Clements Funding Recipient Adam Crawford tells us about his internship at Network 20/20

The Center funded thirteen students this summer and here is Adam Crawford’s story: 

“This summer, I had the opportunity to serve as a research intern for the non-profit group Network 20/20, a foreign-policy educational organization based in New York, NY. Network 20/20 has two main programs: the Foreign Policy Briefing Series and the Entrepreneurial Diplomacy Program. 

“As part of its briefing series, Network 20/20 organizes salon-like briefings for its members with leading foreign policy experts on topics relevant to its members’ interests. One highlight was when I had the opportunity to attend a briefing with Vesna Pucic, the former Foreign Minister of Croatia, who has been a leading candidate to take over as Secretary-General of the United Nations. I truly appreciated hearing her insights on how the international community could strengthen the United Nation’s ability to advance human rights and prevent conflict around the globe. 

“Several weeks before I arrived in New York, Network 20/20 fielded a delegation of leading private-sector citizens to Southeastern Europe as part of its Entrepreneurial Diplomacy program. The delegation met and interviewed dozens of high profile individuals from both the private and public sectors throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, and Serbia. The goal of the trip was to gain insight on the policy challenges facing these countries and to identify novel opportunities for future cooperation. The delegation’s findings will be compiled into a policy report which will be disseminated to the US Congress and other relevant private sector groups, such as US-based companies with interests in the region. 

“The main focus of my work was to research current US foreign policy in the region and to identify areas where our organization may have a unique insight to provide policymakers. My research will provide much of the context for the delegation’s final policy recommendations. One major takeaway from my internship was that diplomacy is happening on many different levels and through many diverse channels than what one might assume. I am excited that I will be able to apply many of the insights I gained over the summer to my work on the Reinventing Diplomacy PRP this fall semester.” 

Adam is currently obtaining his dual masters in Global Policy Studies at the LBJ School and Middle Eastern Studies in UT’s College of Liberal Arts. 

Photo: Network 20/20 staff at Foreign Policy Briefing provided by former Croatian Foreign Minister and UN Sec-Gen candidate Vesna Pucic