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Seton Hall University

Seton Hall University’s School of Diplomacy and International Relations Provides Students and Community with Opportunity to Hear U.S. Senator Robert Menendez Deliver Major Foreign Policy Address  

Senator MenendezSeton Hall University's School of Diplomacy and International Relations served as the forum for U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to deliver a major foreign policy address on the Iran nuclear agreement on Tuesday, August 18, at Seton Hall University.

"For twenty three years as a member of the House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations Committees, I have had the privilege of dealing with major foreign policy and national security issues," said Menendez. "Many of those have been of a momentous nature. This is one of those moments."

Menendez went on to provide a detailed analysis and announced his decision regarding the upcoming September vote on a resolution of disapproval.

"This is one of the most critical issues facing our country right now," said Courtney Smith, senior associate dean of the School of Diplomacy and International Relations. "The fact that our students were able to hear directly from the senator about this deal provided them with a great academic opportunity to consider information and decide their own views moving forward."

Following his address, Menendez met with School of Diplomacy and International Relations students for a question and answer session.

Senator Menendez with Diplomacy Student, Photo Credit: Michael Paras.
Photo Credit: Michael Paras.

"One of my favorite things about being a School of Diplomacy and International Relations student is being able to participate in these kinds of opportunities" said Dylan Ashdown, a strategic communication and diplomacy and international relations graduate student. "In addition to Senator Menendez, I had the chance to meet U.S. National Security Adviser Ambassador Susan E. Rice in April and last fall had the opportunity to hear from Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee."

Karina Taylor, a diplomacy and international relations graduate student and editor-in-chief of the Seton Hall Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations echoed Ashdown's sentiment. "To have an intimate and candid conversation with Senator Menendez is not an opportunity you're given every day but we have these opportunities because of Seton Hall."

Dean Smith added, "To be sought out as a forum for the senior senator for the State of New Jersey to give a major foreign policy address is an honor for us and it shows the influence and reputation of the School of Diplomacy and International Relations and of the University as a whole."

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