By German Army Capt. Jochen Richter
Alumni Programs
College of International and Security Studies
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (Feb.23, 2021) – The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies’ Alumni Programs and the Director of the Seminar on Regional Security, German Air Force Col. Stefan Hinz, hosted an online alumni reunion Feb. 18.

This more than 90-minute reunion was for the SRS alumni who attended in 2020.

The event featured short presentations from Marshall Center professors, Dr. Pal Dunay, professor of NATO and European Security Issues, on European Hopes and Transatlantic Reality: NATO in the Next Four Years, and Dr. Graeme Herd, professor of Transnational Studies, on U.S.-Russia relations under the Biden Administration. 

“Bringing people together like this strengthens their connections, maintains their intellectual interoperability, and provides an opportunity for them to share their perspectives and understandings of the latest current security developments,” said Herd, who is a frequent guest lecturer for SRS.

The Marshall Center invites participants from programs to reunite online for short presentations and discussions, said Christopher Burelli, director of the Marshall Center Alumni Programs. He added that online meetings offer an alternative means of connecting due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and difficulties for international travel and in-person meetings.

“This pandemic has revealed many challenges and opportunities to us all,” he said.  “One thing that has remained constant is the interest and enthusiasm that Marshall Center Alumni have for their programs, fellow participants, and sustaining the broader alumni network.”

Burelli said this reunion was the largest so far, drawing 43 participants from 20 countries. He added that nearly 200 alumni have gathered online to reconnect and exchange ideas since hosting these virtual events in 2020.

“Given the success of this event, and the strong interest from alumni, we will plan similar reunions for the future,” Hinz said.

Alumni can get the latest news and information from the Marshall Center by emailing their current contact info to: mcalumni [at] marshallcenter.org (mcalumni[at]marshallcenter[dot]org).  Alumni can also see the latest developments and gain access to networking and research resources through our GlobalNet online alumni portal.