U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth Receives Walter Roberts Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy

December 18, 2024

Authored by:

Brook Endale

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, M.A. '92, Hon. '17, a distinguished alumna of George Washington University, received the annual Walter Roberts Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy from the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication(IPDGC) at a ceremony on Capitol Hill earlier this month.

The Walter Roberts Award is the GW IPDGC's premier award. It recognizes members of Congress who have made significant contributions to public diplomacy.

Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient, was introduced at the ceremony by Babak Bahador,the director of IPDGC and a research professor at GW's School of Media and Public Affairs (SMPA).

Duckworth's military service includes being one of the first women in the U.S. Army to fly combat missions. She served for 23 years, retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel in 2014. Duckworth later served as Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016. Before her Senate career, she represented Illinois's 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms.

As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth has been a strong advocate for U.S. diplomatic engagement, particularly with Indo-Pacific nations. She is also a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, where she has worked to improve global security and support U.S. foreign policy initiatives.

"In her work on both the Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, Senator Duckworth has focused on improving security not only for Americans but for people around the world," Bahador said. "She is highly regarded by her colleagues at the State Department for her unwavering support of their diplomatic initiatives."

Bahador said students of international relations are taught that nations exert power in three ways: military, economic and soft power.

"Soft power occurs when a country can exert influence on other countries and their people when they are attracted to its culture, political ideas, institutions and policies," Bahador said. "America is at its best when its soft power is at its strongest and it is seen as an example that others want to emulate. As the world has become more embroiled in conflict and crisis, and more challenges continue to lie ahead, it is now more important than ever for the U.S. to build on its public diplomacy work and grow and use its soft power."

Also speaking at the event were Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the State Department, and Megan Spillman,the director of International Exchanges at WorldChicago.

Satterfield, who leads the State Department's public diplomacy efforts, emphasized the importance of fostering mutual understanding to support U.S. foreign policy goals, including access to education, economic equity and inclusion.

Megan Spillman, who represents WorldChicago, discussed the organization's work in facilitating international exchanges. WorldChicago was awarded a $5,000 grant as part of the award, which recognizes outstanding public diplomacy efforts from an organization in the representative's home state.

The final speaker of the event was William Roberts, an accomplished emergency physician and retired 2-star Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy. He is the eldest of Walter Roberts' three sons and serves as a family endowment board member. Roberts currently serves as the senior vice president of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland where he oversees the university's academic, research and service missions, supporting the Military Health System and Department of Defense.

He expressed his gratitude to the honorees on behalf of his entire family and in memory of his late father, Walter R. Roberts, a distinguished diplomat and expert in foreign policy and public affairs.

He emphasized the importance of WorldChicago's work in advancing public diplomacy through international exchanges and fostering mutual understanding.

"We are pleased to offer our support, however small, to further your current and future public diplomacy initiatives. As you explore innovative ways to connect with diverse communities-both locally and globally-you continue to share the American story in meaningful and impactful ways," Roberts said.

Roberts also acknowledged Senator Duckworth's exemplary career and her many remarkable achievements.

"Senator Duckworth, thank you for your heroic service to both your state and our nation, both in and out of uniform," Roberts said.

Duckworth expressed gratitude for the recognition and said the opportunities she had at GW, especially meeting military personnel, inspired her career and shaped her understanding of public diplomacy's role in strengthening global connections.

"It was an honor to receive this recognition from my alma mater, a university that helped form me and helped forge my life's path," Duckworth said. "During my time at GW, I met students and faculty who I would have otherwise never crossed paths with-specifically, I got to know many folks from the military, some currently serving and others who were retired or in the reserves. With their encouragement, I decided to try military service. If I had not gone to GW and met those wonderful people, I never would have had that fulfilling career and ended up where I am today. GW also helped teach me just how essential public diplomacy is to strengthening key connections between the American people and individuals around the world. That's yet one more reason why I'm so grateful to receive this award and why I'm proud to keep supporting the critical programs that build and strengthen America's relationships with our current and future global partners."