SEAN KINER
Staff Writer
Colleen Graffy is one of many whose interests have changed because of time spent studying abroad. Graffy is one of the few, however, whose experiences in Heidelberg, Germany, led her to the White House.
Graffy, a Pepperdine alumna and former director of the Pepperdine London Law program, was recently appointed deputy assistant secretary of state for public diplomacy for Europe and Eurasia.
Graffy’s new job places her in Washington, D.C., and she reports to the assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia, Steven Pifer, and the new undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, Karen Hughes. It is a newly created position, and she is now a major part of the Department of State, working indirectly under Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The Department of State develops and implements U.S. foreign policy, coordinates U.S. representation abroad and has the primary role in negotiations with foreign countries.
Graffy in particular helps the government stay updated on how the world views the United States. Her flight to Europe was taking her to a variety of journalists, think-tanks and politicians to hear their opinions on various U.S. policy issues and to discuss with them areas in which Europe and the United States are cooperating. Graffy also visits American embassies and finds how the government can help them do their jobs better. Through these visits, Graffy helps inform the government about world opinion and issues to help it better formulate new policies.
“President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice are committed to a strong public diplomacy outreach and my experience in debating and explaining and commenting on U.S. foreign policy in Europe was seen as a valuable asset in this endeavor,” Graffy wrote via e-mail.
Graffy attributed her interest in international relations to the overseas program at Pepperdine.
“Living and studying in Europe expanded my horizons irretrievably, and I came back to Malibu and switched to an international relations degree,” Graffy said.
She was originally a political science major, but after her stay in Heidelberg, she changed to international relations. Upon graduating from Pepperdine in 1979, she returned to Heidelberg and taught for the Pepperdine international program, while getting a master’s degree in international relations.
She eventually moved to London and merged her two loves — law and international relations — when she studied international law.
“I did my law degree over there, so I’m an English barrister — complete with the wig and gown,” Graffy said.
Graffy became chairman of Republicans Abroad for the United Kingdom and received her first exposure to media. She became a commentator and, to date, she has been a guest on BBC radio as well as global, national and regional television programs such as SKY, CNN and Al Jazeera.
Graffy often debated U.S. foreign policy in these interviews.
“My funniest debate was at the Oxford Union against actor Richard Dreyfuss,” Graffy said.
Former Pepperdine law school Dean Richard Cupp describes her as a “force of nature.”
“She has an exceptionally strong personality, but it is tempered with genuine caring for others and a strong drive to use her life to make a positive difference in the world,” Cupp said.
Graffy is not the only person who moved from Malibu to Capitol Hill. She said her favorite aspect of the move is that there are so many Pepperdine alumni in Washington, D.C. She was recently called by Paris Dennard, a 2004 Pepperdine alumnus who is working in the White House, and she said they hope to meet soon.
“Last week I ended up randomly sharing a taxi with two young ladies who were best friends with several Pepperdine alums and promptly e-mailed them to get them in touch,” Graffy said.
Graffy encourages Pepperdine students to take advantage of International Programs because she said her experiences abroad changed her life dramatically.
“It was Pepperdine’s study abroad program that set me on the road to her eventual appointment to the State Department.”
11-03-2005