Encounters with Muskie Alumni Leaders

I’ve been fortunate to visit four IREX field offices and one theme loudly surfaces each time- Muskie alumni are everywhere. I hear about their great work from our country directors. I run into them on the streets on my way to meet other alumni. During a recent trip to Kyrgyzstan, I visited an alumna at the American University in Bishkek who is the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. To my surprise, other Muskie alumni also work at the university and by the end of the appointment, we had a mini alumni roundtable.

These countless planned and unplanned encounters prove to me that Muskies are clearly active leaders of their countries. Collectively, this group of people with diverse talents are excellent at what they do and hold top executive positions. In Armenia, an alumnus hosts and produces the highest rated TV program on corruption. In Georgia, two alumni are leading the way for foster care reform. The list goes on and on. As we celebrate 20 years of Muskie this year, I can say that the changes alumni have made in the last two decades are visible and palpable throughout the region. With this photo slide show, I am pleased to share a snapshot of these alumni doing great work for their countries and communities.

The Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, US Department of State, and is administered by IREX. In 2012, the Muskie Program celebrates 20 years of productive partnerships with leaders of Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Find more stories here.