SFU NATO Field School alumni attend 2024 NATO Washington Summit

Simon Fraser University’s NATO Field School and Simulation Program was invited to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Public Forum at the Washington Summit in July as the official Canadian institutional partner.

As guests of NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division, five NATO Field School alumni, along with the program’s assistant director, Dr. Ryan Dean, were able to interact with world leaders, senior government officials, and other self-professed “NATO Nerds” throughout the two-day event.

The summit brings together the heads of state and government representatives of the 32 NATO members and their partner institutions. This year’s summit marks the 75^th anniversary of the NATO alliance, and discussions focused on NATO’s response to global challenges, including Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and North Korea’s involvement in the conflict.

At the NATO Public Forum, July 10-11, 2024. From left to right: Dr. Ryan Dean, Amy Topshee, Ethan Jang, Sasha Kardos-Machado, George Cade, and Josefine Paulsen.

Alumni Testimonials

Sasha Kardos-Machado is currently in her final year of pursuing an honours in international studies and a minor in political studies at Bishop’s University. As a part of this year’s SFU NATO Field School program cohort, she represented the United States in the NATO Summit Simulation (NSX) hosted at the NATO headquarters in Belgium. The opportunity to attend both the NSX and the NATO Public Forum was an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience for her. Sasha attests that participating in the SFU field school program was a highlight of her undergraduate experience, and it reinforced her career aspirations to work in the security and defence realm.

Josefine Paulsen completed the SFU NATO Field School program this year along with forty other students in the cohort. As a Norwegian citizen, participating in the program was an opportunity to learn about the dynamics between her nation and the alliance. At the NATO Public Forum, Josefine was impressed by the powerful speech given by the Polish Foreign Minister, and she was delighted to learn more about the topic of Arctic security. Josefine also had the chance to attend NATO’s Youth and Academia Night. She appreciated this networking opportunity as it was attended by various NATO political and military leaders, young professionals, academics, and civilian experts.

George Cade is a 2023 SFU NATO Field School alumnus, and he is currently finishing his degree in political science and history at the University of Victoria. George had an unforgettable experience and made many friends through the program. His participation in the field school program led to many amazing opportunities, including an internship at the NATO Defense College last year, attendance at the 39^th International Model NATO Conference, and invitation to this year’s NATO Public Forum. George plans to pursue a career in the security and defence sector, which was heavily influenced by his field school experience.

Ethan Jang is a recent graduate of SFU’s School of Criminology and an alumnus of the 2022 NATO Field School program. The program was an eye-opening experience for him as it opened him up to opportunities and interactions that would not have been possible otherwise. Attending the NATO Public Forum was the highlight of Ethan’s NATO field school experience as he got to interact with other young professionals with diverse background and interests. His participation in the SFU NATO field school program has helped to strengthen his resiliency, develop self-confidence, and draw him closer to a career in the defence and security field.

Amy Topshee graduated from the University of British Columbia with an honours degree in political science and international relations. She is a 2022 alumnus of the NATO Field School and interned for the program the following year, assisting with the logistics and administrative duties. Her favourite part of the NATO Public Forum was the panel on climate security as she was amazed to see climate security mentioned as a “defining challenge” in the Washington Summit Declaration. Amy currently works as the NATO Field School alumni coordinator and she hopes to connect alumni from various cohorts with exciting future opportunities.  

Overall, the alumni found the entire event to be an incredible experience and a rare opportunity to engage with professionals in international relations and security at the highest levels. You can follow the SFU NATO Field School program and its experiences both in Washington and further abroad at www.sfu.ca/politics/natofieldschool.html and its social media channels on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

SFU NATO Field School and Simulation Program

The NATO Field School and Simulation Program is a unique course offered by Simon Fraser University’s Department of Political Science. It is an intensive and competitive program open to any undergraduate and graduate student holding a NATO-nation passport, and requires the cohort to engage in critical thinking, creativity, and application of their knowledge and skills in simulated scenarios. During the two-month program, the students immerse themselves in the security and defence field by visiting various compounds in Europe, participating in simulations, and meeting officials from the political, diplomatic and military capacity.