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Get involved with the 2027 Conference on World Affairs!

Puttroff, Monty (Exchange) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Get involved with the 2027 Conference on World Affairs! Puttroff, Mont… Mon, 10/05/2026 - 12:00

What does it mean to live well—to not merely survive, but to flourish?

Planning for CWA 2027 has begun, and you can get involved today! IAFS students have opportunities to help shape conversations, topics, and programming for this year's conference. The official theme for the 2027 Conference on World Affairs will center on a question that invites unique perspectives from across campus: "What does it mean to live well—to not merely survive, but to flourish?"

Students looking to help plan CWA 2027 can get involved today by attending weekly program committee meetings set to shape event programming, outreach, and more. Register your interest in volunteering by filling out the CWA Volunteer Interest Form for more information.

Committee Meeting Schedule:

Science and Technology (S&T): Mondays, 7–8 p.m. in Hellems E240
Arts: Mondays, 5–6 p.m. in Hellems N270
Domestic and International Politics (DIP): Mondays, 7–8 p.m. in CWA Cottage, 1344 Grandview Ave.
Business: Tuesdays, 5:30–6:30 p.m. in Ketchum 1B60
The Human Condition (HC) : Mondays, 6:30–7:30/8 p.m. in Lucile Berkeley Buchanan 155

CWA is also looking for assistance in finding speakers for this year's conference. CWA is shaped by student, faculty, and community recommendations; share your speaker nominations through the CWA Content Suggestion Form.

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From CU �Ǹ�Թ� to a Career in Diplomacy: Dan Jassem (IAFS ’91)

Eileen Brown — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000

From CU �Ǹ�Թ� to a Career in Diplomacy: Dan Jassem (IAFS ’91) Eileen Brown Mon, 09/28/2026 - 07:00

After 22 years as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, Dan Jassem (IAFS ’91) is now retired and back home in Colorado.

Jassem graduated from CU �Ǹ�Թ� in December 1991 with a degree in International Affairs and joined the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer in 1997. His career took him from Greece and Singapore to China, South Korea, and a final assignment working alongside the U.S. Air Force.

For Jassem, that path began at CU �Ǹ�Թ�. “My IAFS background is what introduced me to the idea of becoming a diplomat,” he said. “I had never even heard of the Foreign Service prior to going to CU.”

A Career Around the World

Dan and his wife Kim in Washington, DC, 1997

Jassem’s first overseas posting was in Athens, Greece, where he served as Immigrant Visa Chief. During the conflict in Kosovo, the U.S. Embassy in Tirana, Albania, closed and Jassem spent nearly two years handling immigrant visa operations for both embassies. “It was a chaotic but exciting time, and for years I received Christmas cards from folks I help resettle out of the conflict zone and into the United States,” he said.

His next posting took him and his family to Singapore, where he served as an Economic Officer working on maritime trade issues, intellectual property rights and the Kyoto Protocol. Jassem was also serving as Embassy Duty Officer in Singapore on September 11, 2001. It was late in the evening in Singapore when he learned that a plane had struck the World Trade Center. He turned on the news and watched the second plane hit the South Tower live. He immediately alerted the rest of his team. “The next several days were surreal,” he recalled.

Jassem returned temporarily for one year in Washington, D.C., studying Mandarin, and then he spent five years in Beijing, China working on environmental issues including disaster relief, water resources management and endangered species conservation. He helped lead U.S. assistance efforts following natural disasters, including the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, and helped U.S. zoos negotiate an agreement involving pandas for study, breeding and conservation.

He also led efforts to install an air-quality monitor on the roof of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. The embassy publicly reported the results, bringing greater attention to air pollution and public health. “The publicizing of the U.S. Embassy data eventually led to a reckoning with the Government of China, and its own public,” he said.

Singapore, South Korea and the U.S. Air Force

Dan with fellow CU alumni at the Great Wall of China, 2007

Jassem later returned to Singapore as Political Unit Chief, where his work included efforts related to Afghanistan, trafficking in persons and piracy in the Gulf of Aden. “But it wasn't all serious, I also did a lot of traveling, scuba diving, and still played flag football with the Marines and other staff,” he said.

During his final year there, a medical examination revealed an unexpected health issue, and Jassem was evacuated to the United States for open-heart surgery at age 41. After recovering in Colorado, he moved on to his next assignment in South Korea. There, as Deputy Economic Counselor, he led a team focused primarily on implementing the newly signed U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement.

Jassem’s final Foreign Service assignment brought him back to the United States. For five years, he served at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois as Foreign Policy Advisor to the four-star general commanding Air Mobility Command. His work included disaster relief, embassy and civilian evacuations from conflict zones, and humanitarian relief operations. “I advised the command on the potential foreign policy implications of the Command's efforts, and worked to ensure the U.S. Air Force conducted operations that aligned with the United States' Foreign policy goals,” he said.

Ironically, returning to the United States also brought a new experience for his family. “As an aside, this posting [in Illinois] was where my kids experienced the biggest ‘culture shock’ of all our many moves.” This was his final assignment, in 2019 Jassem retired and came home to Colorado.

Coming Home to Colorado

Dan with his family in Dublin, 2024

Throughout his Foreign Service career, Jassem and his family made a point of returning to Colorado whenever possible. “My kids grew up in a fantastic environment, exposed to a multitude of truly unique experiences and cultures. Yet they always rooted here in Colorado.”

For Jassem, visits back to �Ǹ�Թ� reinforced his connection to CU. “Every time we came home, I would stroll with my family across the grounds of CU, by the Library, by Hellems, by Guggenheim Geography, by the Engineering Center.” Those visits also gave him a chance to share memories of his own CU experience with his family. “We strolled the grounds of Kittridge and I explained how gross the pond actually is. Like many others, I got thrown in on my birthday while attending CU.”

Eventually, those visits became permanent. Jassem and his wife now live in Broomfield with their two dogs, close to their daughters and just a short drive from CU �Ǹ�Թ�. “Being abroad and representing the United States was amazing; so is being back where we belong.”

The connection to CU has continued into the next generation: all three of Jassem’s daughters attended CU �Ǹ�Թ�. His oldest graduated in 2015, his middle daughter, Mikayla Jassem, graduated with a degree in International Affairs and Theater in 2024, and his youngest is a senior majoring in Chemical Engineering.

Looking back, he credits International Affairs with setting him on a career path he had never imagined before coming to CU. “It set me on a path that has been magical and fulfilling, with many tales of adventure and drama.”

ChatGPT was used to assist with drafting and editing this content, however final content was reviewed and published by CU �Ǹ�Թ� staff.

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SSCI Interdisciplinary Speaker Event: Immigration Policy - 10/5

Eileen Brown — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 16:19:32 +0000

SSCI Interdisciplinary Speaker Event: Immigration Policy - 10/5 Eileen Brown Wed, 09/23/2026 - 10:19

The College of Arts and Sciences will host its inaugural SSCI Interdisciplinary Speaker Event on Monday, October 5, exploring immigration policy from multiple perspectives. Featured speakers Cesar Daniel Vargas Nunez (UCLA) and Matthew Hall (Cornell University) will present research on the economic and fiscal dimensions of immigration policy, followed by a moderated Q&A. The event runs from 3:30–5 p.m. in CASE Auditorium & Chancellor’s Hall, with refreshments and a reception to follow.

Dr. Cesar Daniel Vargas Nunez - University of California, Los Angeles
- "The Price of Removal: How Economic and Fiscal Costs Shape Public Support for Mass Deportation"
Dr. Matthew Hall - Cornell University
- "Plyer’s Impact: Economic Losses When U.S. States Deny Children Without Legal Status Access to Public K-12 Education"

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Wonders of Wolllongong: Korbin Mendenhall's Global Grants Adventure

Puttroff, Monty (Exchange) — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Wonders of Wolllongong: Korbin Mendenhall's Global Grants Adventure Puttroff, Mont… Thu, 09/17/2026 - 13:00

Korbin Mendenhall is an IAFS student and Global Grant recipient who is spending Fall 2026 in Wollongong, Australia through the University of Wollongong program. He is already thoroughly enjoying his time in Australia through embracing their unique ways of life and events they have to offer. Read his experience below!

With just a month spent in Australia thus far, Korbin already can't believe just how much the experience has positively influenced his worldview, friendships, and sense of adventure. "Through my time at the University of Wollongong, I believe that my course’s heavy emphasis on discussion, openness, and positivity are a reflection of the amazing way of life Australia has to offer," Korbin said, "these principles are also key to the development of my International Affairs degree and it has been great to hear so many new viewpoints on current global events from Aussies and other internationals." The format in which the University of Wollongong structures content has also been incredibly helpful to Korbin, helping him "progress my understanding of global views through seminars and guest-lecturers who offered valuable career advice that I will be able to apply back in the United States."

The University's East Campus has great accommodations for the international students, which Korbin has been taking full advantage of to make friends through the extracurricular opportunities presented. The staff and resident ambassadors of UOW organize fun events for students to participate in, including excursions to locations like Sydney. "Living with four other roommates, I was able to make friends with Aussies who I could then introduce to my other exchange friends and develop a strong sense of community. Through events at Campus East, I was able to make friendships with a variety of people from different countries, creating even closer bonds during outside adventures to Sydney, Jervis Bay, and The Gold Coast." Korbin said, "[and] I am excited to see what the next three months bring as I become even more acquainted with Australia and advance further in my courses, although I feel the semester is already going by too fast."

Korbin's hand during UOW campus initiation event

During the campus initiation event for UOW, they gave students three markers on their hand while sharing information about Australians' deep connection to their land, ocean and sky. Then they made a snaking line around the central pond of the campus, which led through a cloud of burning palm leaves while a member of the indigenous community played a digeridoo (the unofficial instrument of Australia). Finally, they were welcomed into the community by a Dharawal leader who thanked the Earth for the beauty of the campus and kindly welcomed in the new students. "The event was an amazing cultural experience that reinforced principles of the Dharawal people in the context of our university which I thought was really amazing to be a part of."

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Summer Global Seminar Opportunities

Puttroff, Monty (Exchange) — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 18:43:50 +0000

Summer Global Seminar Opportunities Puttroff, Mont… Mon, 09/14/2026 - 12:43

Global Seminars give you the opportunity to travel abroad with a small community of CU �Ǹ�Թ� students, focusing on specific topics with first-hand experience. Some upcoming seminars and ones previously popular with IAFS students are:

A full list of seminar opportunities can be found on the Education Abroad website, and they will be hosting informational sessions for these seminars in the coming weeks.

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Join the Phil Weiser for Colorado Fellowship Program!

Puttroff, Monty (Exchange) — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 18:28:10 +0000

Join the Phil Weiser for Colorado Fellowship Program! Puttroff, Mont… Mon, 09/14/2026 - 12:28

Colorado governor candidate Phil Weiser is now opening applications for the Fall 2026 Phil for Colorado Fellowship. This fellowship gives students the opportunity to work alongside campaign staff to contribute to the day-to-day tasks behind getting Phil Weiser elected as Colorado's next governor. Students are expected to work at least 10 hours per week in remote, hybrid, or in-person capacities, through Election Day on November 3rd. Please consult the full fellowship opportunity PDF for more information and apply today.

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Internship with Colorado Senate Republicans

Puttroff, Monty (Exchange) — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 18:15:21 +0000

Internship with Colorado Senate Republicans Puttroff, Mont… Mon, 09/14/2026 - 12:15

The Colorado Senate Republicans are seeking CU �Ǹ�Թ� International Affairs students for an internship at the Colorado State Capitol. Interns will be working directly with legislators and stuff on communications, legislative analysis, policy research, constituent services, and more. This internship gives students the unique opportunity to observe how state governments operate and interact with varying levels of issues that impact Colorado and its citizens. Interns are expected to work between 8 and 40 hours per week during January-May 2027 depending on preferences and needs. For more information and application instructions please consult the full internship posting PDF.

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Career Services Events and Opportunities - Fall 2026

Puttroff, Monty (Exchange) — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Career Services Events and Opportunities - Fall 2026 Puttroff, Mont… Thu, 08/20/2026 - 12:00

This Fall Career Services will be hosting a wide array of events and opportunities for undergraduate students. From career fairs like the On-Campus Student Job & Professional Experience Fair on August 25 designed for students seeking employment without leaving campus to a wide range of career preparation events such as the Resume and Cover Letter Writing Workshops and the Job and Internship Strategies Workshops, Career Services has opportunities for all students. More information and registration for each of these events is available on the Career Services Fairs & Events Page.

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Fall 2026 IAFS Open House - 12-1:30pm - 9/10/26

Eileen Brown — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 17:23:37 +0000

Fall 2026 IAFS Open House - 12-1:30pm - 9/10/26 Eileen Brown Tue, 08/18/2026 - 11:23

The International Affairs Program (IAFS) is putting on a Fall 2026 IAFS Open House for potential and current IAFS students, IAFS-related faculty, and anyone else with a general interest in getting to know what IAFS has to offer!

The event will take place on Thursday, September 10, 2026 from 12-1:30pm in the tent on the South Terrace of the University Memorial Center (UMC)*. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the IAFS program, meet IAFS advisors and staff, learn about different resources and opportunities on campus and...

Join the Open House Giveaway! Visit four participating tables and complete an IAFS Open House Passport to be entered to win one of two CU Swag Bags, valued at approximately $100 each. Each prize includes a clear CU tote, CU swag, and the winner’s choice of a CU hoodie, crewneck sweatshirt, or quarter/half-zip pullover (subject to available styles and sizes).

Current Organizations/Departments who will have tables at the event:

IAFS Program
IAFS Honors and Internship Programs
IAFS Club
Anderson Language and Technology Education Center (ALTEC)
Asian Languages and Civilizations (ALC)
Career Services
Center for Asian Studies (CAS)
Center for Leadership
Conference on World Affairs
Department of French & Italian
Department of Spanish & Portuguese
Education Abroad & CU in DC
German Club
Latin America and Latinx Studies Center (LALSC)
Model United Nations (MUN)
Peace Corps
Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) - pre-law fraternity
Public Health Program
Service Learning & Impact in Community Engagement (SLICE)
Studio Lab
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

*In the case of inclement weather, the event will take place in UMC 235.

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Sienna Bendall's Summer in Regensburg, Germany: Powered by Global Grants

Puttroff, Monty (Exchange) — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 20:00:00 +0000

Sienna Bendall's Summer in Regensburg, Germany: Powered by Global Grants Puttroff, Mont… Thu, 08/13/2026 - 14:00

Last November we shared Sienna Bendall's (IAFS '27) beginning of her journey abroad in Regensburg, Germany on a Global Grants scholarship for the 2025-2026 academic year. With her experience abroad coming to a close this summer, her experience was one worth sharing once again. Over two semesters she built lasting friendships, learned much about German culture and language, traveled all across Europe, and found a real sense of community in a world that began to feel like a second home.

When Sienna returned to Regensburg for her second semester after a month back in �Ǹ�Թ� followed by traveling to Amsterdam, Brussels, and Luxembourg City, the weather was a nice surprise with increased warmth, longer sunlight, and overall a much different atmosphere than when she left the cold and dark Germany before the break. While in Brussels she had the opportunity to see the European Parliament, but was unfortunately unable to enter as it was closed for the weekend. "It was exciting to see something that I had learned so much about in class in person." As courses begun for the second semester she had the opportunity to visit the countryside with her international German theater group to work on their performance for the semester. "It was a lot of fun to experience a small town while speaking German. I even learned how to make flower crowns, which turned out to be surprisingly easy." Sienna shared how interesting it was to return to Germany after a short stint back in �Ǹ�Թ�, saying "it feels like my second home now."

The next month continued with fun travels to Paris, Copenhagen, and Hamburg with friends. "It is so nice to be able to decide on any weekend to travel to another country" she says. Later her Italian friends shared the difficult experience of making homemade gnocchi, which "did not turn out well," and taught her that "gnocchi is just one of those dishes that is better bought at the supermarket or enjoyed at a restaurant." She continued to enjoy local experiences in Regensburg with visits to local museums and sections of the city she had yet to visit, alongside multiple visits to Mai Dult, a festival local to Regensburg where she enjoyed traditional German music and dancing, "it reminded me of a smaller Oktoberfest." One of the biggest highlights from this portion of her abroad experience came with running her first ever half marathon. Running through the old town made her feel like she was truly part of the community, and seeing one of her professors and her friends cheering alongside the course made the experience all the better.

As the summer heat ramped up, Sienna found comfort in jumping in the Danube, the second longest river in Europe. "I cannot count the number of times I have sat on the bank or gone in the water, which has actually gotten warm enough to enjoy swimming in." One of her favorite things in June came with the Campus Fest, where universities in Regensburg come together to create an event featuring four music stages, club information, food stalls, and even free items from local companies. "It was so culturally different because the university essentially hosted a large party on campus from 1 p.m. until late into the evening. It was definitely an experience I will remember." As always, her travels outside of Regensburg didn't stop and came with visits to Zurich, Basel, Vaduz, Katowice, Krakow, Prague, and Budapest. These visits marks her officially traveling to every country where Germany is one of the official languages, as well as all of Germany's neighboring countries. The month ended with a trip to Poland to visit a friend from her first semester, and it was incredible to catch up. "Studying abroad has given me friendships that I know will lead to future travels and reunions."

July marked Sienna's last month in Regensburg, with a packed final month of events, travel, and hanging out with friends as it wrapped up. At the beginning of the month she finally had her performances with her theater course for a production of Der gestiefelte Kater. It was a lot of work to put on four performances in German, but the difficulty and enjoyment of the experience will stay with her forever. One of the most fun events of the month came with Pride in Regensburg. "It was similar to Pride in the United States, but people were not as crazy with their outfits. It was cool to see another culture’s way of celebrating Pride." She also camped with friends near Eibsee, hiked the tallest mountain in Europe in Zugspitze, and ate lunch at a mountain hut in Austria. Her final trip of the semester came with a beautiful experience in Spain seeing gorgeous architecture and experiencing the World Cup final outside a beer garden, "it was such a cool way to watch the final, and it is a memory that will stay with me forever." It was difficult for her to say goodbye to the friends she made over the year abroad, and especially difficult to say goodbye to the city itself. "I had my last swim in the Danube, my last German pretzel, and my last time getting my Pfand back. Studying abroad has been a great experience where I met so many great people and learned so many things about different places and cultures. I am so happy I was able to do it."

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