Executive Master’s Student Named Eisenhower USA Fellow
The fellowship supported Heather C. Fischer’s recent trip to Malaysia and Thailand to study forced labor in global supply chains.
See related: Awards & Honors, Human Rights, Labor, Southeast Asia, Student Experience, Trade
McFate Offers Perspective on the NATO Summit and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in USA Today Article
Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs, thinks Zelenskyy is in trouble. McFate says Zelenskyy kept pushing NATO countries for increasingly sophisticated weapons on the promise that Ukraine would have a decisive spring offensive. "When the offensive happened, it was summer and failing,'' he says.
See related: Defense & Security, NATO, Ukraine
McFate Speaks With NPR About the Repercussions of the Wagner Group's Rebellion in Russia
"The problem of private warfare is control and accountability. And you have very little of it, especially in a conflict zone. So right now, we have the problem—well, Putin has a problem, is he can give amnesty temporarily to Wagner Group and to Prigozhin," says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
See related: Conflict, Government, National Security, Russia
McFate Weighs In on North Korea’s Failed Military Reconnaissance Satellite Launch in The Independent
Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs, says the North's satellite launch is mostly for "domestic political consumption" and unlikely to have a substantial impact. "Kim’s autocracy is legitimized by the 'enduring threat' of the U.S., and this demonstration shows he’s fulfilling his social contract with North Koreans."
See related: Defense & Security, East Asia, International Affairs
Sean O’Keefe ’78 MPA Joins Government Hall of Fame
The University Professor and Phanstiel Chair in Leadership was recognized for his public service roles, including four presidential appointments.
See related: Awards & Honors, Centennial, Federal, Washington, D.C.
Awards of Excellence Honoree: Maxwell Has Been ‘a Guiding Hand’ in Public Service Career
Bernard Rostker G’66, G’70 was one of four alumni honored at the Washington, D.C., event emceed by CNN anchor Boris Sanchez '09.
See related: Awards & Honors, Centennial
McFate Weighs In on US Developing Portable Laser Weapons in South China Morning Post Article
“Everyone wants light and portable laser weapons but it’s far off. Essentially, you also need a portable power plant, which is unrealistic…Lasers are more hype than reality, and the U.S. is investing US$1 billion a year to bridge this gap. However, it may go on for years,” says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
See related: China, Defense & Security, International Affairs
McFate Comments on China’s Military Capabilities in South China Morning Post Article
Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs, says China is far from being able to take the island. “China’s military is not ready to take Taiwan, which is why Xi Jinping ordered the military to be ready to take Taiwan by 2027, if told to do so,” he says.
See related: China, Conflict, East Asia, International Affairs
All Star Broadcasting Panel Addresses the ‘Intersection of Entertainment and Democracy’
Award winning broadcasters Van Jones and Bob Costas were among those who took part in a recent Los Angeles event celebrating the launch of the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship.
See related: Government, Media & Journalism, Washington, D.C.
Maxwell Celebrates Four Exceptional Alumni at Annual Awards of Excellence
Alumni Bernard Rostker G’66, G’70, Sean Callahan G’98, L’98, Deniece Laurent-Mantey ’09 and Juan Carlos Izaguirre G’06, G’07 will be celebrated at the event on April 27 in Washington, D.C.
See related: Awards & Honors
Maxwell-in-Washington Graduate Student Mario Marquez Joins in Call to Repeal War Authority in Iraq
The Iraq War veteran is director of national security for The American Legion and is pursing an executive master’s in international relations degree.
McFate Speaks With Newsweek About the Exodus of Wagner Group Soldiers
"Most of the old guard have sought to remain in places like Mali, or in Africa, away from the Ukraine fight, because the guys I talked to before the invasion were not supportive of the invasion," says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
See related: Conflict, International Affairs, Russia, Ukraine
McFate Talks to Newsweek About the Rift Between the Wagner Group and the Russian Military
"There's an ongoing public split between Wagner and the Russian military, and both sides are looking for symbolic wins," says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
See related: Conflict, International Affairs, Russia, Ukraine
Blockwood Discusses the Challenges of Selecting Our Nation’s Leaders in The Fulcrum
"Selecting our nation’s leaders is becoming increasingly complex and challenging, but we can make it more effective by ensuring the processes—for elections as well as appointments—reinforce democracy rather than erode our confidence in it," says James-Christian Blockwood, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
See related: Congress, Federal, SCOTUS, U.S. Elections, United States
McFate Provides Stratagems on How To Defeat Russian Mercenaries in Newsweek
"Those who think international law can curb mercenarism are unrealistic. Even if we had solid laws (which we do not), who will go into Ukraine and arrest all those mercenaries? Not the UN or NATO. The market for force resists arrest, which is why mercenaries are the second oldest profession. Now they are back, and we must re-learn strategies to fight this unique form of warfare," writes Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
See related: Conflict, International Affairs, Russia
On Tragedy’s Anniversary, Former NASA Leader Sean O’Keefe Reflects on the ‘Price of Diligence’
O’Keefe, a Maxwell School alumnus and Syracuse University Professor, was at the helm 20 years ago when Columbia broke apart while returning from a space research mission.
See related: Federal, Space Exploration, United States
Jacobson Speaks with MSNBC About Prigozhin, Emergence of Mercenary Fighting in Ukraine
A paramilitary outfit is making gains for Russia in eastern Ukraine. The Wagner Group, as the militia is known, is operated by Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin. Mark Jacobson, assistant dean for Washington programs, discussed the situation with MSNBC.
See related: International Affairs, Russia, Ukraine
McFate Weighs in on US Providing a Patriot Missile Defense System to Ukraine in Washington Examiner
“I think the first implication is that it is a signal to Russia. It's a signal to NATO. It's a signal, perhaps, to Republicans in Washington, D.C., that this is an escalation that is not on par with things in the past, even like HIMARS,” says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
Connected in the Capital: Washington, D.C., Is Home to a Vast Maxwell Network
See related: Government, Internships, Student Experience, Washington, D.C.
Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship Tackles a ‘Daunting Problem’
Distrust in the media, fueled by disinformation and partisan outlets, is among the reasons Syracuse University is opening the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship in D.C.
See related: Government, Media & Journalism, Washington, D.C.