Thanks to a generous gift from two University of Washington alumni, Joe and Judy Schocken, the UW’s Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies will establish a role for a distinguished practitioner to teach, conduct research and engage with the public on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. The aim is to enhance student learning, contribute to new scholarship, and widen community engagement on the Middle East from a policy perspective.
Judy and Joe Schocken
“Judy and I are proud Huskies. It is a privilege to support our great University which has had such a profound impact on our lives, our city, state, region, and the wider world beyond,” said Joe Schocken. “We eagerly await the appointment of a distinguished ‘Professor of Practice’ at the UW’s Jackson School of International Studies to share their knowledge of the Middle East.”
The “Professor of Practice” position, which will be known as the Judy and Joe Schocken Chair of Middle East Studies, is set to begin in the upcoming academic year 2021-2022. It will go to senior retired government officials, such as former career military officers, diplomatic envoys or ambassadors, with extensive first-hand knowledge of the issues in the region. The process of appointment will include the establishment of a faculty search committee and advertisement.
“This is a significant opportunity for the Jackson SchooI to attract a prominent practitioner of Middle East foreign policy,” said Leela Fernandes, director of the Jackson School of International Studies. “The generosity of Joe and Judy Schocken will greatly contribute not only to the field of security studies and understanding of the Middle East, but also to our mission of scholarship, teaching, policy work, commentary and community outreach. It will also give our students valuable access to professional training and learning first-hand about the complexities of policy.”
About the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington
The Jackson School of International Studies is a nationally recognized leader in advancing the understanding of and engagement in world issues. Founded in 1909, it is one of the oldest and largest schools in the country to offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in global, regional and area studies. Its location in Seattle, a global hub of commerce, philanthropy and progressive policy, provides a diverse and dynamic environment that helps connect scholarship with what the world needs.
