Gabriel Williams
M.S. in Foreign Service Student
Gabriel Williams is a candidate in the Masters of Science in Foreign Service program pursuing a Global Politics and Security Concentration. Gabe is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, where he majored in international studies, focusing on international political economy and East Asian affairs. The recipient of the 2025 First Jackson-Hope Medal for the highest academic achievement among his class, his senior thesis, titled "Corruption and Coordination: A Theory of Foreign Direct Investment in Corrupt Regimes,” received recognition within his university and without, earning the James J. Hentz Award for the best thesis in completion of the National Security Minor, the Institute Writing Program Thesis Award for the most outstanding honors thesis in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, and being published in the 2025 issue of the Virginia Social Science Journal. During this time, Gabe worked in a variety of roles while not at the Institute, including as an intern at Van Scoyoc Associates and as a research assistant for the University of Virginia’s Ripples of Hope Project. Currently, Gabe is developing proficiency in Chinese while completing the MSFS program, hoping to one day utilize these academic achievements and practical experiences to produce a meaningful impact on international affairs.