Letters from Fritz: Resilience in International Affairs

Dear Alumni and Friends, 

As we begin our Spring quarter, we do so at a time of rapid change and extraordinary challenge. In the international arena, the ground seems to be shifting daily beneath our feet. At home, norms and institutions that have long anchored public life are being sorely tested. And universities are far from immune.  

It can all seem quite daunting, but at the Korbel School we are coming together to meet this moment.   

Here’s what I wrote to our students a couple weeks ago, echoing a similar message to faculty and staff:

At a time like this, it is even more important to remind ourselves of what we stand for and to focus even more sharply on our mission. At the Korbel School, we will not waiver from our belief in the nobility of public service, the importance of evidence and analysis, and the dignity and value of every individual. We will continue to prepare students for careers of purpose, to produce research on important questions, and to inform publics and policymakers on the great issues that define our time. 

And that is what we are doing.   

In our classrooms, we are helping our students make sense of the challenging developments, put those developments in context, and explore ways to address them. Outside the classroom, we’re hosting informal pop-up conversations for students and faculty to share perspectives on the major issues of the day.  

The faculty are bringing their expertise to bear on pressing questions about growing geo-political tensions, emerging security threats, foreign aid and economic development, the global economy, the future of democracy, and more. To highlight just one program, the Korbel School is spearheading an effort of some of the world’s leading schools of international relations to rethink how we should be preparing our students for a rapidly changing world.  

We are continuing our commitment to engagement with the wider public and policy makers. More than 600 people joined our virtual Denver Democracy Summit in January and attended events sponsored by our centers and institutes. Our faculty are publishing opinion articles, appearing on local news programs, and speaking in public forums. And they are talking directly to policymakers and other stakeholders in Geneva, Washington, and Denver.  

In this our 60th year, the mission of the Korbel School has never been more important. The world needs us more than ever.

And we need you. 

With gratitude,

Frederick "Fritz" Mayer

Dean, Josef Korbel School of International Studies