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treaty (START) with Russia. Another alumna, Lori
Garver (M.A. ’89), became the deputy administrator
of NASA in July 2009.
Alumna Diana Henriques (B.A. ’69) helped readers
around the world sort through the global economic
crisis as a financial reporter for the New York Times.
She also serves as the chair of the Elliott School’s
International Council. David Sokoloff (M.A. ’09)
created For Granted, a nonprofit organization that
distributes educational supplies to disadvantaged
children and supports community-based projects
that fulfill basic life needs. Neil Padukone (B.A. ’08),
Justin Zorn (B.A. ’08), and Elliott School graduate
student Evan Faber, along with GW classmate
Zach Hindin (B.A. ’08) founded Banaa, a nonprofit
organization that helps match Sudanese survivors of
atrocities with scholarship opportunities in the United
States.
Elliott School students are also committed to service.
Members of the International Affairs Society, an
undergraduate student organization, sponsored a
model UN conference for high school students. The
Elliott School’s Graduate Student Forum, another
student-run group, donated the proceeds from
its charity dance to Class Acts Arts, a non-profit
organization that brings performers from around the
world to schools and community centers throughout
the Washington region.
More than 70 Elliott School students completed
a total of 2,800 hours of service on winter and
spring break trips during 2009-10. Students traveled
to locations such as Peru, Guatemala, Atlanta,
and New Orleans to work on construction and
development projects.
Elliott School senior Davina Durgana was lauded
by First Lady Michelle Obama at the GW
commencement ceremony for her exceptional
commitment to service. Davina interned for an antihuman
trafficking campaign, served as a Big Sister,
started a group that reaches out to children and
families of prison inmates, and volunteered as an
EMT during her four years at GW.
Former President Bill Clinton discusses the achievements of Banaa.org, an organization created by four GW
students, including Elliott School graduate student Evan Faber (left) and GW alumnus Zack Hindin (center).
GW student and Sudanese refugee Makwei Mabioor Deng (right) was the first Banaa scholarship recipient.
Elliott School alumnus Skyler Badenoch (M.A. ’06) chronicled his experiences working as a first responder in Haiti
following the massive earthquake that struck the country in January 2010.
HAiTi ReSPoNSe
In the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, The George Washington
University mobilized to aid the country and its citizens. GW convened a working group of officials from
across the university to share information about potential relief efforts, coordinate with and offer technical
assistance to student organizations initiating relief efforts, and identify and support students, faculty, staff, and
alumni of Haitian descent.
Elliott School alumni who were on the ground in Haiti provided first-hand accounts of the disaster and the
challenges it posed. Alan Isaac (M.A. ’02), who was stationed in Haiti with Catholic Relief Services during the
earthquake, said via LinkedIn, “This will have a devastating effect on Haiti, and there will be difficult questions
that the country needs to answer for itself.”
Skyler Badenoch (M.A. ’06) worked as a first responder in an internally displaced persons camp near the
quake’s epicenter. Badenoch, an amateur photographer, chronicled his experiences through photographs
that he exhibited publicly on the website Flickr.
GW experts helped the community understand the effects of the earthquake. On January 25, 2010, the
Elliott School’s Culture in Global Affairs (CIGA) program convened five speakers who provided insights into
underlying sociopolitical factors that added to the earthquake’s physical devastation and psychological
effects on survivors. CIGA Director Barbara Miller used a post in her blog anthropologyworks.com to
examine some of the historical factors that led to Haiti’s dire economic situation. On CNN.com, faculty
member Peter Hotez, chair of GW’s Department on Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine,
provided his analysis of the health consequences of the quake.
38 2009/2010 annual report the elliott school of international affairs 39