Institute of Current World Affairs

The Institute of Current World Affairs is a Washington, D.C-based 501(c)3 which provides fellowships, allowing Americans under age 36 to live in a foreign country for two years. Their observations and research are published in monthly newsletters that are distributed to members.

The Institute of Current World Affairs awards fellowships to young men and women allowing them to travel outside of the United States and gain an in-depth understanding of chosen topic areas. The institute is credited with launching the careers of notable foreign policy experts, including former U.S. ambassador to Kenya, Smith Hempstone, and the former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, Phillips Talbot.

The institute says it chooses young individuals that it believes possess the ability to make a substantial contribution to public life in the United States. The institute, which pays living expenses for fellows and their families, says it has sent more than 150 people abroad on its fellowship program. The work of its fellows have appeared in numerous national publications recently, sometimes with controversy.

In January, 2008, Nicholas Schmidle, working in Pakistan, wrote a Sunday magazine article for The New York Times titled "Next Gen Taliban." He was deported by Pakistan's government the day after the article appeared.

Many former fellows have gone on to notable positions, including some current board members. Author and physician Andrew Weil served as a fellow in the 1970s. Illustrator and author of several books about disease Bryn Barnard was sent to Asia by the institute. And Susan Sterner, a fellow in Brazil for the institute, documented First Lady Laura Bush as a White House photographer.

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