Employer Relations
Employer Relations
Elliott School students and alumni are bright, creative, and motivated to contribute their skills and abilities in challenging careers. Our Career Development team works with employers to introduce our students to the wide variety of employment opportunities available to them in the field of international affairs.
If you have any questions or are interested in hosting an event with Graduate Student Services (GSS), please jeneva [dot] pace
gwu [dot] edu (email Jeneva Pace), Employer Development Consultant.
Career Cafes
Chatham House Rules. Connect Candidly.
Our intimate Career Cafes are designed for candid conversation with leading employers, alumni, and subject matter experts.
Share your advice and insight to position yourself and your organization as more than a job provider — as a thought leader, mentor, and example for the next generation of international affairs talent. You'll connect with a small, highly motivated group of graduate students who are serious about their careers and genuinely interested in your work.
Career Cafes are typically 1 hour and can accommodate up to 16 students.
Site Visits
Your House. Your Impact
Hosting a GSS Site Visit is one of the most authentic ways to engage with our graduate students. Give them a “behind-the-scenes” look at the work you do and help them envision themselves contributing to your impact. Create a powerful, lasting way to introduce students to your mission and values, attracting candidates who are drawn to your purpose and a genuine cultural fit.
Hosting a site visit requires a commitment of 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours and can include 10-50 students.
Information Sessions
Share your Vision. Define the Future.
Collaborate with us to host an information session and introduce your organization to a dedicated group of international affairs graduate students who are passionate about making a difference in the world. GSS information sessions draw self-selected applicants from a diverse set of degree specializations, all eager to learn more about the pivotal role your organization plays in addressing emerging global issues. Showcase your organization exactly as you want to be seen—whether as an innovative tech firm, a critical foreign policy voice, or a compassionate NGO.
Presentations are generally 1 hour, with 30 minutes afterwards for Q&A. We can accommodate multimedia presentations and can host up to 50 students.
Career Panels
Share Your Insights. Thought Leadership for the Future
Career panels at GSS showcase your organization alongside other key industry players, giving students a chance to hear diverse perspectives and learn about a variety of opportunities across sectors - all while elevating your organization's profile in international affairs. Panelists also find these events valuable in developing their own networks, as students see firsthand how interconnected the DC community can be.
Panel discussions are open to the entire GWU community, drawing a broad, interdisciplinary mix of students and alumni from both undergraduate and graduate levels. Share how your personal experiences and unique perspective shaped your career, discuss opportunities, and offer insights that help students envision their own paths as future international affairs professionals.
Bring your talent and expertise for a robust conversation that benefits every audience in the room.
Career panels are generally 1 hour and 30 minutes with time for Q&A. Ideally, 3-4 panelists, led by an industry expert.
Annual Events
Stay Connected - All Year Round!
Career Trek
Each summer, GSS coordinates an immersive Career Trek, taking a select group of high-achieving students to New York City to engage with prestigious employers and international industry leaders.
These treks offer your organization a premier platform to showcase its culture and mission to a targeted audience of emerging professionals. Previous employer partners have included the Federal Reserve Bank of NY, Moody’s, New York City Council, NYC Tourism, United Nations, Ford Foundation, Eurasia Group, and the Institute of International Education.
By hosting a site visit, you’ll give students a first-hand look at your operations while positioning your organization as a top-tier destination for global talent.
Career Treks are limited to 12 hand-selected students; hosting a site visit requires a commitment of 1-2 hours.
Summer Networking Night
Capitalizing on our central location in the heart of DC, our Summer Networking Night is a curated cocktail reception that bridges the gap between our employer partners and the broader Elliott community. This event offers employers a chance to meet both incoming talent and experienced alumni in a low-pressure environment. Participation is intentionally capped to ensure manageable, high-quality interactions for all.
Specialized Career Fairs
Our fairs prioritize "quality over quantity" and are intentionally small and highly focused. They are geared to showcase organizations with fewer than 500/1000 staff (domestic/international) who offer greater opportunities to deepen expertise and broaden analytical skills. Utilizing timed-entry logistics, we ensure your team has impactful, unhurried, and productive conversations with each graduate student. Following the event, participants are invited to a networking reception and have access to a dedicated digital resume bank, where students can select employers they are interested in, ensuring no high-potential candidate is missed.
Past Career Fairs have included such organizations as: TDI, CNAS, ISS/Stoxx, The Aspen Institute, US Chamber of Commerce, Concentric Advisors, CATO, New America, and Red Cell Partners.
