Participant Stories
Justyna Bartkiewicz
AIPT Participant Takes Steps Toward an Incredible Future
From Summer 2006
Justyna Bartkiewicz, a Polish citizen, is an ambitious young woman with an abundant passion for international knowledge of all kinds. She has a drive for international diplomacy and understanding, which proves to be paramount to her work in foreign relations. Bartkiewicz first came to the United States during the summer of 2004 as a Fulbright scholar conducting research for her Ph.D. at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She extended her nine-month internship to pursue a practical training experience. She was offered her current position with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) as a Special Assistant for Research and Public Diplomacy and started her training in October 2005.
Bartkiewicz says her training thus far with the KRG has been very rewarding. “I’ve learned the angles of diplomacy, improved my research and analytical skills, and learned a great deal about the history of the Middle East.”
“The training has also provided me the chance to deepen my knowledge of the Kurdish culture, as well as the Kurdish and Arabic languages,” she adds.
As a program participant, Bartkiewicz says “I’ve been very happy with the communication and professionalism of the AIPT officers.” She is looking forward to face-to-face interaction with AIPT staff and other participants at the upcoming event, September 14 -16, 2006. She likes events that provide the opportunity to network with other participants that share similar experiences.Bartkiewicz was raised as an only child in Warsaw, where her family still resides. Although it is hard to be separated for such an extended period of time, her family is tremendously supportive of her work and her goals here in the United States. Her mother has come to visit, and they stay connected on a regular basis via telephone and e-mail.
Her experience in the Washington, D.C. area is one of great tolerance for different accents and culture. She says, “People here are interested in where you are from, what languages you speak, what brings you here. They seem hungry for the world.”Bartkiewicz completed her coursework for her Ph.D. last spring and will complete her dissertation in the spring of 2007. Her thesis topic is analyzing the roots of the American idea of “mission” focusing on the second half of the 19th century of U.S. history and politics. She says, “It is exciting to me to see many parallels today, and helps me understand current politics a lot.”
Beyond her PhD, Bartkiewicz hopes to eventually take what she has learned here in the United States to advise and collaborate with her own government. She also says, “I would like the opportunity to teach at the university level and discuss U.S. history and politics with young minds.” However, directly after receiving her doctorate, she will enjoy spending time with her family and friends, relaxing in her family’s garden in the outskirts of Warsaw, and contemplating her next steps.
