Ksenia Lake, MA International Affairs, Class of 2021, #WeAreElliott Current Student
Ksenia Lake is an M.A. candidate in International Affairs with a concentration on U.S. foreign policy at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. She is currently a research analyst at the global, risk-management consulting firm IntegrityRisk International, handling a wide variety of U.S. and international due diligence and business intelligence work for corporate and financial industry clients. Prior to joining IRI, for over three years Ksenia worked as a programs and events assistant at the Greater Washington Board of Trade – a not-for-profit business organization representing all industry sectors in the Washington region since 1889. As part of her role, Ksenia conducted policy research and supported programs and advocacy efforts with local and state legislatures. Ksenia earned her Bachelor’s degree in Publishing and Editing at the National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute” and has a native-level proficiency in Russian and Ukrainian.
What has been your favorite experience at the Elliott School so far and why?
One of my favorite experiences so far has been participating in a U.S. Foreign Policy in a Global Era summer program. I truly enjoyed meeting experts in diverse fields, site visits and an incredible opportunity to learn both from our professor and my peers. We had a great team of students from around the United States and the world, which made the learning experience very rewarding and brought invaluable perspectives.
What courses have you found most helpful in your work/intern/volunteer experiences and how have they been useful?
As someone who writes extensively for living, I truly appreciated the skills course Writing for Policymakers. Writing in academic and policy environments has important distinctions, and I found it very useful to learn more about them.
Also, I enjoyed Quantitative Analysis for International Affairs Professionals. Not only did I learn immensely useful basics of statistics and how to approach data analysis, but also I got to practice using SPSS, which is a good skill to add to the resume.
Finally, as someone who has not studied international affairs for an undergraduate degree, I appreciated International Affairs Cornerstone, which offers a great overview of the basics of political science, political economy and more. I found it very informative.
What resources (online or offline) or strategies have proven to be the most valuable in helping you reach academic success at the Elliott School?
Gelman Library has been my favorite resource by far. It is a holy grail for any GW student. Not only you receive guidance in your research from experts, but also you have access to some of the best open source databases. This makes your research a truly rewarding experience. And, of course, you can take advantage of numerous free classes taking place at the library, where you can brush up your coding, writing and research skills.
Another amazing resource is access to career and academic advisors at the Graduate Student Service office. Their guidance was instrumental during my job search and helped me achieve many professional and academic successes faster than I imagined.
What advice do you have for prospective students who are on the fence about applying to a graduate program at the Elliott school?
Whether you want to take your career to the next level, get a global perspective, or prepare yourself to make a difference in the global community – this program is for you. As a full-time working professional, I appreciate that the classes are conveniently scheduled after 5:00pm. The professors are all accomplished in academic and professional fields, are very knowledgeable and are great resources. The students come from very diverse backgrounds and different parts of the world, therefore it’s great to learn not only with them but also from them. And, last but not the least, the fact that the school is located right in the heart of Washington DC, next to the State Department – is great. Do take advantage of the location and attend free and incredibly informative think-tank events, which are walking distance from campus.
If you could have dinner with any 1 person from history, who would it be and why?
I think I would pick Alexander Hamilton, the infamous founding father, and co-author of Federalist Papers. Ron Chernow’s book about Hamilton’s life truly impressed me, and I would absolutely love to ask Hamilton about many experiences he had throughout his life, his vision for the government, his incredible resolve for self-education and stamina in work. He defied many odds throughout his life, and it would be fascinating for me to hear what he personally deems as his greatest achievements and greatest missteps.
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The #WeAreElliott profile series is managed by the Elliott School Office of Graduate Admissions and highlights current students to answer common questions posed by prospective, incoming, and current students. For more information on this series or to submit questions, e-mail the Office of Graduate Admissions at esiagrad@gwu.edu.
The views expressed by students profiled do not necessarily represent those of organizations they work for, are affiliated with, or the Elliott School of International Affairs.
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