The Best Part of Georgetown’s IBP Program? The People.

This story is part of the Student Voices series, which provides a firsthand perspective of the student experience at Georgetown McDonough. Margo Spiritus (IBP’25) is a student in the Master of Arts in International Business and Policy (IBP) program and a McDonough Student Ambassador.

Going back to school is a bold move. Doing it mid-career, with other things going on? Even bolder. But the true magic of the IBP program at Georgetown isn’t just the curriculum, the global residencies, or the policy deep-dives. It’s the people.

We come from every corner of the globe and professional arena: emerging tech, finance, diplomacy, military, government, nonprofits, media, and yet, somehow, it just clicks. It’s rare to find this kind of chemistry across such different backgrounds, but that’s exactly what makes the IBP experience so special.

One of the best parts? Cheering each other on as we take on new roles, expand existing ones, and make waves in our fields. It’s inspiring, energizing, and honestly, just really fun to watch your classmates do big things.

Here are a few recent wins from our cohort that deserve a moment in the spotlight:

Shannon Vaughn: Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI)

Shannon Vaughn is one of those people who makes you rethink what “multidisciplinary” really means. He’s just been appointed a non-resident fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.

He brings together:

Innovation and Emerging Technology: A leading voice in how technology is reshaping security and strategy.

Military Experience: More than 20 years in the U.S. Army with deep operational insights.

China Expertise: A Mandarin linguist with a sharp analytical lens on China’s military and political landscape.

His latest piece, “AI Dependence and Political Blind Spots Undermine Beijing’s War Strategy,” is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of AI, geopolitics, and military strategy. We are all looking forward to seeing the impact of his work at FPRI.

John Kay: Head of Programs and Strategic Partnerships at the CELIS Institute

John Kay’s appointment as the new head of programs and strategic partnerships at the CELIS Institute is a big win for transatlantic economic policy nerds (hey, that’s us).

CELIS is an independent nonprofit, non-partisan research enterprise dedicated to promoting better regulation of foreign investments in the context of security, public order, and competitiveness. They produce expert analysis and fosters a continuous, trusting dialogue between policymakers, the investment community, and academics. It is the leading forum for studying and debating investment screening policy.

Kay’s work focuses on:

Economic security and investment screening

U.S.-European relations at the granular level

Building partnerships across think tanks and business groups

Before CELIS, he was leading European programs at Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), working with more than 200 associations across the region. His recent article, “Transatlantic Business at a Crossroads,” breaks down everything from regulatory shifts to why the trust gap across the Atlantic matters more than ever.

We are all looking forward to seeing the impact of his work at the CELIS Institute.

-Margo Spiritus (IBP’25)