The afternoon of Wednesday, April 8, International Student House of Washington, DC (ISH-DC) welcomed His Excellency Ashok Mirpuri, Ambassador of Singapore to the United States, to join us for our first virtual program, an off-the-record conversation on Singapore-United States relations, geopolitics, and opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region. Ambassador Mirpuri also spoke about Singapore’s efforts to manage COVID-19 and how the country is working with international partners, including the United States, to limit the global spread of the virus.
While we very much look forward to the day when we can once again gather in our Great Hall as we had originally intended, we were grateful for Ambassador Mirpuri’s willingness to participate in our Ambassadorial Dialogue Series as we adapted to an online platform. The discussion was exceptionally well received with a number of resident scholars, Board members, and friends of the House participating in the dialogue. We were also pleased to have members of the Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT) join the program.
An unexpected benefit of holding the conversation virtually was the ability to welcome ISH-DC alumni from around the world. Former resident scholars joined us from Argentina, Austria, England, France, Germany, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland. Our alumni where able to join the conversation from afar and asked a number of questions during the discussion.
Thank you to the Embassy of Singapore and Ambassador Mirpuri for such an excellent opportunity, and to all our guests for joining us for what we plan to be the first of many such programs before we can once again convene together in our historic house in Dupont.
The International Student House of Washington, DC (ISH-DC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel Bremer-Wirtig as its new Executive Director. While the timing is truly something we could have never anticipated, Mr. Bremer-Wirtig’s term started on March 16, 2020 and he has proven to be a dynamic, decisive leader as we navigate these unprecedented times.
The group was welcomed by ISH Board President, Eric Melby, and Interim Executive Director, Larry Dunham, who outlined the history of 1825 R Street NW and how it became the International Student House in 1946. Following a tour of the historic building, they were introduced to ISH residents from Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Turkey and the United States, who are studying at Georgetown University, George Washington University, and American University. They were joined by two local alumni originally from China and Serbia, currently working at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, and by ISH Board member Dr. Sherry Mueller, Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at the School of International Service, American University.
Ms. Casagrande shared her personal experiences studying abroad and the impact it had on her life. She went on to explain the many exchange opportunities now available to foreign students through the U.S. State Department. While discussing one such program, EducationUSA, our resident scholars were interested to learn that one of them had attended an EducationUSA program in Indonesia. Our residents and alumni also shared their experiences studying in Washington, DC and the impact that living at International Student House has had on them.
The afternoon was filled with engaging conversation, reaffirming the importance of inter-cultural exchange. Ms. Casagrande pointed out, at the State Department, “We are in the business of friendship building”, which very much coincides with the mission of the International Student House.
We appreciate DAS Casagrande and her team visiting ISH to learn about our community and meet our exceptional resident scholars, who will soon be leaders around the world. We look forward to continuing the dialogue with her and her colleagues at the State Department.