AUWCL’s Long-Standing Commitment to Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State
AUWCL is currently the only host law school under the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program. The Program provides mid-career professionals with valuable opportunities for leadership development and professional affiliations in the U.S. In a recent interview, Dr. Peter Moran, Director of the Humphrey Fellowship Program at the Institute of International Education, reasserted the importance of host schools such as AUWCL to the Program’s mission of fostering leadership and public service.
Peter’s background in international education begins with his own experience studying and living abroad. He lived in Nepal for over 15 years, first as a student, then conducting his Ph.D fieldwork in anthropology there under a Fulbright award, and eventually returning to take on the role of Executive Director for the Fulbright Commission in Nepal from 2005-9. He then returned to the United States to serve as Director of the Study Abroad Office for the University of Washington. These prior experiences with international education directly informed his current role as Director of the Humphrey Program. When Peter became the Director of the Humphrey Fellowship program for IIE, he realized how resilient each Fellow was, and noted their enormous potential for leadership. Many come from developing countries and are able to not only adapt but to thrive in a new culture during their time in the United States.
The goal of the Humphrey program is to find engaged professional leaders from across the world who will apply their time in the United States as a Humphrey Fellow to work towards change upon returning to their home country. Mr. Moran described each fellow as a seed; the hope is that Fellows go on to further develop professionally on returning home and positively impact their communities, become innovative leaders working towards social change, and create strong networks and pathways to engage with past, present and future Fellows.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in early March, the Humphrey Fellowship was forced to change the dynamic of the program but made sure to keep the core elements intact. The first priority was to safeguard the health and safety of the Fellows. For this 2020-21 year, the program has been reduced to six rather than 10 months, but it still maintains its most important elements which include the opportunity to travel to the United States, study at a U.S. university that specializes in a Fellow’s professional field, and provide opportunities for professional and leadership development with U.S. counterparts.
The Humphrey Fellowship program has become an integral part of the programmatic offerings and activities at American University Washington College of Law. The Humphrey Fellows also benefit the entire AUWCL community, students, staff and faculty through their social interaction, studying together, and the intellectual exchanges through presentations, round tables and other encounters between the university’s community and the fellows.