Living the D.C. Life

When Meredith Weiss ’18 signed up for Model U.N. at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, it sparked an interest that carried through college and into her career. She graduated from George Washington University summa cum laude with a B.A. in international affairs in May 2022 with special honors in international affairs. She now works as a wargaming analyst for Booz Allen Hamilton, specifically working as a cyber analyst for the Institute of Security Governance.

“As a senior I knew I wanted to go into international affairs, so I knew Washington, D.C. was the place for me,” she said. “I loved GW’s location in the center of downtown D.C.; it was the perfect place to explore my interests.”

As a HIES student, she was involved in a variety of clubs and activities, including theatre, the National Honor Society, and the Spanish and Science National Honor Societies. “HIES allowed me the time and space to try a lot of different things,” she said.

In college, Ms. Weiss was a member of the GW Residence Hall Association and served as president of The National Residence Hall Honorary, where she advocated for the interests and welfare of residence hall students at the regional and national levels. She found her love of experiential learning through her involvement with Strategic Crisis Simulations, a student group that designs interactive and engaging simulations on issues in U.S. foreign policy and international security.

Throughout her coursework at GW, Ms. Weiss became enamored with space policy and strategy. She completed two internships with Aerospace Industries Association, one in international affairs and another in strategic initiatives for The American Rocketry Challenge. She wrote her senior thesis about Chinese space strategy, entitled “China’s Space Program: Lessons from the Essence of Decision,” under the advisement of Dr. Scott Pace, former Executive Secretary of the National Space Council.

“The space industry is full of professionals who are passionate about their work,” Ms. Weiss said. “They are full of excitement for the future and what space can do for humanity.”

Her projects at Booz Allen Hamilton focus on security cooperation with allied and partner nations to enhance interoperability with the United States. She researches and creates content for workshops and seminars in cyber security.

­— Christina Mimms