Center for Peace and Security Studies Scholarships

The Center for Peace and Security Studies awards merit based academic scholarships in the name of Dr. Stephen P. Gibert, Dr. Michael E. Brown, and Women In International Studies (WIIS).

The 2009-2010 academic year award winners are:

Stephen P. Gibert Award

Dr. Gibert founded the National Security Studies Program in 1977.  This award recognizes a student with substantial professional experience and an outstanding academic record in U.S. National Security.

Captain Raphael Cohen is a 2004 graduate of Harvard University and has served multiple tours in Iraq as a platoon leader, battalion intelligence officer, collections platoon leader, and battalion intelligence officer, respectively.  Captain Cohen is enrolled in the joint M.A./Ph.D. program and is interested in studying Iran or the revolution in intelligence for his doctoral work.

Michael E. Brown Award

Dr. Gibert's successor, Dr. Michael Brown, established the Center for Peace and Security Studies in 2000 to further examine the links between political, economic, historical, cultural, and technological factors that influence peace and security.  The recipient of this award exemplifies professional and academic achievement in non-traditional security issues.

Esther Kaplan is a 2009 graduate of Agnes Scott College.  Ms. Kaplan spent a semester abroad at the University of Jordan and has interned with People In Need (PIN) in Amman as well as with the Carter Center's Conflict Resolution Program.  She is specializing in International Security and intendes to study the political and economic causes of terrorism as well as alternative approaches to counterterrorism strategies.

Women In International Security (WIIS) Scholars

WIIS Scholars are  committed to issues of women in security.  Both in advocating security for women worldwide and as representatives of women in the security field, these scholars contribute their research and professional experience to the advancement of women in the field.

Christine Parthemore is a research associate at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), where she focuses on energy and environmental security issues and the Middle East. In the Security Studies Program, she is concentrating on nonproliferation. A prolific research and writer, Christine has coauthored two reports, A Strategy for American Power: Energy, Climate, and National Security and Iran: Assessing U.S. Strategic Options, and one chapter in the book Climatic Cataclysm: The Foreign Policy and National Security Implications of Climate Change (Kurt Campbell, ed.). Prior to joining CNAS, she worked as an assistant to journalist Bob Woodward on State of Denial: Bush at War Part III and The Secret Man: The Story of Watergate's Deep Throat. Christine has a B.A. in Political Science from the Ohio State University.

Milena Rodban is pursuing a career in intelligence.  She is a 2008 graduate of Goucher College with degrees in international relations and political science.   She interned for the United Russia Political Party while studying abroad in Moscow.  She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Amy Buenning Sturm served as a civilian Public Affairs Specialist for U.S. Army Garrison Darmstadt in Darmstadt, Germany, prior to joining the Security Studies Program. Amy has also worked as a Herbert Scoville Peace Fellow at The Henry L. Stimson Center in Washington DC, on the Southwest Asia/Gulf Security Project.   She is a Truman Scholar, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and a recipient of the Army's Achievement Medal for Civilian Service.  Amy graduated summa cum laude from Illinois Wesleyan University with a B.A. in Political Science and Diplomatic Studies in 2005.

WIIS Scholars are  committed to issues of women in security.  Both in advocating security for women worldwide and as representatives of women in the security field, these scholars contribute their research and professional experience to the advancement of women in the field. is a research associate at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), where she focuses on energy and environmental security issues and the Middle East. In the Security Studies Program, she is concentrating on nonproliferation. A prolific research and writer, Christine has coauthored two reports, and , and one chapter in the book (Kurt Campbell, ed.). Prior to joining CNAS, she worked as an assistant to journalist Bob Woodward on and t. Christine has a B.A. in Political Science from the Ohio State University. is pursuing a career in intelligence.  She is a 2008 graduate of Goucher College with degrees in international relations and political science.   She interned for the United Russia Political Party while studying abroad in Moscow.  She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.served as a civilian Public Affairs Specialist for U.S. Army Garrison Darmstadt in Darmstadt, Germany, prior to joining the Security Studies Program. Amy has also worked as a Herbert Scoville Peace Fellow at The Henry L. Stimson Center in Washington DC, on the Southwest Asia/Gulf Security Project.   She is a Truman Scholar, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and a recipient of the Army's Achievement Medal for Civilian Service.  Amy graduated summa cum laude from Illinois Wesleyan University with a B.A. in Political Science and Diplomatic Studies in 2005.