• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
  • GIVING
  • INTRANET
  • STUDENT PORTAL
  • Nav Social Menu

    Facebook LogoTwitter LogoInstagram LogoYouTube LogoLinkedin LogoSearch icon

The Bush School of Government & Public Service

Public Service is a noble calling.

  • ABOUT
    • About The Bush School
    • Meet the Dean
    • Bush School Advisory Board
    • News/Media >
      • Bush School News
      • Bush School in the Media
      • Bush School Podcasts
      • Inside The Bush School
      • Social Media
      • Media Information
    • Allen Building
    • Annenberg Conference Center
    • The 41 Award
    • Outstanding Alumni Award
    • Directory/Contact Info
  • ACADEMICS
    • International Affairs >
      • Bachelor’s in International Affairs
      • Master of International Affairs
      • Master of International Policy
      • Bachelor’s/Master’s 5-Year (3+2) Program
      • Master of International Affairs & Public Health (Combined)
      • Master of Science in Economics & Master of International Affairs (Combined)
    • Political Science >
      • Political Science Minors
      • Bachelor’s in Political Science
      • Bachelor’s/Master’s 5-Year (3+2) Program
      • PhD in Political Science
    • Public Service & Administration >
      • Bachelor’s in Public Service and Administration
      • PSAA Minors
      • Bachelor’s/Master’s 5-Year (3+2) Program
      • Master of Public Service & Administration
      • Executive Master of Public Service & Administration
      • Master of PSAA & Education (Collaborative)
      • Master of PSAA & Public Health (Collaborative)
    • Graduate Certificates >
      • Advanced International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Nonprofit Management
      • Public Management
      • Geospatial Intelligence
      • National Security Affairs
    • Bush School Online >
      • Executive Master of Public Service & Administration
      • Advanced International Affairs Certificate
      • Homeland Security Certificate
      • Nonprofit Management Certificate
      • Public Management Certificate
      • Geospatial Intelligence
    • Bush School DC >
      • Master of International Policy
      • Master of National Security & Intelligence
      • Graduate Certificate in Advanced International Affairs
  • ADMISSIONS
    • Apply Now!
    • International Affairs
    • Political Science
    • Public Service & Administration
    • Bachelor’s/Master’s 5-Year (3+2) Program
    • Bush School Online >
      • Executive Master of Public Service and Administration
      • Graduate Certificates
    • Bush School DC >
      • Master of International Policy
      • Master of National Security & Intelligence
    • Funding & Cost >
      • International Affairs
      • Political Science
      • Public Service & Administration
      • Bachelor’s/Master’s 5-Year (3+2) Program
      • Graduate Certificates
    • Undergraduate Advising
  • FACULTY
    • Faculty Directory >
      • Full-Time Faculty Directory
      • INTA Faculty Directory
      • POLS Faculty Directory
      • PSAA Faculty Directory
      • DC Faculty Directory
      • Research Directory
    • Faculty Research >
      • Research Overview
      • Faculty Publications and Grants
      • Capstone Projects
      • Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy
      • Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics, and Public Policy
      • Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs
      • Albritton Center for Grand Strategy
    • Faculty Experts
    • Faculty Spotlights
  • RESEARCH
    • Institutes >
      • Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy
      • Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics, and Public Policy
      • Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs
    • Centers >
      • European Union Center
      • Albritton Center for Grand Strategy
      • Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy
    • Programs >
      • Intelligence Studies Program
      • Program on Women, Peace, and Security
      • Middle East Program
      • Program on Cyber Policy, Strategy, and Security
      • Economic Statecraft Program
      • City & County Governance Program
    • Faculty Research
    • Student Research >
      • INTA Capstone Projects
      • PSAA Capstone Projects
      • PSAA Mini Capstone Projects
  • STUDENTS
    • Prospective Students
    • Current Undergrad Students >
      • Undergraduate Advising
      • Honors & Thesis Program
      • Student Resources
    • Current Master’s Students >
      • Capstone Projects
      • Public Service Leadership Program
      • Student Organizations
      • Leadership Development
      • Medal of Excellence
    • Current PhD Students >
      • Hire a Bush School PhD
      • Student Resources
    • Alumni
    • Career Services >
      • Employment Statistics
      • Internship Information
      • Career Search Info
      • Employers
      • Hire a Bush School PhD
      • FAQ
    • Student Spotlights
  • EVENTS
    • Upcoming Events
    • Annenberg Conference Center
    • Directions & Parking Info
    • Recruitment Events
    • News/Media
  • DC SITE
    • About Bush School DC
    • Academic Programs
    • Admissions
    • Career Services
    • News
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Staff/Contact Info
News

March 4, 2016

Bush Students Explore and Learn in Cairo, Egypt

The Bush School - white background

While others might have used their winter break to relax and take time off, students and faculty from the Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University, were busy engaging with scholars, activists, and diplomats in Cairo, Egypt. The trip was a part of a study abroad course, Issues in Modern Egyptian Politics, which focused on the politics and history of modern Egypt and was taught by Dr. Erin Snider, assistant professor in the Department of International Affairs at the Bush School.

“Being granted the opportunity to travel to Egypt with the Bush School to examine Egyptian politics on the ground was invaluable,” said Rainie Spiva, a second-year student in the Department of International Affairs who participated in the trip. “We were granted opportunities to candidly interact with Egyptian scholars, activists, civil society groups, and others about the many nuances of the Egyptian government and other aspects of politics that impact many facets of Egyptian lives. Experiencing Egypt from this perspective made this experience unforgettable and reshaped my approach to international affairs in the Middle East.”

During the eleven-day trip, participants were able to interact with a diverse range of speakers, including former diplomats with the Egyptian government and American diplomats at the US embassy. The group also visited the Nazra Center for Feminist Studies, one of the leading centers for gender issues in Egypt, and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, one of the leading rights organizations in the country. In addition to meetings with diplomats and scholars, students and faculty also had the privilege of meeting with Mahmoud Salem, one of the most influential bloggers in the Middle East, who is well known for his activism on social media before, during, and after the Arab Spring.

While in Egypt, students were also able to take part in cultural immersion experiences such as trips to the pyramids at Giza and Sakkara. Trips in Cairo included an excursion to Coptic Cairo and Islamic Cairo, the sites of two of the most revered mosques in Egypt.

“When studying a country, there is nothing like actually being there,” said Brittany Hardin Tanguay, a second-year student in the Department of International Affairs. “Prior to embarking on our trip, I had grown particularly concerned with employment issues in Egypt and the lack of opportunity for Egyptian youth. During my time in Cairo, I was struck by the strict segmentation of society and the narrow window of opportunity within each sector. The challenges facing future generations of Egyptians, which I already knew to be quite complicated, are far more textured than I initially understood.”

Egypt has made headlines in recent months due to ongoing instability in the region and increasing restrictions on free speech and human rights. When interacting with Egyptian civil servants and diplomats, Snider said that listening to what people were saying—and not saying—was illuminating. Interacting with activists and independent journalists also helped students gain a broader perspective on the current state of the region.

“There are significant tensions in Egypt right now,” said Snider. “The government is trying to deal with a difficult economic situation, and there is a militant insurgency in the Sinai, so there are security issues. At the same time, the government is constricting the rights of many organizations. It’s incredibly valuable to be in a place where you’re getting to hear from people who are daily trying to negotiate the difficulties of dealing with a constricting political space while continuing to do their work and share news about what’s going on in their country. There’s no other program that’s been able to do something like this.”

While traveling, the group always took several safety precautions, including having a security detail travel with the group’s bus through Cairo. The group also had security arrangements while staying at American University in Cairo to ensure their safety. While other universities cancelled their planned trips to the region, Snider says the unwavering support of Dean Ryan Crocker, who served as US ambassador to several countries in the Middle East, helped the trip continue as planned.

“What made this trip successful was the enormous support of our dean, who strongly believes that students should do hard things and go to hard places and never once faltered on whether we should go or not because he recognized inherently the importance of a trip like this,” said Snider.

Every student participating in the trip was able to receive a travel scholarship that helped reduce the expense of the trip. The scholarships were made possible through a generous donation by the Levant Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization that seeks to further knowledge about Middle Eastern culture and history.

After the success of the first trip to Egypt, Snider says she hopes to expand the program in the coming year. Rather than an eleven-day trip, she said she would like to see a trip that lasted three weeks to a month, allowing students to more fully immerse themselves in the culture. Snider says she also would like to see the trip expand beyond just Cairo and include exploration of other surrounding areas. Still in its early stages, the Bush School is developing a reciprocal exchange that would allow Bush students to study at the American University in Cairo and Egyptian students from the AUC to study at the Bush School.

Overall, Snider says she feels the trip had a deep impact on the students—one she hopes they will take with them into their future careers.

“One of the most rewarding things for me was hearing our students and one of my colleagues on the trip say what an enormously rewarding experience it had been to listen to lectures with different folks at the American University of Cairo and meet with Egyptians working in civil society,” said Snider. “These interactions completely opened their eyes and challenged ideas they had of the region, the people, and politics in general. As a professor, that’s extremely rewarding to hear. But it was also great to hear they all wanted to go back.”

Category: Bush School News

Primary Sidebar

News Links

  • Bush School News
  • Bush School in the Media
  • Bush School Podcasts
  • Inside The Bush School
  • Social Media
  • Media Information
Events Allen Building Directory/Contact Info

Prospective Students | Learn about the Bush School

Facebook LogoTwitter LogoInstagram LogoYouTube Logo

Footer

Bush School Logo
College Station  |  Online  |  Washington, DC
CS Map  |  DC Map  |  Directory
CS Phone: 979-862-3469
DC Phone: 202-773-0001


ACADEMICS

• International Affairs
• Political Science
• Public Service & Admin
• Graduate Certificates
• Bush School Online
• Bush School DC


FACULTY

• INTA Faculty Directory
• POLS Faculty Directory
• PSAA Faculty Directory
• DC Faculty Directory
• Faculty Research
• Faculty Spotlights


STUDENTS

• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Alumni
• Employment Statistics
• Hire a PhD
• Career Services


RESEARCH

• ISTPP
• Mosbacher Institute
• Scowcroft Institute
• European Union Center
• CGS
• Center for Nonprofits


Facebook LogoTwitter LogoInstagram LogoYouTube LogoLinkedin Logo
©2024 The Bush School of Government and Public Service · Texas A&M University

State of Texas · State Links & Policies · Link Policy
Privacy & Security Policy · Accessibility Policy · Intranet · Student Portal
Aggie Awareness

Click here to visit the George & Barbara Bush Foundation Click here to visit the Texas A&M University website, tamu.edu Click here to make a donation to Texas A&M through the Texas A&M Foundation Click here to visit the George H.W. Bush Library website, bush41.org

Click here to visit the APSIA website Click here to visit the AmeriCorps website Click here to visit the NASPAA website