

Across the fall and spring meetings, members received Institute updates, heard from Dean Alyssa Ayres, engaged with student perspectives, and learned from faculty presentations on topics including climate change, artificial intelligence, rare earths, critical minerals, and global economic policy.

IIEP hosted five IDEAS Sessions this year, bringing Executive Circle members together with GW faculty experts, distinguished visiting scholars, and policy practitioners for virtual, small-group discussions on timely global economic issues. Moderated by Executive Circle Co-Chairs Lisa Schroeter and Carl Richardson, these sessions provided opportunities for members to engage directly with scholars, share private-sector perspectives, and explore emerging trends, risks, and policy developments in an interactive setting. Topics are shaped by Executive Circle member interests and help inform IIEP leaders on current and emerging trends in the field.