Wellesley Celebrates the Albright Institute’s 10th Anniversary

This year, the Wellesley community is celebrating—and reflecting on—10 years of the Madeleine Korbel Albright ’59 Institute for Global Affairs at the College with a series of campus events, including a presentation and panel discussion entitled “The Albright Institute at Wellesley: Training Future Global Leaders,” a featured event at this year’s A Very Wellesley Weekend.

The panel discussion, moderated by Joseph Joyce, founding faculty director of the Albright Institute, M. Margaret Ball Professor of International Relations, and professor of economics, will include Albright and former Albright fellows Halimatou Hima Moussa Dioula ’10, Esther S. Im ’12, and Zsofia Schweger ’12, who will discuss the impact of the institute on their career trajectories.

Each year, thanks to Albright’s vision and generosity, 40 student fellows are selected to participate in the Albright Institute’s Wintersession programs. The institute cultivates the next generation of women leaders in global affairs by promoting global understanding, analysis, and action; presenting and utilizing the world as a classroom and offering hands-on engagement; and encouraging students to pursue bold and courageous service.

“The Albright Institute is one of the important reasons Wellesley is increasingly recognized both as the premier college for women and as a global center for women’s leadership,” said President Paula A. Johnson. “Thanks to the support and leadership of Secretary Albright, the institute helps students to develop and hone the skills they will use to make a difference in the world.”   

In celebration of this important milestone, Secretary Albright has announced a $1 million donation to the Albright Institute. This is the first major gift in a $5 million fundraising effort Wellesley is launching to support the Institute.

“Over the past 10 years, it has been a privilege to see so many Wellesley students flourish, and to have the opportunity to develop the tools to address the most pressing issues our country and the world are facing,” said Albright. “As a student, Wellesley gave me the opportunity to pursue my passion, develop my values, and learn leadership skills that have lasted a lifetime. It is my hope that this gift ensures and sustains this extraordinary community for years to come.”

A livestream of “The Albright Institute at Wellesley College: Training Future Global Leaders” will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 19.