Muskie Fellows Conclude U.S. Internships with 2026 Debriefing in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. – The Edmund S. Muskie Professional Fellowship Program concluded its 2026 Fellowship with a Debriefing held on August 13–14 in Washington, D.C. Following summer internships at organizations across the United States, Fellows reconvened to reflect on their professional growth, share their experiences, and look ahead to their next steps as alumni.

Throughout the two-day event, Fellows revisited professional goals they set earlier in the Fellowship and reflected on their internships, community service experiences, and time in U.S. workplaces. Discussions encouraged Fellows to consider how they navigated unfamiliar workplace expectations, built professional relationships, and adapted their approaches to communication and collaboration. Fellows also explored the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum as the program’s cultural activity, offering an opportunity to learn more about U.S. history and the innovations that have transformed global travel, science, and exploration.

*Muskie Fellows gather in Washington, D.C., for the 2026 Debriefing event.*

Muskie alumna Anna Lysiuk, Exhibitions and Grants Manager at The Ukrainian Museum in New York City, led a session on ways to become socially engaged in one’s community. A member of the first Muskie Program cohort in 2015, she drew on her work across Ukrainian and American arts institutions and her experience co-founding a leadership program for high school students in her hometown of Kovel, Ukraine. Fellows also learned about various opportunities to remain engaged with U.S. Department of State exchange programs as alumni.

*Muskie alumna Anna Lysiuk leads a session on socially engaged art and placemaking.*

During the Debriefing, Fellows shared their internship experiences through presentations across fields such as international relations, AI, education, law, and the arts. The presentations gave Fellows an opportunity to share professional lessons, projects, and perspectives from their summer experiences with one another.

The Debriefing concluded with a reception bringing together Fellows, Muskie alumni, host organizations and U.S. Department of State representatives to celebrate the completion of the Fellowship. Dan Ewert, Managing Director of Program Research & Development at Cultural Vistas, offered remarks congratulating Fellows on completing the program. Fellows leave the program with new professional skills and relationships, as well as a broader Muskie alumni community that will continue beyond the Fellowship.

*Muskie Fellows reflect on their summer internship experiences.*

About the Edmund S. Muskie Professional Fellowship Program
The Edmund S. Muskie Professional Fellowship Program, funded by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by Cultural Vistas since 2015, provides Fulbright Program emerging leaders from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia the opportunity to gain real-world experience that complements and enriches their graduate studies in the U.S.

Since 1992, the U.S. Department of State has provided thousands of graduate school fellowships for students from across Eurasia to build democracies, strengthen the transition to market economies, and establish strong civil societies. Building on that foundation, Cultural Vistas has provided hands-on, professional skill-building opportunities across the United States for more than 500 graduate students through the Muskie Professional Fellowship Program, while also connecting hundreds of U.S. host organizations with talented international graduate students who bring specialized expertise and global networks to American workplaces.