SAIS Europe Alumni Weekend

April 22-24, 2016

Over 300 alumni and guests returned to Bologna, Italy for SAIS Europe’s annual alumni weekend, held in April. Over 30 countries were represented, including alumni traveling from Japan, Chile, and Brazil.

The three-day event opened with a panel on Confronting New Cybersecurity Risks with alumni speakers Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, Civilian Deputy and Policy Advisor to the Commander of Cyber Command at Fort Meade; Emine Etili, Head of Public Policy for Turkey at Twitter, Dublin; and Giampiero Giacomello, Associate Professor of Political and Social Sciences, University of Bologna.

James Anderson Adjunct Professor of Migration and Security Studies Søren Jessen-Petersen moderated a roundtable on The Refugee Crisis in Europe: Causes and Strategies with Raffaella Del Sarto, Associate Professor of Middle East Studies and International Relations and SAIS Europe alumni Johan Cels, UNHCR Head of the Division of External Relations, Governance and Partnership Service; and Michael Møller, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Participants went “Back to Class,” attending seminars on topics such as Brexit: From the Origins of British Euroscepticism to the Referendum, Prosperity, Poverty and the Role of Business, and Risk in International Politics and Economics. They also mentored current students by participating in over 50 career sessions. A highlight of the weekend was an “Alumni meet Future Alumni” panel and networking opportunity, organized in conjunction with the SAIS Europe Student Government Association.

Celebrations were held to mark the 50th reunion of the Class of 1966 with 17 members present, as well as the 40th anniversary of the JHU Krieger School of Arts and Sciences Junior Year Abroad Exchange Program with SAIS Europe.

JHU Trustee and alumnus James Anderson was presented with the first Grove Haines Heritage Award as an expression of sincere thanks for his leadership gift to SAIS Europe to support new and innovative programming in the areas of global risk, migration, and security studies.  Also honored during the weekend was SAIS Advisory Council Chairman Thomas B. Tesluk who received the JHU Alumni Association Heritage Award in recognition of his 30 years of volunteer service to the school.

Visit the alumni weekend website for event and class photos and be sure to save the dates for upcoming alumni events.