College of Public Affairs Alumna Lauren Samuelsen Receives University of Maryland's 2020-21 Kelleher Fellowship for International Security Studies
May 22, 2020
Contact: Office of Government and Public Affairs
Phone: 410.837.5739
Lauren Samuelsen, M.A. '15, is the 2020-21 receipient of the University of Maryland, College Park's School of Public Policy's Kelleher Fellowship for International Security Studies. Samuelsen, who will enter the school's doctoral program this fall, plans to examine nuclear material security policy in civilian settings. She is the second recipient of the Kelleher Fellowship, which honors a longtime School of Public Policy faculty member, Catherine M. Kelleher, who helped found the school and its Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland.
Ivan Sascha Sheehan, executive director and associate professor in the School of Public and International Affairs in the University of Baltimore's College of Public Affairs, said Samuelsen is highly deserving of the accolade.
"The faculty in the School of Public and International Affairs could not be any more proud of Lauren's extraordinary achievements since she completed her graduate studies in 2015. As an M.A. candidate in the Global Affairs and Human Security program, Lauren served as a research assistant, completed a competitive internship at The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, delivered a presentation at the International Studies Association Annual Conference, and was awarded funding to advance her professional development. Now, as a Ph.D. candidate, she will turn her attention to one of the most critical matters of our time: nuclear security policy. That she has been awarded this fellowship is a testament to her hard work and commitment. It is also an illustration of what School of Public and International Affairs students and alumni can achieve when they pursue their dreams and never give up. We all wish Lauren continued success as a doctoral candidate, in her prestigious fellowship, and in her research career. We are so proud of her."
In announcing Samuelsen's award, the School of Public Policy noted that the fellowship "honors Kelleher's commitment to advancing the studies and careers of women in the field of international security. In addition to co-founding Women in International Security while at the School of Public Policy, Kelleher has served as a mentor to countless women students and professionals."
Samuelsen, who earned an M.A. in Global Affairs and Human Security from the University of Baltimore in 2015, and a B.A. in International Relations from Goucher College in 2011, said, "I'm so happy to represent UB as I start this new chapter in my life, and like I've said before, I owe a huge amount of my success to the education and professional relationships I gained throughout my affiliation with UB."
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