By College of International and Security Studies
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN (Dec. 3, 2020) – Marshall Center professors, Dr. Sebastian von Münchow and Dr. Cüneyt Gürer hosted a Virtual Alumni Reunion for participants of the 2012 iteration of the Program on Applied Security Studies Dec. 3.

These reunions serve to maintain friendship among former attendees of College of International and Security Studies’ resident courses.

Dr. Matt Rhodes, Marshall Center’s area studies chair, joined the event because he co-taught a seminar of that PASS iteration together with  von Münchow eight years ago.

Von Münchow, Marshall Center director for the European Security Seminar – East, decided to add an academic assessment on a recent armed conflict to the reunion.

He asked Marshall Center’s newest faculty member to provide a presentation. Gürer gave a presentation on “The How Domestic Politics Interacts with Regional Policy Making - Assessing the Black Sea, Eastern Mediterranean and South Caucasus.”

 He briefed the participants on the interaction of foreign policy behavior of states with their domestic politics. Using a framework of international relations theories, Gürer provided a comprehensive understanding of how domestic politics can effect states regional and foreign policy outcomes.

The presentation was then followed by an active exchange on differing views of what the various actors aim to achieve in this volatile region.

Lastly, Drew Beck, Marshall Center’s alumni specialist, saluted the alumni and shared the latest news from the Marshall Center.

“This course took place in fall 2012. Back then, it was a great course bringing great people together to spend almost three months in Bavaria,” said von Münchow. “In addition, the PASS 2012 took participants to Washington D.C. and Berlin.”

He said, “It was great to see that how the Reunion provided the opportunity for more than a dozen graduates to get in touch again. The participants enthusiastically discussed today’s subject. In these times of distress, at least we can meet online. Soon, I will plan another Virtual Alumni Reunion, probably on another subject, probably for alumni of a different course that took place some years ago. And one day, I hope, we will be able to visit our alumni in their countries again.”

Cüneyt said, “The topic picked by the coordinators is very timely and took a lot of attention from the participants and following comments were also insightful.”

Matt Rhodes summarized the virtual event, “The strong response for the event testifies to the value these alumni still put on their time at the Marshall Center.  It was fun to reconnect with this group online.”