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Ricciardone's First Welcome Comes from Bahçeşehir University Students
Bahçeşehir University School of Politics America students had the chance to meet Francis J. Ricciardone, the new United States Ambassador to Ankara, in Washington, D.C., before he took office in our country.
As part of the Bahçeşehir University School of Politics America program, held between 9-21 January 2011, Global Politics and International Relations master's students and certificate program participants attended a dinner organized by the Assembly of Turkish American Associations in honor of Francis J. Ricciardone, the new United States Ambassador to Ankara, had the chance to get to know him before he took office in our country, and shared their views and experiences of the School of Politics America program.
The School of Politics America certificate program, a traditional program of the Bahçeşehir University School of Government and Leadership and the Center for American Studies, has been held regularly every year since 2006 under the direction of Assist. Prof. Dr. Burak Küntay. One of the main aims of the program, which Global Politics and International Relations master's students also attend, is to learn first-hand about the political system, philosophy, functioning and foreign policy of the US, one of the most important elements of Turkish foreign policy. During the program, meetings are held on many topics such as the systematic differences between the legislative, executive and judicial branches, the balance of power between the Senate and the House of Representatives, the function of the President, how decision-making processes are formed as the system operates, and the influence of lobbies and civil society organizations in the US on domestic and foreign policy.
Turkish is one of 10 strategic languages
During their visit to the Assembly of Turkish American Associations, students met President Günay Evinch and received information about the influence of Turkish Americans on American elections and foreign policy. At the meeting with David Cuthell, Director of Turkish Studies at Georgetown University, one of the most striking parts of the presentation on the development of the American education system was that demand for learning Turkish, recognized by America as one of 10 strategic languages, is steadily increasing.
Students Got Views on the Future of Turkish-American Relations. One of the busiest days of the first week began with a meeting with TÜSİAD US President Abdullah Akyüz. Akyüz gave information on Türkiye's influence in the policymaking process in America and the functioning of different lobbies. At the meeting with Dr. Ian Lesser, Transatlantic Relations Expert at the German Marshall Fund, the recent period and future of Turkish-American relations in particular were discussed. Later in the day, Ambassador Ronald Neumann, President of the American Academy of Diplomacy, made up of senior retired diplomats, shared his knowledge of the structure and functioning of American foreign relations with the students. At the last stop of the busy day,the students met Alan Makovsky, senior advisor to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Exchanging views with Makovsky in the meeting room where many important decisions on US foreign relations are made, the students received first-hand information on how decisions are evaluated in Congress and on the details of the process.
