The room fell quiet. Sabrina Chun took a breath, then began her presentation. Across the table, an industry expert waited to evaluate weeks of research, writing, and revisions. For Chun and 85 other Jackson School undergraduates, this was the culmination of their time in Task Force.
Founded in 1983, the Donald C. Hellmann Task Force Program serves as the Jackson School’s signature capstone experience. It bridges classroom learning and the actual practice of foreign policy, and has helped launch hundreds of careers in diplomacy and global policy.
Working in small teams, students research pressing international issues, write formal policy reports, and present their findings to experts in the field. This winter’s six task forces tackled:
- Autonomous Weapons Systems, Drones, and the Future of Conflict
- Indigenous and International Relations in a Warming Arctic
- Averting War: Taiwan and U.S.-China Relations
- Geoeconomics of the Deep: Governing Power, Resources, and Biodiversity on the High Seas
- China’s Space Diplomacy Around the World
- U.S. Soft Power After Trump
Faculty advisers included Jessica Beyer, Michelle Koutnik, James Lin, Tabitha Grace Mallory, Saadia Pekkanen, and Scott Radnitz.
Jackson School Associate Director Stephen Meyers gives a speech at the March 13 Task Force dinner. Photo by Kerry Dahlen
Students, advisers, and evaluators also gathered for a celebratory dinner that evening in the HUB Lyceum. The dinner featured speeches from each Task Force, as well as Jackson School Director Danny Hoffman and Associate Director Stephen Meyers.
Skills that last a lifetime
As project manager for her Task Force, Chun’s job was to keep a team together when the work got hard.
“My favorite part of the Task Force experience was the collaborative process of working through complex problems that did not have clear or immediate answers,” Chun, whose group worked on “China’s Space Diplomacy Around the World,” said.
Sabrina Chun gives a speech during a March 13 dinner celebrating the end of the 2026 Task Force program. Photo by Kerry Dahlen
The most meaningful progress, according to Chun, happened between drafts — through discussion, revision, and iteration.
“Over time, we shifted from thinking about individual contributions to focusing on the strength of our collective argument,” she said. “That process not only improved our final product, but also made the experience more collaborative and engaging. It pushed us to be more intentional in our thinking and more comfortable working through uncertainty.”
Chun will continue studying international studies at King’s College London this fall, pursuing a master’s in global affairs.
“[Task Force] gave me greater confidence in pursuing a path that combines international studies with real-world policy engagement,” she said.
From politics to policy
When Dawda Kawsu Jawara joined Task Force, he brought something most undergraduates don’t: five years as a member of parliament in The Gambia’s National Assembly. But when he came to the Jackson School, he recognized a gap in his skillset.
“Although I have a political background with years of experience, Task Force equipped me with technical skills that go beyond politics,” Jawara said.
Dawda Kawsu Jawara presents during the 2026 Task Force Evaluation Day on March 13. Photo by Kerry Dahlen
For his Task Force, “U.S. Soft Power After Trump,” Jawara researched, analyzed, and helped craft recommendations on a topic that sits at the center of America’s global standing.
The experience inspired him to temporarily step away from politics to pursue further education. He aspires to become a diplomat specializing in development, confident the tools he gained in Task Force will help him make meaningful contributions to his region’s development amid a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape.
More than just a capstone
Priya Khaira walked into Task Force with the same dread most students feel about group projects. She walked out with something unexpected: restored faith in collaboration — and a new way of approaching difficult problems.
Her Task Force, “Autonomous Weapons Systems, Drones, and the Future of Conflict,” required her team to synthesize technical, ethical, and strategic considerations into coherent policy recommendations.
Priya Khaira during the 2026 Task Force Evaluation Day on March 13. Photo by Kerry Dahlen
“Task Force leaves with you the willingness to delve into difficult problems with a spirit of discovery,” Khaira said. “The whole experience brings you toward wanting to ask tough questions and balancing attention-to-detail with a care for creating a compelling whole picture.”
After graduation, Khaira will be heading to law school, where complex cases will demand the same balance of detailed analysis and big-picture thinking.
“There are plenty of demanding experiences in college that end up just being draining,” Khaira said. “Task Force is not one of them. You start the quarter with a problem and end it with a set of well-researched recommendations to address that issue. Life is full of problem-solving and you just got a bit better at that after one quarter.”
Read more about the Task Force experience in Q&As with six students.
Photos by Kerry Dahlen
