speaker-series–spring-25
The PSIA Speaker Series returned for the Spring 2025 semester with a slightly changed focus from previous years. Formerly known as the “Diplomatic Speaker series,” Associate Department Head Raluca Viman-Miller, who spearheads the series, broadened its focus to highlight not only foreign diplomats, but also American professionals from the US foreign affairs arena.
This year’s speakers demonstrate that broadening. First up in February was PSIA Advisory Board member Dr. Robert Kennedy who spoke on Smart Power: 10 Steps to an Effective Foreign Policy. A former senior government official, Dr. Kennedy recently retired as president/CEO of the Atlanta Council on International Relations. He served more than 20 years as Professor of International Affairs at Georgia Tech’s Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and was elected professor emeritus upon retirement.
At the end of March, the Honorable Katherine Raeymaekers discussed US-Belgian Bilateral Relations. Currently serving as Consul-General at the Belgian General Consulate in Atlanta, she covers ten states in the South-East. Prior to coming to Atlanta, she served as Political and Economic Counsellor at the Belgian Embassy in Rabat, and as the Deputy Head of Mission in Sofia, Bulgaria and also in Budapest, Hungary.
Although the focus of the series has been modified, its purpose has not changed. One of the primary purposes of the series is to connect the theoretical with the experiential. The Speaker series is meant to not only present current events from the perspective of the respective speaker, but also to familiarize students, faculty, and staff with the diplomatic and foreign affairs processes and the important political questions and concerns central to issues in international relations and diplomacy. Particularly noteworthy for students, the series provides an opportunity to take their classroom experiences and conversations into a unique setting where they can engage with speakers who are both knowledgeable and practiced in their field.
Held in person in the Dahlonega campus library, the two events were also live-streamed via Zoom. This allowed for wider participation across UNG’s campuses and afforded a convenient venue for all people wanting to attend. In addition to increasing availability and making connections across UNG’s campuses, the dual format allowed the guest diplomat to present and interact with a large audience directly. For the UNG community, the online presentation affords ease of accessibility while still providing an intimate and personalized experience with US and international professionals.
Future iterations of the Speaker series will continue to invite presenters with the intent to diversify perspectives and include speakers from a variety of backgrounds and from various regions of the world. Our Public Engagement Committee is currently negotiating dates and times for the upcoming fall semester; more information will be forthcoming on our News feed.