Mroz Institute Inaugural Convening Honors EastWest Institute Legacy

By all accounts, last month’s Inaugural Convening of the John Edwin Mroz Global Leadership Institute (Mroz Institute) was a success. The convening gave the opportunity for many alumni of the EastWest Institute (EWI), out of which the Mroz Institute was formed, to come together in person after two years of connecting remotely and learn more about the Mroz Institute and the College of Charleston, its faculty and students. For all guests, students and faculty, the convening presented a forum in which to discuss the past, present and future of the EWI legacy. It allowed for speakers to discuss important global challenges, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and to speak about the direction of leadership and diplomacy in our interconnected world.

For Karen Linehan Mroz, who played a pivotal role in the formation of the Mroz Institute at the College, the event validated the move.

Karen Mroz

“Thank you to all of the team at the College of Charleston, the School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs [LCWA] and the Mroz Global Leadership Institute for all of the hard work and deserving praise,” says Linehan Mroz. “We look forward to a bright and rewarding future, and I am honored to be serving on both the LCWA Advisory Board and Mroz Global Leadership Institute Steering Committee. A special thank you to President and first lady [Andrew T.] Hsu for hosting special events at the gathering; to [LCWA] Dean [Timothy] Johnson and Max Kovalov, Bennett Director of the Mroz Institute, for their hard work and to our many speakers for making this all a great success.”

Jonathan F. Fanton, president emeritus of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, presented on the business of nonprofit.

“The Mroz Institute convening at the College of Charleston was one of the most interesting meetings I have attended,” he says. “It established the legacy of EWI and John Mroz at the College. It was inspiring to meet so many talented students interested in Track II and diplomacy.”

Jonathan Fanton

The CofC students also had a positive experience, particularly the International Scholars and Mroz Institute Global Ambassadors . These students had the opportunity to spend time with the guests outside the conference and share their perspectives about experiential learning programs at the College.

Liza Malcolm, an International Scholar and Global Ambassador, enjoyed being around impressive global leaders tackling existential challenges. “I believe that our generation has a steep slope to climb in terms of tackling these challenges, but – equipped with the mentorship and guidance of these international leaders – I have no doubt that we can help to mitigate the impact of these problems and restore stability in our geopolitical order,” says the international studies and public health double major.

Liza Malcolm

The event helped Jack Watson, an International Scholar and Global Ambassador, further his understanding of the career trajectories he can take upon graduation.

“As a double major in the LCWA school, it was very helpful to talk with professionals in different sectors of the international workforce,” says the major of both international studies and French. “I am grateful to have had the chance to receive advice from so many impressive leaders. I am very excited to see CofC continue to expand the legacy of the EastWest Institute.”

The highlights for Jocelyn Bellomo, a Global Ambassador, were attending breakfast with the guests and speaking about the Global Ambassadors at the panel titled “EWI Legacy Renewed: John Edwin Mroz Global Leadership Institute and the Future.”

“I got to have close, personal interactions with numerous outstanding individuals,” says the political science and international studies double major with concentrations in politics, philosophy and law, and Europe. “The opportunity to speak in front of everyone was truly fantastic. I am so glad students had a voice in the event and were important participants. It was so amazing to have numerous high-level professionals come up to me afterward and want to learn more about me. I had the opportunity to speak with amazing women such as Mrs. Catherine Smith and the keynote speaker Rose Gottemoeller. I cannot express how grateful I am to the Mroz Institute and Dr. Kovalov for giving me this opportunity.”

Jack Watson

Another International Scholar, Andrea Kimpson, had the opportunity to be part of the “COVID, Climate Change and Conflict” panel discussion in addition to representing the International Scholars at the “EWI Legacy Renewed” presentation, which she found rewarding because of the level of support from the audience.

“Participating in the panel with Mr. McConnell and Mr. Finlay was incredibly impactful,” says the international studies and economics double major with Spanish and political science minors. ”Our conversation worked to meld together three areas shaping global affairs: politics, business and academia. We discussed the current pressing issues of COVID, climate change and conflict through our lenses, finding connection points and areas for opportunity along the way. The perspectives and experiences of Mr. McConnell and Mr. Finlay presented me with areas to develop and invest in my continued academic career and in my work with communities in the future.

Jocelyn Bellomo

“Our discussion left me with a few takeaways, the most important of which was to look for nontraditional means of addressing global issues through relationships and partnerships,” adds Kimpson. “We have seen a slowdown in the effectiveness of different traditional conflict resolution, social and economic policies – this presents an opportunity for new, innovative ideas. In this theme, many individuals at the panel commented on the strong influence of younger generations in the design of these new policy tactics, which left me inspired and more firmly committed to my future goals.”

“The event far exceeded our expectations,” says Linehan Mroz. “Outstanding speakers and the many EastWest Institute alumni in attendance were very satisfied that both EWI’s legacy and that of its founder, John Edwin Mroz, have a secure ‘home’ at LCWA. The intention was to carry on the legacies for future generations is being fulfilled. We were all very impressed with the many students who attended and those who spoke during the program.”