Alumni

Welcome Alumni!

Welcome to all alumni! 

International relations majors are accomplishing incredible things in Michigan and all around the world. We love to hear from you! If you'd be interested in being featured in one of our spotlights, send an email to [email protected] with a picture and some or all of the following:

  • Name, major(s), minor(s) (optional), and year of graduation from GVSU:
  • Describe your accomplishment (education, work, voluntarism, etc.), and optionally, anything you did previously (just a couple of sentences or as much as a page):
  • Anything you’d like to mention about how your classes, professors or activities at GVSU prepared you for your current path (optional): 

If you are looking to make contact with fellow alumni, check out the GVSU PLS and IR alumni Facebook group.

If you need a letter of recommendation, you'll find our letter of recommendation guidelines here, and faculty contact information here

We look forward to hearing from you!

Spotlights

Jasmine Caldwell Spotlight

Jasmine Caldwell

Social Security Administration

Claudia Hasbun Spotlight

Claudia Hasbun

Global Law Scholar at Georgetown University Law School Secures Position with London Law Firm

Matthew Brainovich Spotlight

Matthew Brainovich

Program Analyst, National Preparedness Assessment Division, FEMA

Jillian Zirnhelt Spotlight

Jillian Zirnhelt

Jillian Zirnhelt is a Research Officer at the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Aing-On Thammarattananon Spotlight

Aing-On Thammarattananon

Assistant to Political Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy in D.C.

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Distinguished Alumni

Periodically, the Political Science Department is asked by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to invite a Political Science or International Relations alumnus to campus for the Distinguished Alumni-in-Residence program. The program provides a venue for departments to invite outstanding alumni back to campus to share their post-graduation experiences with the GVSU community.  Through the program, our distinguished alumni have the opportunity to share their insights about what constitutes strong academic preparation for students.

Political Science and International Relations Distinguished Alumni-in-Residence:
James Spaanstra 2005
Edward Cardenas 2006
Bob Monaghan 2007
James Meernik 2010
Nerina Cevra 2012
Richard Damstra 2015
Tim Zeeb 2017
Alan Dunklow 2019

Distinguished Alumni

Richard Damstra Spotlight

Richard Damstra

Foreign Service Office, U.S. Department of State

Edward Cardenas Spotlight

Edward Cardenas

Media and Communications Expert

James Meernik Spotlight

James Meernik

Political Science Professor

James Spaanstra Spotlight

James Spaanstra

Energy and Natural Resources Attorney

Tim Zeeb Spotlight

Tim Zeeb

Managing Director in Finance

View More Distinguished Alumni

News

GV IN DC SCHOLARSHIP WINNER: JACKSON TISDALE

GV IN DC SCHOLARSHIP WINNER: JACKSON TISDALE

Jackson Tisdale is the recipient of the Grand Valley in DC Scholarship for the 2023-24 academic year. The purpose of this alumni-funded scholarship is to assist students in pursuing internship opportunities in Washington, D.C.

Apr 5, 2024

Tafel Recognized for Excellence in Teaching

Tafel Recognized for Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Tafel wins Pew Teaching Excellence Award

Feb 19, 2024

Outstanding Student Paper Competition

Outstanding Student Paper Competition

Eligibility is open to all students who major in political science or international relations.

Feb 13, 2024

John T. Batchelder Political Science Scholarship

John T. Batchelder Political Science Scholarship

The John T. Batchelder scholarship is funded by a generous grant from the Batchelder family. The scholarship honors Dr. John Thayer Batchelder who served as a Grand Valley State University professor until his retirement in 1997.

Feb 13, 2024

GV in DC Scholarship

GV in DC Scholarship

The GV in DC Endowed Scholarship helps Grand Valley students study and intern in Washington, D.C.

Feb 13, 2024

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Events

Virtual Information Session: Fulbright US Student Program (English Teaching Assistantship and Study/Research)

May 2, 2024 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Interested in teaching English abroad as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA)? Curious about the Fulbright Study/Research (S/R) grants for US students seeking support for a year of funded graduate...

Virtual Information Session: Fulbright US Student Program (English Teaching Assistantship and Study/Research)

May 15, 2024 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Interested in teaching English abroad as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA)? Curious about the Fulbright Study/Research (S/R) grants for US students seeking support for a year of funded graduate...

Virtual Information Session: Fulbright US Student Program (English Teaching Assistantship and Study/Research)

May 30, 2024 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Interested in teaching English abroad as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA)? Curious about the Fulbright Study/Research (S/R) grants for US students seeking support for a year of funded graduate...

Virtual Information Session: Fulbright US Student Program (English Teaching Assistantship and Study/Research)

June 4, 2024 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Interested in teaching English abroad as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA)? Curious about the Fulbright Study/Research (S/R) grants for US students seeking support for a year of funded graduate...

U.S. Student Fulbright INTERNAL Deadline

August 16, 2024 All Day

The US Student Fulbright program is the flagship international exchange program of the US State Department. There are two basic types of Fulbright awards: English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Award and...

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Page last modified October 25, 2019