Dear Alumni and Friends of the IR-Program:

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to you today to update you on the state of
your former program here at Western.

Since my appointment as program director in the summer of 2023, I have spent much time
in conversation with students and faculty to learn about their experiences, concerns, and
ideas for the program. A key concern in many of those conversations, were declining
enrolment numbers in the program and its student organization AIR.

Our strategic response to stop further decline and to decisively and sustainably
reinvigorate the program encompasses five measures:

1. Building community
2. Broaden program outreach and recruitment
3. Celebrate accomplishments
4. Increase communication
5. Review program

What have we done so far? Here are some highlights from 2024:

• IR/AIR Symposium “True North and Global South”, January 31, 2024, Weldon Library,
  supported by the Student Donation Fund. The panelists - professors Vanessa Hasse (Ivey)
  and Sara Ghebremusse (Law), and one of Canada’s top diplomats, retired ambassador
  Guillermo Rishchynski - reflected on the strategies, tensions, and repercussions of Canada’s
  engagement in Latin America and Africa.
  
  
• IR/AIR “First Annual Career Workshop”, March 27, 2024, Weldon Library, supported by the
  Student Donation Fund. The panelists were Westerns’ International Learning Coordinator
  Alyssa Szilagyi, Diane Goodman, a former senior official with the UN Refugee Agency (Senior
  Coordinator Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment and
  former Deputy Director and Head of Operations for UNHCR's Europe Bureau), Mark
  Vincent, former UNICEF Representative for Haiti and Cote d'Ivoire, and Guillermo
  Rishchynski, former Canadian ambassador to Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and the United
  Nations.
  
  
• IR/AIR Symposium “Ending Wars and Finding Peace”, November 30, 2024, David Chu
  Centre, supported by the Student Donation Fund. The panelists were: Valerie Oosterveld,
  Western Research Chair in International Criminal Justice and Special Adviser to the
  Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Crimes Against Humanity; Amanda Grzyb,
  Professor of Information and Media Studies at Western and Project Director “Surviving
  Memory in Postwar El Salvador”, Oleksa Drachewych, Assistant Professor of History and
  lecturer in history at King’s University College, discussed the history and politics of peace in
  Russia’s war against Ukraine, Sara Khorshid, Ph.D. Candidate in history at Western and
  acclaimed journalist of the Middle East.
• IR at both Spring and Fall Preview Days: we presented the program through student panel
  discussions before large audiences at both information days in the Faculty of Social Science.
  
  
• IR students received numerous undergraduate awards in History and Political Science, and
  two graduates were awarded the Social Science ‘Gold Medal’ for their accomplishments:
  https://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/awards/social_science_gold_medals/2024_award_winners.html
  
  
• IR increases communication and outreach: we have intensified the relationship with AIR
  and its highly engaged executive team; we have also initialized outreach with other clubs
  engaged in international affairs; we plan on intensifying our communication with program
  alumni.

• On March 20, we held our “Second Annual Career Workshop”, with outstanding program
  graduates from government and public service, business, and law.
  
  
• In March/April we awarded three essay prizes as part of our “First Annual IR Essay
  Competition” with dedicated prizes for students in each program year.
  
  
• Our digital communication now encompasses a dedicated IR Western email, a Bluesky
  presence, and an official Program LinkedIn platform. In the coming weeks we will be
  reorganizing our website.
  
  
• As part of the program review we have consulted widely across the university, created a
  program review steering committee with representatives of all status groups, and are
  currently engaged in the development data-driven information about every aspect of the
  program. The review is carried out with the help of: Western’s Office of Academic Quality
  and Enhancement: https://www.uwo.ca/pvp/vpacademic/iqap//about_us/index.html
  Throughout this revitalization review, I will remain in contact with you to periodically
  update you to ask for your input. We need your help in moving our program forward and
  you will soon receive a dedicated alumni survey. Your feedback is essential.
  Please also make sure you follow us and join our digital communication channels:

Please stay in touch – follow us and let us know what you are up to. Connect via:
https://bsky.app/profile/westernuir.bsky.social

https://www.linkedin.com/in/international-relations-at-western-university-63b561358

Our alumni database is incomplete; please update us with information about your current
activities and contact details and please share this letter in your respective networks of
Western’s IR graduates.

Our new email address is: IR-inquiries@uwo.ca. Feel free to reach out anytime with ideas
and questions; and if you are in your old neighborhood, let us know so we arrange a time to
get together for coffee or tea.

With best wishes,

Frank Schumacher
Director, International Relations Program